1. By: Christian Merz & Kathryn Neely
Childhood Obesity
By: Christian Merz
&
Kathryn Neely

2. What is Childhood Obesity
Overweight and obesity is are the results of “caloric imbalance”- too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed- and are affected by genetics, behavioral, and environmental factors (CDC, 2014)
The percentage of children age 6-11 years in the U.S who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in Similarly, the percent of adolescents aged years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period (CDC, 2014)

3. Learning Objectives
By the conclusion of this session, attendees should be able to:
Assess and identify risk factors and barriers to childhood obesity that relate to environmental, behavioral and genetic influences
Able to identify poor nutritional habits and develop healthy nutrition plans using the FDA recommended guidelines
Develop and initiate healthy behaviors using S.M.A.R.T goals

4. What does the research say?
CDC.(2014)

5. Childhood obesity impact
~Obesity is estimated to costs $19,000/ child
~Childhood obesity among preschoolers is more prevalent among those from lower-income families
~ About 1 in 8 preschoolers is obese in the U.S.
~Children who are overweight or obese as preschoolers are 5x as likely as normal-weight children to be overweight or obese as adults.
CDC, 2014

6. Risks of childhood obesity
Asthma
Diabetes
Gallstones
Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure
Liver Problems
Menstrual Problems

8. How childhood obesity impacts nursing practice
Education of disease processes
Adult illnesses, adult body types and childhood mentalities

9. Ethical issues related to childhood obesity
Limiting what schools offer regarding unhealthy foods
Monitoring and regulating marketing of unhealthy foods to children
Banning certain foods
Pricing incentives for healthy food purchases
(Govea, 2011)

10. Quality and Safety Issues
Quality of life
Stigma attached to obesity in children
Early onset Depression
Eating disorders
Self-esteem Problems
(Schwartz & Puhl, 2003)

11. Resources for families
Myplate.gov
and-teens.htm

12. Recommendations Health care providers educate families:
~ five groups of food that are building blocks for health diets
~Focus on fruits
~ Vary your veggies
~ make at least half your grains whole
~ Go lean with protein
~Get your calcium-rich foods
Choosemyplate. (2014).

13. Recommendations Exercise Types of exercise:
Muscle-strengthening activities: playground equipment, climbing trees, and tug of war
Bone-strengthening activities- Running, jumping rope, basketball, tennis, and hopscotch
Aerobic Activities: (rhythmically move large muscle) Running, hopping, skipping, swimming, dancing, and bicycling.
Exercise

14. Summary and Review Nursing Practice Recommendations and Assessments
Education Recommendations
Organization recommendations
Nursing Implications

15. References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2014). Childhood Obesity Facts. Retrieved from:
Duke Global Health Institute. (2014). Over a Lifetime, Childhood Obesity costs $19,000 per child. Retrieved from: obesity-costs child
Govea J. Ethical concerns regarding interventions to prevent and control childhood obesity. Prev Chronic Dis 2011;8(5):A91.
Kersh, R., Stroup, D.F., & Taylor, W.C. (2011). Childhood Obesity: A Framework for Policy Approaches and Ethical Considerations. Preventing Chronic Disease, 8(5), A93.
Schwartz, M. B. and Puhl, R. (2003), Childhood obesity: a societal problem to solve. Obesity Reviews, 4: 57–71. doi: /j X x