Jordan, Cailee, Alexa, Kate, Tiffany

Childhood Obesity According to the American Health Association, nearly one in every three children are considered overweight or obese, tripling the rate from children and teens in 1963.

There are severe health problems such as high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.

Psychologically, these children are more prone to negative self image and depression.

Audience- Parents (wide-range)

- Parents are the primary factors in shaping children’s diets

- All parents because obesity is prevalent in all ages and races etc.

- Our hope is that educating the parents will help shape the children’s diets when they are old enough to make their own decisions regarding food

Major FactorsObesity is a serious concern because it is associated with poorer mental health, reduced quality of life, and the leading causes of death in the U.S. including, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke

Causes

- Genetics & Family History

- Physical activity

- Poor diet

- Daily behaviors

- Socioeconomic status

Consequences

- Health consequences (increased risk for diseases, and serious health conditions)

- Economic and Societal (economic impact, medical costs, treatment services)

- Psychosocial risks (social discrimination)

What Parents Need to DO...There are many ways to encourage healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle in order to avoid obesity.

1.Encourage drinking lots of water throughout the day

2.Serving reasonable serving sizes for meals

3.Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and healthier alternative to the easy snacks and meals that may not be as healthy (ex: apple vs. a bag of chips)

4.Encourage children to be active 1. Increase time playing over time in front of the television

2. “Children and teens should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week, preferably daily”-American Academy of Pediatrics

Next steps for research and practiceMore psychological/developmental research on children and creating habits, forming specific preferences for healthier food

Increased accessibility to healthier food/options for all families

Making the community aware and active in the healthy living lifestyles. Making healthy food options in school, allowing moments of activity throughout the day.

Farmers markets allow for healthy fresh options that are locally grown

Make free drinking water available to students, and limit the sale of drinks with added sugars in school

Create and maintain safe neighborhoods for physical activity

List of resourceshttp://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyKids/ChildhoodObesity/What-is-childhood-obesity_UCM_304347_Article.jsp#.WKyxLSMrJ68

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2015/059.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes.html

https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/Parents-TV-Viewing-Habits-Influence-Kids-Screen-Time.aspx

Kidscount, USDA, CDC, FNEP, NICHD