Obesity Research · Vol. 1, No. 1 · 2014 · pp. 24–28 · e-ISSN 2377-8385

Childhood Obesity: Need for Multipronged Approach

Manoj Sharma, Paul Branscum

Health Promotion & Education, University of Cincinnati, Teachers College 526 HA, PO Box 210068, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0068, USAUnited States
Department of Health and Exercise Science, The University of Oklahoma, 1401 Asp Avenue, HHC 112, Norman, OK 73019, USA Childhood obesity is a growing public health problem. Between 1970 and 2000, the number of obese children in United States tripled.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17140/oroj-1-e001 · Published 2014-04-24 · Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 · © 2014 The Author(s)

Also available as PDF (figures and tables appear in the PDF).

Abstract

Childhood obesity is a growing public health problem. Between 1970 and 2000, the number of obese children in United States tripled.1 In 2009-2010, 30.4% of children and adolescents aged 2 through 19 years were found to be overweight or obese.2 African American and Hispanic children have been found to have higher rates of overweight and obesity than Caucasian American children.3 Childhood obesity is particularly harmful as it is associated with several short term medical consequences including adverse blood lipid profile, altered glucose metabolism, obstructive sleep apnea and long term medical effects including higher risk of hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, gall bladder disease, and osteoarthritis in adulthood.4 The Bogalusa Heart Study found that by age 10 years, 60% of overweight children have at least one biochemical or clinical cardiovascular risk factor and 25% have more than two.5 Childhood overweight and obesity have also been linked with psychosocial problems such as poor self-image, lowered self-esteem, eating disorders, and poor quality of life.

Keywords: consequences; osteoarthritis

Conclusions

In this brief communication we have understood the problem of childhood obesity, the determinants of childhood obesity, and the five major types of interventions that are currently being used to prevent and control childhood obesity. Some success has been seen with these different interventions; however a new approach must include a combination of these approaches. Ideally a synergistic multipronged approach is needed in any community that utilizes all five modalities of interventions. The school-based interventions are very popular but these must be substantiated by other forms of interventions. The after school interventions are an extension of the school medical spending attributable to obesity: payer-and servicespecific estimates. Health Affairs. 2009; 28(5): w822-w831. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.28.5.w822/ 8. Allison DB, Fontaine KR, Manson JE, Stevens J, VanItallie TB. Annual deaths attributable to obesity in the United States. JAMA. 1999; 282(16): 1530-1538. doi: 10.1001/ jama.282.16.1530/

9. Healthy People.gov. Healthy People 2020 Objectives Website: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/objectiveslist.aspx?topicId=29; Accessed March 15, 2014.

10. Sharma M, Ickes MJ. Psychosocial determinants of childhood and adolescent obesity. Journal of Social, Behavioral and Health Sciences. 2008; 2: 33-49.

11. Gerberding JL, Marks JS. Making America fit and trim -steps big and small. Am J Public Health. 2004; 94(9): 1478- 1479.

12. Sharma M. School-based interventions for childhood and adolescent obesity. Obes Rev. 2006; 7(3): 261-269. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2006.00227.x

13. Branscum PW, Sharma M. After-School based obesity prevention interventions: A comprehensive review of the literature. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012; 9(4): 1438-1457. doi: 10.3390/ijerph9041438

14. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. The Condition of Education 2007 (NCES 2007-064). Washington, DC, USA: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2007.

15. Knowlden AP, Sharma M. Systematic review of family and home based interventions targeting pediatric overweight and obesity. Obes Rev. 2012; 13(6): 499-508. doi: 10.1111/j.1467- 789X.2011.00976.x/)

16. Jelalian E1, Foster GD, Sato AF, Berlin KS, McDermott C, Sundal D. Treatment adherence and facilitator characteristics in a community based pediatric weight control intervention. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2014; 11: 17. doi: 10.1186/1479- 5868-11-17/

17. Grow HM, Hencz P, Verbovski MJ, et al. Partnering for success and sustainability in community-based child obesity intervention: seeking to help families ACT! Fam Community Health. 2014; 37(1): 45-59. doi: 10.1097/FCH.0000000000000010/

18. de la Torre A, Sadeghi B, Green RD, et al. Mexican immigrant study protocol for a multifaceted CBPR intervention to combat childhood obesity in two rural California towns. BMC Public Health. 2013; 13: 1033. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13- 1033

19. Ickes MJ, Sharma M. A systematic review of communitybased childhood obesity prevention programs. J Obes Weight Loss Ther. 2013; 3: 188. doi: 10.4172/2165-7904.1000188/

20. Brennan LK, Brownson RC, Orleans CT. Childhood obesity policy research and practice: evidence for policy and environmental strategies. Am J Prev Med. 2014; 46(1): e1-e16. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.08.022/

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  8. Healthy People.gov. Healthy People 2020 Objectives Website: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/objectiveslist.aspx?topicId=29; Accessed March 15, 2014
  9. SharmaMIckesMJ. Psychosocial determinants of childhood and adolescent obesity. Journal of Social, Behavioral and Health Sciences. 2008; 2: 33-49
  10. GerberdingJLMarksJS. Making America fit and trim-steps big and small. Am J Public Health. 2004; 94(9): 1478- 1479
  11. SharmaM. School-based interventions for childhood and adolescent obesity. Obes Rev. 2006; 7(3): 261-269. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2006.00227.x10.1111/j.1467-789x.2006.00227.x https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789x.2006.00227.x
  12. BranscumPWSharmaM. After-School based obesity prevention interventions: A comprehensive review of the literature. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012; 9(4): 1438-1457. doi: 10.3390/ijerph904143810.3390/ijerph9041438 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph9041438
  13. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. The Condition of Education 2007 (NCES 2007-064). Washington, DC, USA: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2007
  14. KnowldenAPSharmaM. Systematic review of family and home based interventions targeting pediatric overweight and obesity. Obes Rev. 2012; 13(6): 499-508. doi: 10.1111/j.1467- 789X.2011.00976.x/)10.1111/j.1467-789x.2011.00976.x/ https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789x.2011.00976.x/
  15. Jelalian E1, Foster GD, Sato AF, Berlin KS, McDermott C, Sundal D. Treatment adherence and facilitator characteristics in a community based pediatric weight control intervention. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2014; 11: 17. doi: 10.1186/1479- 5868-11-17/ https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-11-17/
  16. GrowHMHenczPVerbovskiMJ. Partnering for success and sustainability in community-based child obesity intervention: seeking to help families ACT! Fam Community Health. 2014; 37(1): 45-59. doi: 10.1097/FCH.0000000000000010/ de la Torre A, Sadeghi B, Green RD, et al. Mexican immigrant study protocol for a multifaceted CBPR intervention to combat childhood obesity in two rural California towns. BMC Public Health. 2013; 13: 1033. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13- 103310.1097/fch.0000000000000010/de https://doi.org/10.1097/fch.0000000000000010/de
  17. IckesMJSharmaM. A systematic review of communitybased childhood obesity prevention programs. J Obes Weight Loss Ther. 2013; 3: 188. doi: 10.4172/2165-7904.1000188/10.4172/2165-7904.1000188/ https://doi.org/10.4172/2165-7904.1000188/
  18. BrennanLKBrownsonRCOrleansCT. Childhood obesity policy research and practice: evidence for policy and environmental strategies. Am J Prev Med. 2014; 46(1): e1-e16. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.08.022/10.1016/j.amepre.2013.08.022/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2013.08.022/