Childhood Obesity: Causes, Consequences, and Strategies

1
Childhood Obesity Causes, Consequences, and
Strategies

• Gregory A. Baker
• Presented at the IAMA Symposium
• Chicago
• June 25-26, 2005

2
Definition of Overweight and Obese

• The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) use Body
  Mass Index or BMI
• BMI is a tool for indicating weight status in
  adults. It is a measure of an adults weight
  relative to his or her height.

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Definition of Overweight and Obese

• BMI is calculated as
• Weight in kilograms divided by the square of
  their height in meters
• OR
• (Weight in Pounds) ? (Height in inches)2 x
  703.07

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Definition of Overweight and Obese

• For adults 20 and older
• Below 18.5 - Underweight
• 18.5 24.9 - Normal
• 25.0 29.9 - Overweight
• 30.0 and Above - Obese
• Example
• 6 foot 2 inches and 175 pounds
• BMI 22.5
• Overweight at 195
• Obese at 234

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Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults, 1985
Obesity Incidence Among U.S. Adults, 1985
Source Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System, CDC
6
Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults, 1990
Source Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System, CDC
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Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults, 1995
Source Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System, CDC
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Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults, 2000
Source Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System, CDC
9
Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults, 2003
Source Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System, CDC
10
Percentage of Overweight and Obese Adults, 2004
Source OECD
11
Change in Obesity Rates for Children and
Adolescents
Source American Obesity Association
12
Research Study Design

• Objectives Study key aspects of childhood
  obesity from the perspective of
• Dietitians
• Pediatricians
• Teachers
• Parents
• Questions regarding
• Concern
• Responsibility
• Causes and influences
• Options
• Web survey of these groups using e-mail addresses
  collected primarily off of the internet

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Research Study Sample Statistics
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How concerned are you that childhood obesity is a
major problem for America's children?
15
Who has primary responsibility for ensuring
children develop good eating habits?
16
Who bears primary responsibility for addressing
the problem of childhood obesity in America?
17
Excluding genetic factors, what do you think are
the most significant causes of childhood obesity?
(Top 3 choices)
18
As a (dietitian, pediatrician, teacher, parent),
how would you rate the influence you have over
the eating habits of the children you interact
with?
19
Outside of family schools, which of the
following has the greatest influence on
children's food choices and eating behavior?
20
Which of the following options for government do
you think would be most effective in addressing
the problem of childhood obesity?
21
Which of the following options for schools do you
think would be most effective in addressing the
problem of childhood obesity?
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Childhood Obesity Summary Areas of Agreement

• Responsibility for ensuring good eating habits -
  parents
• Childrens physical activity level is a top cause
  of obesity
• Other top causes are parental role modeling,
  parental oversight, and passive entertainment
• Television and childrens friends/peers have
  strong influence on food choices and eating
  behavior
• Strong support for government to mandate school
  programs to address obesity problem
• Schools should strengthen physical education
  programs

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Childhood Obesity Summary Areas of Disagreement

• Seriousness of the problem - dietitians and
  pediatricians more concerned than teachers and
  parents
• Teachers and parents believe its parents
  responsibility to respond to problem Dietitians
  and pediatricians are split (parents, government
  and medical profession)
• Dietitians think parental role modeling is much
  more important than do parents (who favor
  parental oversight)
• After physical education there is no agreement on
  the role of schools in fighting obesity

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Childhood Obesity Summary Conclusions

• Bad news No agreement as to the seriousness of
  the childhood obesity problem or what role
  parents should play
• Good news Everyone believes childhood obesity is
  parents responsibility - We need to equip
  parents to deal with the problem
• More bad news Its not clear that government
  intervention would be welcomed by teachers and
  parents
• More good news But, if government intervention
  did occur there is agreement that it should be
  through the schools, starting with physical
  education