Dealing with the childhood obesity epidemic: a public health approach

2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 719-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie A. Lytle
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Public Health Approach ◽  
Obesity Epidemic

scholarly journals Towards Health in All Policies for Childhood Obesity Prevention

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Marie Hendriks ◽  
Stef P. J. Kremers ◽  
Jessica S. Gubbels ◽  
Hein Raat ◽  
Nanne K. de Vries ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Intersectoral Collaboration ◽  
Health In All Policies ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Health Goals

The childhood obesity epidemic can be best tackled by means of an integrated approach, which is enabled by integrated public health policies, orHealth in All Policies. Integrated policies are developed through intersectoral collaboration between local government policy makers from health and nonhealth sectors. Suchintersectoral collaborationhas been proved to be difficult. In this study, we investigated which resources influence intersectoral collaboration. Thebehavior change wheelframework was used to categorize motivation-, capability-, and opportunity-related resources for intersectoral collaboration. In-depth interviews were held with eight officials representing 10 non-health policy sectors within a local government. Results showed that health and non-health policy sectors did not share policy goals, which decreased motivation for intersectoral collaboration. Awareness of the linkage between health and nonhealth policy sectors was limited, and management was not involved in creating such awareness, which reduced the capability for intersectoral collaboration. Insufficient organizational resources and structures reduced opportunities for intersectoral collaboration. To stimulate intersectoral collaboration to prevent childhood obesity, we recommend that public health professionals should reframe health goals in the terminology of nonhealth policy sectors, that municipal department managers should increase awareness of public health in non-health policy sectors, and that flatter organizational structures should be established.

scholarly journals Interventions to Promote an Integrated Approach to Public Health Problems: An Application to Childhood Obesity

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Marie Hendriks ◽  
Jessica S. Gubbels ◽  
Nanne K. De Vries ◽  
Jaap C. Seidell ◽  
Stef P. J. Kremers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Intersectoral Collaboration ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

Experts stress the need to bring the childhood obesity epidemic under control by means of an integrated approach. The implementation of such an approach requires the development of integrated enabling policies on public health by local governments. A prerequisite for developing such integrated public health policies is intersectoral collaboration. Since the development of integrated policies is still in its early stages, this study aimed to answer the following research question: “What interventions can promote intersectoral collaboration and the development of integrated health policies for the prevention of childhood obesity?” Data were collected through a literature search and observations of and interviews with stakeholders. Based on a theoretical framework, we categorized potential interventions that could optimize an integrated approach regarding children's physical activity and diet. The intervention categories included education, persuasion, incentivization, coercion, training, restriction, environmental restructuring, modeling, and enablement.

Application of Law to the Childhood Obesity Epidemic

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jess Alderman ◽  
Jason A. Smith ◽  
Ellen J. Fried ◽  
Richard A. Daynard
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Overweight Children ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Surgeon General ◽  
Application Of Law ◽  
National Public Health ◽  
Societal Level

Childhood obesity is a national public health problem. Regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic status, or geographic location, children are gaining weight to a dangerous degree and at an alarming rate. Since 1980, the number of overweight children has doubled; among adolescents the number has almost tripled. Today, among children who are more than six years old, about nine million are obese. Many of the factors that contribute to obesity occur at a societal level, prompting the Surgeon General to conclude that preventing obesity is a community responsibility.Childhood obesity is, in many important respects, a result of legal policy. Law shapes the situational and environmental influences that drive both dietary intake and physical activity. Government, public health advocates, and the food industry all use the law to alter these influences in furtherance of their respective goals. Public interest advocates attempt to persuade government and corporations to act in the interest of public health while the industry focuses on profit.

scholarly journals New understanding in obesity research

1999 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 385-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. P. T. James ◽  
A. Ralph
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Visceral Obesity ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Public Health Approach ◽  
Younger Women ◽  
Obesity Research ◽  
Economic Developments ◽  
The Third World

A public-health approach considers the relevance of nutritional research in the prevention and management of obesity. Well-defined and internationally-agreed definitions based on BMI allow an assessment of the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity. There are about 250 million obese adults in the world, and many more overweight. Obesity is emerging in the Third World, first in urban middle-aged women. With economic developments, obesity then occurs in men and younger women. In the West childhood obesity is rapidly emerging, with concern that early-onset obesity is especially hazardous. In Asians the risks of excess visceral fat occur at lower body weights than in Caucasians. The propensity to visceral obesity in Asians may relate to malnourished mothers and low birth weight. The International Obesity Task Force is considering many issues, including the health economics of obesity. It has developed a strategy to define childhood obesity, which in children over 6 years is likely to predict long-term weight and health problems. While the search for genetic markers of obesity continues, with particular interest in the leptin gene, it is clear that societal change, with the decline in physical activity and the passive overconsumption of high-fat diets are major contributors to the global increase in obesity. The public-health aspects of obesity research are therefore challenging.

scholarly journals The COVID-19 pandemic: an unprecedented tragedy in the battle against childhood obesity

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 477-482
Author(s):  
Maximilian Andreas Storz
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Obesogenic Environment ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Important Public Health Problem ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

The childhood obesity pandemic has emerged as an important public health problem in many countries. Obese children are likely to become obese adults, and adult obesity is associated with an increased risk of morbidity. Therefore, controlling the childhood obesity epidemic has become a top public health priority worldwide. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may significantly impede this important mission and constitute an unprecedented tragedy in the global battle against childhood obesity. This manuscript presents evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic will aggravate the childhood obesity epidemic and lead to significant weight gain in school children by creating an unprecedented obesogenic environment. Within the last few months, many countries took uncompromising measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including school closures and quarantine. While these steps are often necessary to ensure infection control, they may have a significant negative effect on children's mental and physical health. Physical, nutritional, and psychosocial factors that promote obesity in children during this special situation complementarily contribute to an unprecedented obesogenic environment. Large-scale quarantine and home confinement will impose new and unfamiliar stressors on children, thereby worsening the childhood obesity epidemic. Most importantly, adverse childhood events resulting from a predicted increase in domestic violence within the next few months will significantly contribute to this concern. The scenario presented in this review is of paramount public health importance and must be considered during future pandemic planning. Involved stakeholders, including governments, schools, and families, must make all possible efforts to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on childhood obesity.

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