Childhood Obesity Prevention
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month:
Small Steps and Small Changes CAN make a Difference!
Debra J. Nichols, Public Health Educator, Cattaraugus County Health Department
We've all heard the Obesity message thousands of times...but what can we/ I do to change the trend?
One in 3 children in the United States is overweight or obese. Childhood obesity puts youth at risk for health problems that were once seen only in adults, like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The good news? Childhood obesity can be prevented. Communities, health professionals, and families are working together to create opportunities for kids to eat healthier and move more. There are a multitude of outstanding resources available to you including the following from the Cattaraugus County web page:
http://healthfinder.gov/NHO/PDFs/SeptemberNHOToolkit.pdf
Per NYS Department of Health web data, Cattaraugus County is the 4th largest county in NYS, something we should NOT have bragging rights to.
Adults - 64.4% of adults are either overweight or obese
Children - 29.2 % of elementary students are either overweight or obese
We can ALL use this time to raise awareness about the obesity epidemic and show our communities how they can take steps toward a solution.
Encourage families to make small changes, like keeping fresh fruit within their children's reach or going on a family walk after dinner.
Motivate teachers and administrators to make schools healthier. Help them provide healthy food options and daily physical activities for students.
Our doctors and nurses need to be leaders in our communities by supporting programs to prevent childhood obesity.
Become a partner of We Can! (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/partner-with-...), a national movement to help children ages 8 to 13 stay at a healthy weight.
The Cattaraugus County Health Department encourages your family to make healthy changes together.
Get active outside: Walk around the neighborhood, go on a bike ride, or play basketball at the park.
Limit screen time, time spent on the computer, watching TV, or playing videos games to 2 hours or less a day.
Make healthier meals: Buy and serve more vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain foods.
Taking small steps as a family can help your child stay at a healthy weight.
"We compare ourselves to the people we see around us," Nichols said. "If a child is in a class where most of the kids are overweight or obese, that becomes the new normal." In addition, medical definitions of obesity and overweight have become overly complicated, so much so that parents have a hard time accurately applying the standard to their child. Parents are also influenced by the stigmatization of obesity, and are reluctant to label their child as overweight or obese for fear the kid will suffer hurt feelings or face cruel taunts from others.
"Nowadays, parents may be concerned there is a stigma if they admit their child is obese," Nichols said. "They also may not know what to do about it, so there may be a little bit of denial there as well. "Practitioners are in an ideal position to help parents and correct their misperception," Nichols said. "Without help from professionals, the epidemic of childhood obesity cannot be reversed."
Take action to increase awareness:
- Host a community cleanup event to help make a neighborhood park safer for children to be active.
- Promote farm-to-school programs (http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school) and school gardens. Encourage schools to join the HealthierUS School Challenge (http://www.fns.usda.gov/hussc/healthierus-school-challenge).
- Host a community fitness event where families can get active while learning about local health and fitness resources.
- Set an example by talking with family members and friends about eating healthy, getting enough physical activity, and limiting screen time.
- Share resources from Let's Move! (http://www.letsmove.gov/resources) with local health clinics and community centers.
Teenagers who do not get enough sleep may wake up to worse consequences than nodding off during chemistry class. According to new research, the risk of being obese by age 21 was higher among 16-year-olds who got less than six hours of sleep a night, compared with their peers who slumbered more than eight hours. Nearly one-fifth of 16-year-olds reported getting less than six hours of sleep. This group was more likely to be obese by age 21, compared to their peers who got more than eight hours of sleep. While lack of physical activity and time spent watching television contributed to obesity, they did not account for the relationship between sleeplessness and obesity. "Lack of sleep in your teenage years can stack the deck against you for obesity later in life," says Nichols. "Once you're an obese adult, it is much harder to lose weight and keep it off. And the longer you are obese, the greater your risk for health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer." Daytime sleepiness and fatigue are known to affect what and how people eat, by altering appetite and stimulating cravings. Energy levels may also play a role. For the sleep-deprived, ordering calorie-dense fast food is easier than preparing a nutritious meal. Future research may look at whether, for example, soda consumption is a factor in sleeplessness and, in turn, obesity.
For more information or assistance with community programs to reduce overweight and obesity in Cattaraugus County, contact Debra Nichols at the Cattaraugus County Health Department at 716-701-3383. We are here to help Promote and Protect Public Health! Small Steps and Small Changes DO make a difference!
