Self-esteem and cognitive development in the era of the childhood obesity epidemic

Unhealthy foods and drinks are among the top products advertised to young children. Considering the growing childhood obesity epidemic and the soaring number of children accessing the Internet, even online junk food advertising has come under increasing scrutiny. Many countries are in the process of expanding and revising existing regulation to account for the realities of the digital age and to respond to health and other social concerns. This paper focuses on two European countries in particular to examine and compare these processes through the lens of junk food advergames aimed at children. Our questions are: 1) Given the differences in the media landscapes of the UK and Hungary, what types of junk food advergames target children?; and 2) In light of the growing childhood obesity problem faced by both nations, how have government bodies, advocacy groups, and advertisers approached junk food advertising targeting children in general and online advertising including advergames in particular? The United Kingdom represents a country with the highest Internet usage by children and the most developed online advertising market in Europe, while Hungary, a post-communist country, represents an emerging media market where young people have less access to the Internet and buying power but constitute a crucial “entry point” for food advertisers.

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Use of Robots for Play by Children with Cerebral Palsy

Proceedings ◽

10.3390/proceedings2019031075 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 75

Author(s):

Xabier Gardeazabal ◽

Julio Abascal

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Social Skills ◽

Cognitive Development ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Free Play ◽

Great Benefit ◽

Children's Play ◽

Motor Disabilities ◽

Children With Cerebral Palsy ◽

Articulated Robot

Free play is of great benefit for children’s physical and cognitive development, especially for younger ages. However, children with motor restrictions cannot engage in free play like their peers because they face strong challenges to manipulate and interact with their environment. This lack of play opportunities may hinder proper cognitive development, along with several other problems such as decreased social skills or low self-esteem. In recent years several studies have discussed the use of robots to provide children with motor disabilities more opportunities for free play. This paper gives an overview of recent studies regarding the use of robots for play by children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). We also propose a work framework composed by a bi-manual articulated robot to further expand those children’s play opportunities.

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School Counselors Perspectives of the Barriers and Facilitators Associated with their Involvement in the Childhood Obesity Epidemic

American Journal of Health Education ◽

10.1080/19325037.2012.10599238 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 218-225

Author(s):

Yvonne Larrier ◽

Jimmy Kijai ◽

Michelle A. Bakerson ◽

Lynne Walker ◽

Jeremy Linton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

School Counselors ◽

Barriers And Facilitators ◽

Obesity Epidemic

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Trends in Childhood Obesity Research: A Brief Analysis of NIH-Supported Efforts

The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics ◽

10.1111/j.1748-720x.2007.00119.x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 148-153 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Terry T-K Huang ◽

Mary N. Horlick

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Behavioral Change ◽

Population Level ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Obesity Epidemic ◽

Obesity Research ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Economic Well Being

Childhood obesity continues to rise in the United States, with now over 17% of children and adolescents considered overweight. Childhood obesity predisposes an entire generation to increased risk of chronic diseases and disabilities and is a severe threat to the economic well-being of the nation. At first thought, the solution to the obesity epidemic may seem simple: encourage people to eat less and exercise more. However, the reality is that behavioral change is difficult to achieve without also considering the interplay of genetics, biological processes, and social and environmental mechanisms. As such, investment in obesity research has been considered an important tool to combat obesity and obesity-related diseases. Childhood obesity research, in particular, has drawn considerable attention, given the lower cost of prevention relative to treatment and the high potential for long-term benefits at a population level.

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Occupational Therapy and the Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Research, Theory and Practice

Journal of Occupational Therapy Schools & Early Intervention ◽

10.1080/19411243.2014.930605 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 87-105 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Michael Pizzi ◽

Kerryellen G. Vroman ◽

Cynthia Lau ◽

Simone V. Gill ◽

Susan Bazyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Occupational Therapy ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Obesity Epidemic

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Innovative Healthy Lifestyles School-Based Public–Private Partnerships Designed to Curb the Childhood Obesity Epidemic Globally: Lessons Learned From the Mondelēz International Foundation

Food and Nutrition Bulletin ◽

10.1177/0379572118767690 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (1_suppl) ◽

pp. S3-S21 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Rafael Pérez-Escamilla

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Positive Impact ◽

The United States ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Public Private Partnerships ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Healthy Lifestyles ◽

Obesity Epidemic ◽

School Based ◽

Guiding Principles

Public–private partnerships (PPPs) have been recognized as central for addressing the childhood obesity epidemic. However, very few real-world examples have been published documenting the workings of effective PPPs. The objective of this article is to identify the factors that enabled the successful implementation of school-based PPPs focusing mainly on nutrition and physical activity in 7 countries located in Asia (China and India), Africa (South Africa), Europe (Germany, United Kingdom), and Latin America (Brazil and Mexico). We triaged qualitative data from (1) proceedings from 2 school-based healthy lifestyles program evaluation workshops in October 2013 and in May 2016; (2) Mondelēz International Foundation (MIF) annual country reports and MIF project reports; and (3) interviews with key program leaders from each program. Extracted data were mapped into each of the 11 guiding principles for effective PPPs recently developed by a multisectoral public–private group of stakeholders in the United States. Three of the 7 countries met all, and the remaining 4 met between 4 and 7 of the guiding principles. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is strong evidence that all programs are having a positive impact on healthy lifestyles knowledge and practices in the target populations. This MIF-led initiative provides important lessons as to how to establish effective PPPs designed to tackle the childhood obesity epidemic globally.

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The Obesity Epidemic and Sexual Health (DRAFT)

10.1093/med/9780190225889.003.0012 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Steven Lamm ◽

Jonathan Bekisz

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Sexual Function ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Complex Interplay ◽

Obesity Epidemic ◽

Attitudes And Behaviors ◽

Males And Females ◽

Meaningful Relationships

There are few conditions that have such wide-ranging effects on sexual function as obesity. Though many of the exact mechanisms are yet to be elucidated, its impacts on the cardiovascular, endocrine, and nervous systems, among others, bestow upon obesity an almost unrivaled ability to devastate the human sexual response. Further, the effects of obesity extend beyond the purely physiologic into the psychologic and have the ability to impair both males and females alike. The downstream sequelae of sexual dysfunction secondary to obesity can significantly impair an individual’s quality of life, affecting his or her self-esteem, opportunity to form and maintain meaningful relationships, and ability to reproduce if desired, all of which can further promote pro-obesogenic attitudes and behaviors. Thus there is tremendous incentive for appreciation and understanding of the complex interplay between obesity and sexual function, as well as their relation to an individual’s overall physical and mental health.

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