1. Childhood Obesity
SDS 220R
Group 4

2. Agenda
Throughout this presentation, you will be exposed to
the following information:
∗Definition of Childhood Obesity
∗Physiological Causes of Childhood Obesity
∗Children at Risk
∗Effects of Childhood Obesity
∗Who’s accountable?
∗Prevention of Childhood Obesity

3. What is obesity?
“Obesity is a chronic, metabolic disease caused
by multiple and complex factors, including
increased calorie intake, decreased physical
activity and genetic influences.”
(Public Health Committee., 2007).

4. World Health Organization
The World Health Organization calls our society an
“obesogenic” environment.
∗Abundant, cheap processed food.
∗Increasingly stressed for time.
∗Food and lifestyle marketing.
∗Communities designed for cars.
∗Sitting at desks, in cars, and staring at screens all day long.
(World Health Organization., 2014).

5. What is childhood obesity?
∗ “Childhood obesity is a medical condition that affects
children and teenagers. Everyone has a body shape
that is just right for them but sometimes we can store
excessive body fat. If a child or adult stores too much
fat they can be classified as obese. A sign of childhood
obesity is a weight well above the average for a
child's height and age.”
(Childhood Obesity Foundation. n.d.).

6. Did You Know?
In 1980, about 50 percent of high school
seniors reported eating green vegetables
“nearly every day or more.”
By 2003, that figure had dropped to
about 30 percent.
(Childhood Obesity Foundation. n.d).

7. Past Concerns
∗ Physical education classes and extracurricular sports
in schools have decreased. Portion sizes in fast food
restaurants have more than doubled; with many
outlets offering the larger portions with minimal
consumer cost
∗ Aggressive marketing of fast foods, junk foods and
video games geared towards children-in fact studies
have found that children’s food preferences are
greatly influenced by commercials lasting as little as
30 seconds
(Purcell, M., 2010)

8. Past Concerns
∗ Most children are driven to school or take a bus.
∗ Most children use escalators or elevators rather than
stairs.
∗ Many children stay indoors right after school due to
having both parents working.
∗ Television viewing by children has increased
significantly.
∗ The introduction of video games and computers has
diverted children from playing sports or physical
games with other children.
(Miller, Rosenbloom & Silverstein, 2004).

9. Physiological Causes
of Childhood Obesity
∗ Similarly to adult obesity, an increase in energy intake and
decrease in physical activity are the primary environmental
influences.
∗ In an average physical activity, whether it be bicycling,
walking, or dancing for 45 minutes a child can burn 90 to
180 calories.
∗ This is problematic considering that with today’s emphasis
on fast food and consumerism run fast food industry – an
average McDonald’s meal runs approximately 600 calories.
(Deckelbaum, R. J. & Williams, C.L., 2001).

10. Did You Know?
92% of elementary schools do not provide daily
physical education classes for all students
throughout the entire school year.
(Childhood Obesity Foundation, n.d.).

11. Which children are at risk?
Children at risk of becoming overweight or obese include children who:
∗consume food and drinks that are high in sugar and fat on a regular basis
such as fast food, candy, baked goods, and ESPECIALLY pop and other
sugar-sweetened beverages.
∗are not physically active each day.
∗watch a lot of TV and play a lot of video games, activities that don't burn
calories.
∗live in an environment where healthy eating and physical activity are not
encouraged.
∗eat to help deal with stress or problems.
∗come from a family of overweight people where genetics may be a
factor, especially if healthy eating and physical activity are not a priority in
the family.
∗come from a low-income family who do not have the resources or time to
make healthy eating and active living a priority.
(Nutrition Journal, 2005.).

12. Facts About
Childhood Obesity in Today’s Society
∗ Almost one in three Canadian children – 31.5 percent -- is
now overweight or obese, up from 14 to 18 percent in the
early 1980s.
∗ Three-quarters of overweight kids will remain so in
adulthood, with health effects ranging from diabetes to
certain types of cancer to heart disease – costing Ontario
taxpayers $2.2 to $2.5 billion annually.
∗ Researchers in the U.S. recently predicted that obesity
could cut short a person’s life by two to five years –
meaning that today’s children may be the first in the
history of North America to live shorter lives than their
parents.
(OMA Journal, 2012).

13. Factors on Childhood Obesity
∗ Environmental factors, lifestyle preferences, and cultural
environment play pivotal roles in the rising prevalence of
obesity worldwide.
∗ In general, overweight and obesity are assumed to be the
results of an increase in caloric and fat intake.
∗ On the other hand, there are supporting evidence that
excessive sugar intake by soft drink, increased portion size,
and steady decline in physical activity have been playing
major roles in the rising rates of obesity all around the
world.
(Nicklas T.A., et al, 2005.).

14. Did You Know?
Between 1977-78 and 2000-01, milk
consumption decreased by 39%
in children ages 6-11.
Consumption of fruit juice rose 54%,
fruit drink consumption rose 69%
and consumption of
carbonated soda rose 137%.
(Childhood Obesity Foundation, n.d.).

15. Psycho-Social Effects of
Childhood Obesity
Besides the obvious health-related concerns there are other
psycho-social concerns attributed to childhood obesity:
∗Children who are considered obese are at an augmented
risk for emotional problems that last well into adulthood.
Obesity and the mental disorders they contribute to should
be considered as serious as other medical illnesses.
∗Obese children between the ages of 10 and 13 have an 80
percent chance of being obese adults. The current childhood
obesity issues may cause an increase in the prevalence of not
only chronic diseases, but also of poor mental health
(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2011).

16. Psychological Effects of
Childhood Obesity
∗ Obese children often feel isolated and lonely.
∗ Children who experience psychological abuse from
their peers may develop extremely low self-esteem,
which may lead to depression.
∗ Obese children may be alienated and fail to develop
essential life and social skills which can affect their
adulthood.
∗ Children’s confidence is significantly shaped around
self-image and the perception of peers. The way an
insecure child feels can be entirely determined by the
way their peers view them.
(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2011).

17. To the right is an
image showing how
childhood obesity
can affect a child’s
body.

18. Obese Child, Obese Adult?
∗ Obesity in childhood leads to obesity in adulthood.
∗ Overweight or obese children are more likely to
remain obese as adolescents and become overweight
or obese adults.
∗ Adolescence appears to be a sensitive period for the
development of obesity – about 80% of obese
adolescents will become obese adults.
∗ Studies suggest that being obese as a child or
adolescent increases the risk of a range of diseases
and disorders in adulthood, regardless of whether the
adult is obese or not.
(Dietz W.H., et al, 2005).

19. Who’s Accountable?
The Parents?
“In contrast to other threats to children's health, the
prevention and/or treatment of childhood obesity are
considered the responsibility of individual children and their
parents. This pressure exists in the context of the societal
stigmatization of overweight children and the powerful
environmental stimuli aimed directly at youth to eat
nutritionally poor foods. Parents of overweight children are
left in the difficult position of fearing the social and health
consequences to their child's obesity, and fighting a losing
battle against the presence of the media and constant
exposure to unhealthy foods.”
(Nicklas T.A., et al, 2005.).

20. Who’s Accountable?
Society?
∗ School age children today are living in a technological world,
greatly affecting the rise of childhood obesity. Their access to
TV, video games, and social media is increasing, therefore
decreasing their time for physical activity.
∗ Fast food, sodas, vending machines, and processed foods are
easy ways for children to make choices about their food without
the guidance of a parent.
∗ Portion control and calories are not being monitored when these
types of foods are being chosen over healthy alternatives.
∗ Meanwhile, parents attribute the rise in childhood obesity to a
lack of control over their children’s food choices, peer pressure,
heredity, poor habits and portion control, and low
socioeconomic status.
(Nauta, Byrne, & Wesley, 2009). (MMWR, 1996). (Murphy and Polivka, 2007).

21. Did You Know?
Six out of 10 children ages 9-13 don’t participate in
any kind of organized sports/physical activity
program outside of school, and children whose
parents have lower incomes and education levels are
even less likely to participate.
Nearly 23 percent don’t engage in any
free-time physical activity.
(Childhood Obesity Foundation, n.d.).

22. What is Canada Doing to Help
Parents Afford Activity Programs?
∗ Effective January 1, 2007 the Canadian government
introduced a non-refundable tax credit of up to 500.00 to
be awarded to parents for each child under the age of 16
years in qualifying sports programs or activities.
∗ The tax credit, called the “fitness tax credit” will cover fees
incurred for children’s camps, fitness club memberships,
organized sports teams such as hockey, soccer, baseball
and basketball, skating, dancing and gymnastics lessons
and also fees incurred for extracurricular school sports.
∗ To be eligible, the program must last for at least eight
weeks with a minimum of one session per week.
(Canada Revenue Agency, 2013)

23. Prevention Strategies
∗ Parents should be made aware that obesity is a health problem
as they are the first step in promoting a healthy lifestyle and a
healthy body weight among school-aged children.
∗ Although there is no direct evidence that raising the parents’
awareness of children’s weight problems would prevent
overweight and obesity in children, there is evidence that
parents’ mindfulness and monitoring can prevent risky
behaviour among children and adolescents.
∗ One strategy to prevent adult obesity is to focus more attention
on the development of obesity in children. As early as 1985
scholars recognized "it is not advantageous to wait until an
obese child becomes an adult and then attempt to achieve ideal
weight"
(Katzmaryzk P.T., Tremblay M.S., & Willms J.D., 1996)

24. What Stage Should Prevention
Begin At?
∗ Prenatal: supply good prenatal nutrition and health care,
avoid excessive maternal weight increase, control diabetes,
help mothers lose weight postpartum, and offer nutrition
education.
∗ Infancy: encourage increased breast-feeding and continuous
breastfeeding to 6 months of age, delay introduction of solid
foods until after 6 months of age, provide a balanced diet
and avoid excess high calorie snacks, and follow weight
increase closely.
(Deckelbaum, R.J., & Williams, C.L. 2001).

25. What Stage Should Prevention
Begin At?
∗ Preschool: provide early experiences with foods and
flavors, help develop healthy food preferences, encourage
appropriate parental feeding practices, monitor rate of
weight increases to prevent early adiposity rebound, and
provide child and parent nutrition education.
∗ Childhood: monitor weight increase for height (slow down
if excessive), avoid excessive prepubertal adiposity, supply
nutrition education, and encourage daily physical activity.
∗ Adolescence: prevent excess weight increase after growth
spurt, maintain healthy nutrition as the next generation of
parents, and continue daily physical activity. (Deckelbaum, R.J., & Williams, C.L. 2001).

26. Discussion Questions
∗ What are some things that the government can do in order
to reduce childhood obesity rates? Which level of
government should be more actively involved?
∗ In what ways can institutions help address the growing
obesity problem in children?
∗ How does childhood obesity affect children
psychologically?
∗ Does the lack of physical education classes in many public
schools contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic?
∗ How can we, as a society, make a difference in the obesity
epidemic?

27. Works Cited
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (March 2011). Obesity in children. Retrieved from
http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Obesity_In_Children_And_
Teens_79.aspx.
Canada Revenue Agency. (2013). Children’s fitness tax credit. Retrieved from http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/txtps/2013/tt130225-eng.html.
Childhood Obesity Foundation. (n.d.). Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.childhoodobesityfoundation.ca/statistics.
Childhood Obesity Foundation. (n.d.). What is childhood obesity?. Retrieved from
http://www.childhoodobesityfoundation.ca/whatIsChildhoodObesity/.
Deckelbaum, R. J. and Williams, C. L. (2001), Childhood Obesity: The Health Issue. Obesity Research. 9: 239S–243S. doi: 10.1038/oby.2001.125.
Dietz, W.H., Pepe, M.S., Seidel, K.D., Whitaker, R.C., & Wright, J.A. (1997). Predicting obesity in young adulthood from childhood and parental
obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. 337:869-873.
Nicklas, T.A.(2005). Patterns, Dietary Quality and Obesity. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2001, 20:599-608.
Ontario Medical Association Journal. (2012). Action to combat obesity epidemic. Retrieved from
https://www.oma.org/Mediaroom/PressReleases/Pages/ActiontoCombatObesityEpidemic.aspx.
Public Health Committee. (2007). American medical association: Resources. Retrieved from http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/rfs/obesity.pdf.
World Health Organization. (2014). Controlling the global obesity epidemic. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/obesity/en/.