Childhood obesity is a growing health problem in the United States. What are some of the factors related to this problem, and what can parents and schools do to control it?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

A tendency toward obesity can be hereditary, but the main factors driving the obesity epidemic are environmental. Excessive weight gain hinges on increases in caloric intake, changes in diet composition, declining levels of physical activity, and changes in the gut microbiome. One particularly important factor may be the availability of highly processed, energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods.

Prevention of obesity in the early years, when excessive weight gain usually begins, is critical; the long-term success of treatment, especially when it is delayed, is limited. Overweight children, especially those who have overweight parents, tend to become obese adults, and excess body mass is a threat to health.

Thus, early childhood is a good time to treat obesity, when a child's diet is still subject to parental influence or control. Trends toward childhood obesity can be identified as early as 6 months of age, and the earlier interventions start for at-risk children, the more likely they are to be effective.

As growth slows, preschoolers need fewer calories in proportion to their weight than they did when younger. A key to preventing obesity may be to make sure older preschoolers are served appropriate portions.

Children 1 or 2 years old who are at risk of being overweight or of obesity may be given reduced-fat milk instead of whole milk; after age 2, they can drink fat-free milk. Too little physical activity is an important factor in obesity as well. Data suggest that three factors are important in the prevention of obesity:

1. Regularly eating an evening meal as a family
2. Getting adequate sleep
3. Watching less than 2 hours of television a day

What children eat is as important as how much they eat. To avoid obesity and prevent cardiac problems, young children should get only about 30 percent of their total calories from fat, and no more than one-third of fat calories should come from saturated fat. Although well-planned vegetarian diets are healthy, most children should eat lean meat and dairy foods that provide protein, iron, and calcium. Milk and other dairy products should be skim or low fat.