...AP Photo/LisA BiLLings Confronting America’s Childhood Obesity Epidemic How the Health Care Reform Law Will Help Prevent and Reduce Obesity Ellen-Marie Whelan, Lesley Russell, and Sonia Sekhar May 2010 w w w.americanprogress.org Confronting America’s Childhood Obesity Epidemic How the Health Care Reform Law Will Help Prevent and Reduce Obesity Ellen-Marie Whelan, Lesley Russell, and Sonia Sekhar May 2010 Contents 1 Fast Facts on Childhood Obesity 3 Introduction and summary 6 Provisions included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that address childhood obesity 6 Childhood Obesity Demonstration Project 7 Nutrition labeling 7 Community Transformation Grants 9 Broader measures in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to tackle childhood obesity 9 Prevention and public health 15 Primary care and coordination 18 Community-based Care 20 Maternal and child health 22 Research: Doing what works in obesity prevention 23 Data provisions that will help with tracking and providing improved outcomes to measure obesity prevention 25 What else is needed? 27 Beyond health care 29 Conclusion 30 Appendix: The White House Childhood Obesity Initiative 32 Endnotes 34 About the authors Fast Facts on Childhood Obesity Our nation’s children today are on track to have a lower life expectancy than their parents The obesity epidemic poses serious health problems for children including cardiovascular disease,...
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...Matthew Stark Sociology 422 Professor Bradshaw 5 May 2015 Childhood Obesity: Is there an elucidation? 1. Describe the Policy, Program or Topic: The growth in childhood obesity over the past several decades, together with the associated health problems and costs, is raising serious concern among health care professionals, policy experts, children’s advocates, and parents. Childhood obesity is defined “in terms of body mass index (BMI), which in turn is defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared” (Anderson). According to the Obesity Action Coalition “a child is defined as “affected by obesity” if their body mass index-for-age (or BMI-for-age) percentile is greater than 95 percent. A child is defined as “overweight” if their BMI-for-age percentile is greater than 85 percent and less than 95 percent.” BMI has become the frontrunner for measuring a child’s weight condition, but only a physician can best determine and diagnoses weight status in children. Obesity is not just a problem in the United States but around the world as well. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey have been recording overweight and obesity in children since the early 1960’s. During 1971–74 about five percent of children aged two to nineteen years were obese but it has increase significantly throughout the years. By 1980 and 1988-94, the numbers nearly doubled in children and between the years of 1998-2002, nearly fifteen percent of United States children have become...
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...There is a growing epidemic of childhood obesity in Australia and also worldwide. The prevalence of obesity has doubled to 65% of the world’s population live in countries where obesity and overweight kills more people than underweight does (WHO, 2011). Obese children are more likely to have health problems throughout their childhood, these health issues are associated with long-term health consequences to which the economic costs are enormous (Swinburn, 2008). Obesity in childhood is frequently tracked into adulthood, this is clearly a major contributor for the adulthood epidemic. Interventions and preventions have become key strategies in reducing the impact of childhood obesity. Through national and international health promotions, promoting healthy eating and physical activity in environments that reduce childhood obesity. The rapid increase of childhood obesity not only is it a burden on psychological, physical but also socially (Deckelbaum & Williams, 2005). Health care professionals such as nurses’ play a very important role in the prevention or management of obesity. Nurses’ can research current evidence in health promotions to find the best program for different populations by providing support and management of their illness (Bluford, Sherry & Scanlon, 2007). Throughout this is essay all these points will be discussed in more detail. Obesity and overweight have been defined as an excess or abnormal fat accumulation that may impair health within children and adults...
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...Health Advocacy Campaign Childhood obesity is considered one of the major pressing health issues of our century. The rate of childhood obesity has increased alarmingly, with the number of obese children under five globally standing at over 42 million today. Approximately 35 million of obese children are living in the developing countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) children who are obese and overweight are very likely to stay obese into their adulthood; further, they stand a high chance of developing non communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease while they are still young (Cheng, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to highlight the gravity of childhood obesity based on statistics and the health effects that the issue has on the children and impacts in the society. Further, the study will develop a health advocacy plan for the problem. Review laws, regulations, and ethical issues that could impact health advocacy plan in regards to childhood obesity. Population Health Issue and Population Affected Childhood obesity has spread to global dimensions and is progressively affecting many low- and middle-income countries, and particularly those that are domiciled in urban settings. In the US alone, one in every five children is obese or overweight; this number is on the rise. Although weight problems can be traced back to the family genealogy, however, this is not all children who come from families that have a known...
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...Childhood Obesity Family-based treatment is more effective than individual treatment for childhood obesity diagnoses in America. Childhood obesity is a medical condition in which a child has excessive body mass index for the child’s age and height. Childhood obesity is a growing problem which has led to an epidemic in America. There are several contributing factors which lead adolescents to be diagnosed with pediatric obesity. Some American medical professionals are focusing on preventing and diminishing pediatric obesity with individual treatment, however, according to the American Heart Association, If parents are unhealthy, children are likely to be unhealthy too” (American Heart Association, 2011). Family-based treatment regulates the effects of childhood obesity over the long term versus individual treatment for adolescents and teenagers, which is a short term solution. Childhood obesity affects one in three children and teens in the United States, causing the rate to triple since 1963 (American Heart Association, 2011). Pediatric obesity involves children two to twenty years of age, where the child or teen has excessive body fat for their age and sex. Excessive body fat occurs when energy ingested is more than energy burned off by a child or teenager. A few symptoms of child obesity are sleep apnea; when a child or teen stops breathing in his or her sleep for a short period of time, hip or knee pain, difficulty in breathing such as; asthma, headaches, skin conditions...
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...Childhood Obesity – State of Oregon Legislation and Federal Legislation Ann Klinger DeVry University HSM410 Health Care Policy Professor Patricia Devin Week #7 February 23, 2013 Childhood Obesity – State of Oregon Legislation and Federal Legislation Summary On June 21, 2004 Senator Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Senator Bill Frist, introduced to the 108th Congress Senate Bill S.2551 entitled Childhood Obesity Reduction Act. This bill was to “combat childhood obesity for children in Oregon and throughout the nation, and urged that Congress take the lead in curbing the epidemic by passing the Childhood Obesity Reduction Act. The legislation, would establish a Congressional Council on Childhood Obesity to promote the following activities and to encourage every U.S. elementary and middle school to develop and implement a plan to reduce and prevent obesity, promote improved nutritional choices, and promote increased physical activity:” ("Wyden combats childhood," October 2004 Press Release). United States Senate bill S.2551 failed, but all 50 states and the Federal government are continuing to make efforts to reduce childhood obesity. My paper will review legislation the State of Oregon has implemented to reduce childhood obesity. I will provide an overview of Federal government legislation that has been implemented to reduce childhood obesity. Statistics report, “since 1980 obesity has more than doubled among children ages 2 to 5, and youths 6 to 11 rates have grown...
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...Childhood Obesity David Sholl Western Governors University Task 3 Childhood Obesity Part A: Description of the Problem The primary focus of the literature review will be childhood obesity among American children between the ages of five and eighteen years. Most parents are not aware that their children have problems until they become overweight. For instance, in a survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2011, about 49% of American parents believed that their children were of average size. However, after physical examinations, a team of physicians classified them as overweight. Central adiposity is one of the symptoms of childhood obesity. Children with excessive accumulation of fat around the abdominal area are either overweight or obese. Inability to cope with abrupt physical activities is another symptom. Numerous studies indicate that overweight children have diminished physical stamina because their bodies carry excess weight. Snoring is the other notable symptom of childhood obesity. As fat accumulates around the neck region, it obstructs the windpipe leading to snoring among children. Childhood obesity is now a pandemic in the U.S, and has become a national health crisis. One in every three children in America aged between two and eighteen years are considered overweight or obese. The life-threatening problems of obesity create a critical and compelling call for action that should not be ignored. According to numerous sources obesity is related...
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...Conquering Childhood Obesity Robin Rickards Chamberlain College of Nursing Childhood obesity has become prevalent not only in the United States, but around the world. Many factors contribute to childhood obesity. These factors include the imbalance of caloric intake with actual calories used, genetics, behavioral and environmental. Body mass index (BMI), is a measure of weight in relation to height. If the weight is higher than what is determined by the CDC (Center for Disease Control), a child is considered overweight or obese. For children, obesity is defined as having a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children the same age and sex. BMI is also a useful index for cardiovascular risk. It has been established that childhood obesity has many factors to it, but what percentage of it is due to parents allowing their children to become a product of their environment? The imbalance of caloric intake with actual calories used for growth, development, metabolism, and physical activity is one of many factors involving childhood obesity (Karnik, Kanekar, 2011). Genetics play a part, by altering body fat content and absorption of energy. “Heritability of obesity from parents also influences obesity in children.” (Karnik, Kanekar, 2011). The behavioral factor of childhood obesity is directly correlated to lack of physical activity. A lot of children spend a great deal of their time indoors watching television, playing video games and being on the computer. Television...
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...MEMORANDUM TO: Sylvia Mathews Burwell, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service FROM: Tiffany Hunter, Health Services Administrator, Intern SUBJECT: Childhood Obesity in America DATE: October 30, 2015 Childhood obesity is a driving force in the deterioration of health in adulthood. For the first time, the next generation of Americans conceivably will be the the first to have shorter, more disease prone, and less healthy lives than their parents. Obesity in America’s children has tripled since 1980, and current research suggests that one-third of children aged two and older are already overweight or obese. (Russell, Sekhar, & Whelan, 2010) Being overweight was at one time considered something that a child would outgrow. However, that is no longer the case. In the twentieth century, through medical research, it was revealed that children who suffered from obesity were susceptible to a lifetime of various health concerns. A child who carries superfluous weight is at risk for illnesses ranging from asthma to cardiovascular disease. In short, childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Childhood obesity is intricate in its complexity because it has multiple influences, including: biological, behavioral, societal, economic, and environmental, which together have shaped an atmosphere in which it has become difficult to sustain a healthy body weight. These environments are categorized by: * The influx in the number of American families having...
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...Childhood Obesity Introduction One of the current health problems that attract a good deal of attention is childhood obesity. Indeed, the alarming increase in the number of children who become overweight leads to a need for effective health educations. This report will describe the magnitude of childhood obesity and suggest some health education as solutions. Literature review Some studies on childhood obesity and the role of health education in preventing such a health problem were conducted. Lanigan and Power (2008) indicated the growth in the incidence of this health issue and considered parents as health educators who help their children avoid obesity. By using a large body of evidence from an online survey held by the Washington University in 2006-2007, the researchers suggested various ways in which parents can achieve controlling their children’s obesity. Thanks to this article’s findings, the role of education in solving childhood obesity which is included in my research topic is strengthened. Hutchinson (2010) implied the effects of school-based education on reducing the number of overweight children. By examining the outcomes of Rachael Dixey’s and Janet Wordley’s study (2010) in a variety of school programs concerning childhood obesity, the authors showed that educating children about physical activities and nutrition at school help prevent childhood obesity. The article is helpful to my research topic because its reports improve the importance of health education...
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...How Can We Rid Childhood Obesity? Childhood obesity is a pandemic that has reached worldwide distribution. A problem as rampant as this is having a direct negative correlation with education and the way kids learn in America. “More than one third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). For the next generation to succeed and someday be responsible for many of the leadership roles that run this country, there needs to be immediate action. Childhood obesity has a negative effect on development on education, it’s time to start educating children on the many ways to make healthy decisions that will ultimately come back and benefit the education system and learning process itself. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention classifies childhood obesity as a disease and psychological disorder meaning that it directly affects brain function. A child being overweight is classified as a body mass index at or higher than the eighty-fifth percentile and lower than the ninety-fifth percentile for those among the same age and sex. For childhood obesity, it is classified as a body mass index at or higher than the ninety-fifth percentile among the same ages and sexes (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). One without any knowledge or background of public health can conclude that if obesity directly affects brain function, that it must also affect leaning in school. According to Juliette Kellow’s research, the performance of...
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...Health Advocacy on Childhood Obesity Janeane Horan Walden University August third, 2014 Introduction According to the Center of Disease Control approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese. Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has almost tripled (CDC, 2012). Today’s nurses are faced with a growing trend in overweight and obese children and have the responsibility to be the patient advocate and help. Health promotion is one of the most important aspects of nursing, and no matter what setting a nurse is in; they have the power to provoke change. Childhood obesity will be discussed in detail throughout this paper. Public policy needs to address the arising concern that childhood obesity has on today’s society. Creating an advocacy program based on two effective childhood obesity programs; The Power Up Initiative and Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) can do just that. The potential community-based advocacy program in this paper will address what needs to be included in school and after school programs to promote health and prevention of obesity. The program will also need to have a specific plan on what and how to educate local pediatricians and nurses regarding childhood obesity. What is it and what is the cause? Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of fat in the body (Mckinney, E., James, S., Murray, S., Ashwill, J., 2009). Fat is accumulated in the body when there is a combination...
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...Children Obesity Presentation Welcome to this presentation on childhood obesity, a very vulnerable population. In the next 20 minutes, based on the health issue of childhood obesity that is identified in the selected community setting from the Neighborhood, the team will introduce an innovative program that will target this major health issue and improve the health of this population. In this presentation, the Healthy People 2020 indicator will be referred as it relates to childhood obesity and contributes to the nursing role. The statistics information and the risk factors associated with childhood obesity will be presented. The team will also provide information that demonstrates the seriousness of this childhood health issue and the need for assistance from the State Health Department to develop an educational program to increase the public awareness in children obesity. With the efficient financial assistance, the community nurses will implement this educational program. The nurses will also evaluate the outcome and make a necessary improvement to this educational program. Jenna’s case as presented by the Neighborhood – Pearson Health Science (2011) is that Jenna is an overweight 14-year-old girl with type 2 diabetes. She lives with her mother, sister, and younger brother because her father left her when she was young and rarely showed up in her life. Her mother is busy with two jobs and a few evening work. Her younger brother has learning disability and has had problems...
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...Childhood Obesity By Amna Alhag Ibrahem Presented to Professor: Norma Little In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course HLTH 5000 07/17/2014 Childhood Obesity From long time, the health professionals have known the bad effect of overweight and obesity on the health condition of adults. Over the course of the past three decades, there has been increased concern and consideration regarding the issue of childhood obesity. This a remarkable issue that has slowly progressed into becoming a nationwide pandemic. There are many health factors that are directly attributable to maintaining a body weight and body mass index in excess of acceptable parameters. However, how is overweight or obesity defined? According to the National Center for Health Statistics (1999), Body Mass Index, or BMI, is calculated by dividing weight (Kg) by height (m squared). Overweight or obesity, which is used interchangeably, is defined as having a Body Mass Index above the 95th percentile on the sex-specific BMI growth charts. Due to the increasing in prevalence of obesity in children and its many adverse health effects it is being recognized as a serious public health concern. The term overweight more than obese is often used in children as it is less stigmatizing. The prevalence of childhood obesity across the United States is incredible. The most recent information was available from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on indicates that more than seventeen...
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...Childhood Obesity Name: Institution: Introduction Modifiable factors like sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity are to blame for the high rates of childhood obesity. Adding to this, other non-modifiable factors which occur in conjunction with the modifiable factors contribute to childhood obesity. This paper will analyze these two factors, with specific emphasis on the modifiable factors, and the appropriate prevention strategies that can be employed to reduce its prevalence in the population aged below 16 years old. Childhood obesity is a major public health problem that has reached epidemic proportions in both developed and developing countries. A significant amount of both financial and human resources have been allocated to analyze its causes, prevention strategies and management schedules. Knowing the causes of childhood obesity and the appropriate prevention strategies helps the public heath sector and any other relevant authority to re-evaluate and incorporate prevention strategies into its programmes. Understanding Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is a disease of caloric imbalance that occurs after excessive intake of calories above the required consumption levels resulting in excess body fat that negatively affects the child’s health and wellbeing. Diagnosis of obesity is based on two commonly used measurement methods. The first is Anthropometric measurements of which...
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