workshop 4

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Medicine

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Apr 3, 2024

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Childhood Obesity among African Americans in Chicago: Problems and Solutions By: Anna Traub, Max Watson, Makarand Wadagave Background Rates of childhood obesity among African American communities in Chicago are very high and can have serious impacts on the health of these children as well as financial impacts on the community as a whole. There are various causes of childhood obesity including the environment in which these children live, the socio-economic impacts of the family situation, lack of access to physical activities as well as genetics (1). Child obesity affects the children themselves, their families, the medical professionals in the area, as well as the city as a whole. The children suffer from a variety of health conditions related to obesity. These include both physical and mental conditions. Some of the physical consequences of childhood obesity are hyperglycemia, inflammation, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, asthma, sleep apnea, orthopedic problems, kidney disease, and various other issues. The mental consequences of childhood obesity can include an early onset of depression, anxiety and low-self esteem which can lead to a poor performance in school as well as a poor mental outlook. Their families have to deal with those expenses as well as providing emotional support. The medical professionals are impacted by having an increased workload dealing with these obesity-related health conditions. The city as a whole is impacted by having to spend taxpayer money on providing care to these children. Analysis We found from the 2000 census that there are 844,298 children in the city of Chicago, with 36.77% of them being African American children. Roughly, this amounts to 310,448 African American children. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, 83% of obese black children will be obese as adults. This implies that the estimated number of obese children in Chicago in 2000 that will be obese as adults is 257,672. This figure multiplied by the lifetime estimate of obesity costs through disability, medical and non-medical services, premature death, and decreased productivity ($92,235) is $23,766,376,900. This figure is the estimate of the increased cost to taxpayers in Chicago from obese children accoridng to the 2000 census. There have been multiple government-funded programs providing children with healthier food and better physical education opportunities. Many schools have already implemented a plan to have salad bars for children, which is government funded. An issue that Chicago and other major cities face is accessibility to fresh produce. In addition, the fresh produce that arrives in the city is usually more expensive than the cheaper processed foods which help cause childhood obesity. The African American communities are unable to afford these more expensive and healthier options. A solution to this problem is government incentives for local farmers to sell their produce to schools, which in turn would financially benefit small farming businesses as well as have healthier options in schools. On top of eating healthier, community centers were also built to offer physical activity opportunities to encourage children in Chicago to stay

physically active and be able to socialize with other children. The services from the community center would be at no cost to the families so they would not have to worry about financial expenses. In 2010, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama created the Let’s Move campaign, targeting childhood obesity. Their plan was created to raise public awareness about the issues of childhood obesity by encouraging children to eat healthier and exercise more. The Task Force on Childhood Obesity created a list of 70 options that could be done to ultimately achieve their goal of decreasing the childhood obesity rate down to 5% by 2030. We have seen, however, that since the Obamas left the whitehouse, the percentage of childhood obesity has remained relatively the same , which shows that this plan was ineffective. Conclusion Overall, from the research, we conclude that childhood obesity is a major problem in African American communities in Chicago. Higher rates of childhood obesity in African American communities have drastic effects. These effects include a decrease in life expectancy for five years shorter than their parents, negative impact on academics, behavior, and self-esteem. Additionally, overweight adolescents have a 70% probability of becoming overweight or obese adults with risk factors contributing to diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in the USA. These negative impacts put an additional load on the healthcare system and hinder the growth and prosperity of African American communities in Chicago. Many NGOs like Chicago Run, Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC) as well the Chicago Department of Public Health have implemented programs to tackle the Childhood Obesity Epidemic. These efforts included adopting and implementing Healthier US Gold Standard for school-based meals, active implementation of community health centers, which provide nutrition classes, and other education about the importance of eating healthy and being physically active. Data from Sinai Urban Health Institute’s Community Health Survey showed that in 2002, nearly half of the children in five of six Chicago community areas were obese, compared with 16.8% of children nationally. These trends’ are prevalent as the obesity rates in Illinois particularly in Chicago have been rapidly increasing since 2002 and remain at an all-time high in 2019. Furthermore, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced students to stay at home reducing the implementation and impact of these programs. According to a science daily article, the Covid -19 pandemic lockdowns worsen childhood obesity as kids eat more junk food, watched more TV at expense of physical activity. Research on previously implemented solutions shows a lack of focus on the advertisement and awareness campaigns among parents regarding the dangers of childhood obesity. The proper media campaign, advertisements, and awareness messages can help people understand the problem as well as the available resources provided by various organizations and the Chicago Department of Public Health. A study from the Journal of Palliative Medicine suggests that proper advertisement and awareness campaigns have positive impacts. Since high school students in Chicago, report an excess amount of time spent in front of the television than in the

U.S (44.9% vs. 32.8%), effective advertisement campaigns can reach the target group directly and effectively. The media campaign should include petitions from the public in order to echo the negative effects of higher rates of childhood obesity in African American communities to the authorities in Chicago. Furthermore, support from the public can help NGOs like Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC) to gain monetary grants to help solve the childhood obesity epidemic. Other sources such as crowdfunding from sources like gofundme and donation platforms can help the NGOs. In conclusion, from the available research and data, emphasis on advertisement and awareness campaigns regarding the drastic effects of childhood obesity in African American communities in Chicago is the most fitting solution. With proper implementation and support from the public, the problem of childhood obesity in African American communities in Chicago can be solved effectively. Works Cited: (1) Caprio, Sonia, Stephen R Daniels, Adam Drewnowski, Francine R Kaufman, Lawrence A Palinkas, Arlan L Rosenbloom, and Jeffrey B Schwimmer. “Influence of Race, Ethnicity, and Culture on Childhood Obesity: Implications for Prevention and Treatment: a Consensus Statement of Shaping America's Health and the Obesity Society.” Diabetes care. American Diabetes Association, November 2008. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2571048/ (2) Yonek, Juliet, and Romana Hasnain-Wynia. “A Profile of Health and Health Resources within Chicago’s 77 Community Areas.” Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Center for Healthcare Equity/Institute for Healthcare Studies, 2011 .http://chicagohealth77.org . (3) Yonek, Juliet, and Romana Hasnain-Wynia. “A Profile of Health and Health Resources within Chicago’s 77 Community Areas.” Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Center for Healthcare Equity/Institute for Healthcare Studies, 2011.http://chicagohealth77.org. (4) “HEALTHY CHICAGO DATA BRIEF: OVERWEIGHT OR OBESITY IN CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, 2010-2018.” Chicago Department of Public Health, n.d. Accessed April 2, 2021. https://www.chicago.gov/.

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