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 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.

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 Review on current status of dengue and its prevention in India

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 2748-2754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavatharini Sukumaran ◽  
Alan Tom ◽  
Krishnaveni Kandasamy ◽  
Shanmuga Sundaram Rajagopal ◽  
Sambathkumar Ramanathan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Aedes Albopictus ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Dengue Disease ◽  
Acute Viral Infection ◽  
National Public Health

Dengue is an acute viral infection with potential deadly complications transmitted by both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus female mosquitoes and is said to be a severe and increasing public health problem with 2.5 billion individuals at risk. WHO currently estimates that with around 24,000 fatalities, 50 million cases of dengue disease may occur globally once a year. In India, too, the condition is getting worse as morbidity and mortality rise. Several policies have been adopted to decrease dengue burden through applied research, field-based training, and capacity building among appropriate regional and national public health stakeholders.

Is Technical-grade Chlordane an Obesogen?

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana F. Silva ◽  
Bruno P. Moreira ◽  
Luís Rato ◽  
Maria de Lourdes Pereira ◽  
Pedro F. Oliveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
High Fat Diet ◽  
Organic Pollutant ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Technical Grade ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity

The prevalence of obesity has tripled in recent decades and is now considered an alarming public health problem. In recent years, a group of endocrine disruptors, known as obesogens, have been directly linked to the obesity epidemic. Its etiology is generally associated with a sedentary lifestyle, a high-fat diet and genetic predisposition, but environmental factors, such as obesogens, have also been reported as contributors for this pathology. In brief, obesogens are exogenous chemical compounds that alter metabolic processes and/or energy balance and appetite, thus predisposing to weight gain. Although this theory is still recent, the number of compounds with suspected obesogenic activity has steadily increased over the years, though much more remain a matter of debate. Technical-grade chlordane is an organochlorine pesticide widely present in the environment, albeit at low concentrations. Highly lipophilic, this compound can be metabolized by humans and animals into more toxic and stable compounds that are stored in fat tissue and consequently pose a danger to the human body, including the physiology of adipose tissue, which plays an important role in weight regulation. In addition, technical-grade chlordane is classified as a persistent organic pollutant, a group of chemicals whose epidemiological studies are associated with metabolic disorders, including obesity. Herein, we discuss the emerging roles of obesogens as threats to public health. We particularly discuss the relevance of chlordane persistence in the environment and how its effects on human and animal health provide evidence for its role as an endocrine disruptor with possible obesogenic activity.

The Role of Dietary Fiber in the Development and Treatment of Childhood Obesity

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 1010-1014
Author(s):  
Sue Y. S. Kimm
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Dietary Fiber ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fiber Intake

Childhood obesity is viewed as a public health problem in the United States because of its assumed high prevalence and increasing secular trend. The best estimate of the genetic contribution to obesity ranges from 5% to 25%. Environmental factors play a major role in obesity development. Low income and a low level of education have been associated with obesity, particularly among white women. Caloric intake as a risk factor for obesity has not been clearly established. This lack of a clear-cut association may be attributable to the problem of accurately measuring caloric intake. Several studies have linked increased total fat intake, rather than caloric intake, with obesity. Some studies have linked television viewing to obesity in children. Obesity is rare among the populations of developing countries, where dietary fiber intake is high. Explanations for the role of dietary fiber in obesity include a reduced caloric density of the foods, a slower rate of food ingestion, and possible effects on satiety. Most studies on the role of fiber in the treatment of obesity have been somewhat limited by lack of comparison groups, inadequate sample sizes, and short durations of the observations. However, although limited, the available evidence suggests that fiber potentially could play a useful role in weight reduction. For children, fiber administration should be considered as an adjuvant therapy rather than a primary modality, because fiber might aid in promoting satiety during meals and curbing hunger between meals. More research is needed, however, to assess further the efficacy of high-fiber diets in the treatment of childhood obesity. For now, however, increasing dietary fiber as a part of a health-promoting dietary pattern presents an attractive public health possibility as a means for prevention of chronic diseases. Preventing childhood obesity could be a part of the health benefit resulting from a population-based recommendation for optimal fiber intake.

scholarly journals Incidence of waterborne lead in private drinking water systems in Virginia

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 897-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey J. Pieper ◽  
Leigh-Anne H. Krometis ◽  
Daniel L. Gallagher ◽  
Brian L. Benham ◽  
Marc Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
The United States ◽  
Water Systems ◽  
National Public Health ◽  
Lead Source ◽  
Drinking Water Systems

Although recent studies suggest contamination by bacteria and nitrate in private drinking water systems is of increasing concern, data describing contaminants associated with the corrosion of onsite plumbing are scarce. This study reports on the analysis of 2,146 samples submitted by private system homeowners. Almost 20% of first draw samples submitted contained lead concentrations above the United States Environmental Protection Agency action level of 15 μg/L, suggesting that corrosion may be a significant public health problem. Correlations between lead, copper, and zinc suggested brass components as a likely lead source, and dug/bored wells had significantly higher lead concentrations as compared to drilled wells. A random subset of samples selected to quantify particulate lead indicated that, on average, 47% of lead in the first draws was in the particulate form, although the occurrence was highly variable. While flushing the tap reduced lead below 15 μg/L for most systems, some systems experienced an increase, perhaps attributable to particulate lead or lead-bearing components upstream of the faucet (e.g., valves, pumps). Results suggest that without including a focus on private as well as municipal systems it will be very difficult to meet the existing national public health goal to eliminate elevated blood lead levels in children.

scholarly journals Psychological intervention programs for children with overweight and obesity: Systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (17) ◽  
pp. 41-46
Author(s):  
Diana Karina Straffon Olivares ◽  
María Leticia Bautista-Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Psychological Intervention ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Psychological Interventions ◽  
Overweight Children ◽  
Overweight People ◽  
Children Obesity ◽  
Obesity Interventions

Currently obesity is a public health problem that is characterized by being a chronic disease, caused by various factors ranging from genetic, metabolic or sociocultural problems. Objective: To analyze psychological interventions for overweight and obesity, in children, with favorable results in the participants. Method: A systematic review was carried out on the internet based on articles published in Crossref and PubMed by using keywords such as “interventions for overweight children”, “Children obesity interventions”, “psychological interventions in children”. Results: In a first revision, 79 psychological programs applied in children were found, when reviewing the programs, it was found that only 19 had favourable results in the participants. Conclusion: The interventions had positive results; however, it will be necessary to design more adequate interventions for obese and overweight people, and contribute more to the solution of these public health problems.

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