No Quality Diets for Our Children

Obesity is a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in our bodies. This disease is increasing at an alarming rate in American children and adolescents, especially those within the ages 2 to 19. This essay examines the difference between school-based interventions (i.e., educate our children about obesity at an early age, serving right nutrition in schools) and community based interventions (i.e., parents help provide better nutrition for their children) to prevent obesity. Both interventions can help decrease obesity rates in children, but the point of this essay review is to point out which interventions will provide the better results to solve the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States.

As adults, they are also at an increased risk for coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) compared with those not overweight as adolescents.” It is important to help reduce the growing trend of obesity in children and young adults, as it has been documented in recent studies that children who are overweight tend to carry this problem with them into adulthood. Revitalizing the school lunch program would be an incremental place for the government to start revamping the obesity problems that they have caused in children. David Satcher stated in HEALTHY and Ready to Learn that, “Well-nourished students tend to be better students, whereas poorly nourished students tend to demonstrate weaker academic performance and score lower on standardized achievement tests. The majority of U.S. children are not eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet. Inadequate consumption of key food groups deprives children of essential vitamins, minerals, fats, and proteins necessary for optimum cognitive function (Tufts University School of Nutrition, 1995). Children who suffer from poor nutrition during the brains most formative years score much lower on tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension, arithmetic, and general knowledge (Brown & Pollitt, 1996). In a 1989 study, 4th graders with the lowest amount

Many Americans are suffering from nutrition issues. There are approximately 12.5 million children and adolescents aged 2-19 years that are obese (CDC). The proper health and nutrition for children is very critical to their growth and development. The media and its promotion of junk food is one way that affects obese children. Within this paper, I will discuss the long and short term impacts of obesity on children, their growth and development, describe a specific child who is affected by obesity, and give three ways to combat obesity that involves collaboration among schools, families, and communities.

School lunches, curriculum focus, and daily activities have changed in elementary schools over the years. The nutritional value in school lunches often meet a bare minimum. Curriculum is focused strongly on idealistic future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; but often forget teaching basic healthy habits needed for lifelong health. Physical education is no longer required every single day. Obesity has become an epidemic and not just for adults, it is increasingly affecting children as well. Children spend a generous amount of time in the classroom. They spend more time in school than at home or anywhere else. Therefore, schools have a responsibility in preventing obesity in adolescents by teaching them healthy habits, serving them nutritious food, and providing them with adequate physical activity.

It is important for pre-adulthood intervention because prevention of overweight and obesity in early childhood can in the long run, attenuate the high prevalence of excessive weight among older adults. (Moreno, L) With the assistance of specific health programs and initiatives schools are able to best assist, guide and support students with their dietary patterns and nutritional choices, thus addressing some of the factors effecting adolescent obesity. Two intervention programs/initiatives that can be, and have been, incorporated well into schools are:

In today’s society, there has been a plethora of achievements in technology, medical advancement, and educational platforms. However, with these new, exciting gateways has come several issues, some of which have become very serious. One of the most important hot button issues is childhood obesity. In fact, statistics show that since the 1970’s, the obesity rate in children’s ages range two to five in the United States, has increased over five percent alone, as well as over ten percent in children in age ranges between twelve to nineteen in 2008 (Gale Encyclopedia of diets, 2013). With this serious issue facing the United States, it leads to question: why have children in the United States become so obese and what strategies have been implemented to curve this often-outrageous statistic? The cause of childhood obesity can be blamed on several factors that affect all areas of the child’s life. Factors including the home lifestyle and parent accountability, outside the home in school where implementation and access of unhealthy foods and beverages far exceeds their nutritional counterparts, as well as an increased portion size are adding to this overall problem. To combat the issue, many states have implemented programs specifically aimed at childhood obesity to prevent the future health risks associated with this medical issue. Also, suggestions are being acquired for schools and parents alike to assist in getting the obese target below the national level

The obesity epidemic here in the United States affects a mass portion of all children and adolescents. The rapid growth in childhood obesity has become a prevalent health concern that is overlooked due to its’ normality. The main focus of this issue has always been fixated on how to help those facing current problems with obesity. Instead, attention needs to be brought to the prevention of our country’s #1 leading health concern, which has yet to be compromised. This ignorance has led millions of children ill-educated on the importance of lifestyle and the simple concept that “we are what we eat”. The reality of this issue is not one many want to take responsibility for, but the significant impact education has on what children consume is greater than we may think. The lack of effort in our education system and the simple changes in the education we provide can significantly help reduce the obesity crisis we face. Our education career is one of the most influential aspects of all of our lives and though most of children’s time is spent in school, it lacks teaching the importance of food, the consequences of unhealthy diets and its’ little value on health as being part of our future success.

To touch on poor nutrition, research shows that almost one-third of U.S. children between the ages of four and nineteen eat fast food every day; this results in weight gain of approximately 6 extra pounds on a growing child each year (NACHRI, 2007). Fast food consumption has increased fivefold among children since 1970. Not only is fast food an issue, but when parents reward their children with sugary foods and/or use fruits and vegetables as a punishment, this may cause children’s views toward nutritious food to be negative. Some great educational tools that can be shared both in and out of the classroom are “The Food Guide Pyramid” and “My Plate.” Both show that appropriate number of serving of each food category. “My Plate” does a great job of even providing games, activity sheets, kid-friendly recipes, and physical activity tips to elementary aged children (My Plate, 2015). They also provide great resources for adults so parents and educators can practice what they preach and set good examples for children. Educating children on an what a healthy diet consists of and why it is important is probably the greatest preventative tool we can use to prevent obesity. As the famous saying goes, “knowledge is

The goal of any educational institution should be to have postive impacts on the whole child. Nutrition is one aspect of the whole child that schools could improve upon. For a variety of reasons, there is a disconnect between the educators of a school building and those responsible for student’s nutrition. At school, students have a unqiue opportunity to make decisions about their nutrition, with the assistance of their parent in some cases. The following literature review investigates the National School Lunch Program in its effects on childhood obesity. The workshop to follow offers a plan to help impact childhood obesity through family education.

Lunches served at schools throughout the United States play a large role in childhood obesity. In 2012, a study showed that the percentage rate of children who were diagnosed with obesity in the United States had risen to 33% (Rourke). Obesity has only grown since, and will continue to grow if changes are not implemented not only in the home, but in the school lunch program as well. The students who eat school lunches are proven to have a higher obesity rate compared to those who prepare a lunch at home and bring it to school (Rourke). This shows that students who have the option to eat healthier have a decreased rate

Childhood obesity is a complicated interplay of individual factors, familial determinants, and social constructs, and is largely under-counseled in healthcare arena.The long term effects of childhood obesity are grave including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Emotional consequences include bullying, social isolation and decline in school performance. Childhood obesity results from an imbalance between caloric intake and expenditure. School children have limited knowledge about healthy nutrition and lifestyle, and improving knowledge can directly influence their decision making capacity and improve outcomes. Our primary aim is to determine baseline knowledge of school children residing in Olmsted county regarding healthy nutrition, physical activity, screen time and assess disparities in knowledge based on age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and parental education level. Our secondary aim is to design and implement an educational program targeting school children and teachers and to assess post-intervention improvement in knowledge at 6

According to Barbara Wexler, “One of the most disturbing observations about overweight and obesity in the United States is the epidemic of supersized (overweight and obese) kids” (Wexler). Today many children can be persuaded to choose the wrong option when it comes to deciding what may or may not be right for their bodies. There are a number outside forces that can depict on how they make decisions based on their diet when they may not even realize it. It is important for children to understand what is right and wrong when making healthy lifestyle decisions. By insuring that children get what they need, nutrition classes should be mandatory in schools

The proposed intervention to help combat childhood obesity in low-income families will be an interactive nutrition education program for both the children and their families. This program will be needed in rural, low income areas, that otherwise would not have access to this information. Patient education is of the utmost importance when combatting the development of chronic illnesses, especially one as prevalent as obesity is the United States. A health improvement plan must include realistic interventions that are appropriate for the target population.

Nutrition is a very important topic for children and adolescents to understand, especially in West Virginia where 35.7% of adolescents ranging in age from 10 – 17 suffer from obesity (West Virginia State Fact Sheet, n.d.). It is critical that the importance of nutrition be understood, because obesity is the cause of various health problems. Creating an intervention for nutrition can be tricky because like most other aspects of physical health, a great deal of nutrition is learned at home. You have to look at the different factors that contribute to nutrition and try to pin point exactly what aspect needs changed the most. Luckily, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has already created an intervention that uses both subjective and objective measures to obtain accurate results.

My emphasis in this assignment is to develop, implement, and assess a teaching plan concentrated on good nutrition and daily exercise for school age children. The early years are a critical time for founding good eating habits and attitude about food and exercise. Children who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults. This is a major public health risk to the wellbeing of children. Recent literature supports the positive effects of good nutrition on the brain development and mental health. Limited exercise in