Since 1980, overweight among adolescents has tripled
By: Lorraine Seabroook
In "Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity" (2001), former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher notes that "overweight and obesity may not be infectious diseases, but they have reached epidemic proportions in the United States … and may soon cause as much preventable disease and death as cigarette smoking."
An overstatement? Unfortunately, no. In the United States about 300,000 deaths a year are directly related to obesity and overweight only 100,000 fewer deaths than those associated with cigarette smoking.
Along with pediatricians across the country, the government recognizes that it is vitally important to reach out to children in an effort to curb obesity before it becomes a lifelong battle. In 2002 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched "VERB, It’s What You Do," a youth media campaign that tells kids to "find their verb" and uses high-energy verbs such as "dance," "swing, and "leap" to stimulate physical activity among 9- to 13-year-olds.
Since its launch in 2002 the CDC reports that VERB had a 34 percent increase in weekly free-time physical activity sessions among 8.6 million children ages 9 and 10 in the United States. CDC Director Dr. Julie L. Gerberding is thrilled with the results, noting, "Our national, multicultural efforts are helping young people to realize that physical activity is fun, cool and can be a part of everyday life. This is critical to reducing the epidemic of overweight among today’s youth."
Dr. LuAnne K. Labian, a board-certified pediatrician on staff at the University Medical Center at Princeton, recommends that in addition to increasing physical activity, children must be taught healthy eating habits. In her practice, Dr. Labian uses a traffic light approach (foods are given a green, yellow or red light) to help children make healthy choices. Dr. Labian is also involved in an initiative to alter school lunch offerings. She addresses the following questions.
Do you believe overweight and obesity is truly an epidemic?
Yes, I do. In the year 2000 direct and indirect costs relating to overweight and obesity amounted to $117 billion. If this economic drain continues, it will eventually break our health care system. Today an estimated 31 percent of American adults are obese and 34 percent are overweight. When it comes to overweight children, the figures reported by the Centers for Disease Control (2003) are staggering: Ten percent of children ages two to five; 15 percent for ages six to 11, and 16 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 19.
In addition, African-American and Hispanic adolescents are almost twice as likely to be overweight than their Caucasian counterparts.
How are the terms "overweight" and "obesity" defined?
Obesity and overweight are defined by the National Institutes of Health using a Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a calculation of weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. An overweight adult is defined as one with a BMI between 25 and 29.9, while an obese adult has a BMI of 30 or higher. Because there is no generally accepted definition for obesity for children and adolescents, findings are based on standardized growth charts provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overweight is defined as a sex-and-age specific BMI at or above the 95th percentile.
It seems like overweight and obesity in children can be treated why all the fuss?
This is a serious health issue. Since 1980, overweight among adolescents has tripled. In addition to suffering from lower self-esteem and being at greater risk for depression, overweight and obese children are developing Type 2 diabetes at an alarming rate.
In Type 2 diabetes (the most common form of the disorder), either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. The body uses insulin to take sugar, the cells’ basic fuel, from the blood into the cells. If sugar, in the form of glucose, builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it starves the cells of energy and, over time, can damage the eyes, kidneys, heart or nerves. While Type 2 diabetes does run in families, we can’t ignore a main risk factor: being overweight or obese.
Unfortunately, African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans and Native Americans have a higher genetic risk, making it all the more important that these groups maintain proper weights.
Do you see any hopeful signs that this trend can be reversed?
Yes, I am cautiously optimistic. While obesity is a personal responsibility, it is also a community responsibility. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is spearheading a "Healthy Choices, Healthy Kids" campaign to amend its child nutrition program rule. The state Department of Education has revised its core curriculum standards to emphasize nutrition and fitness. The Department of Health and Senior Services and the Department of Education are working with school nurses to collect information on students’ height and weight as part of a pilot program to address obesity.
These are positive steps, but as individuals, we need to act as personal role models and help the children we come in contact with make the right choices.
For more information on VERB, visit www.VERBnow.com and www.VERBparents.com.