CDC report: More initiatives needed to reverse childhood obesity epidemic

CDC. MMWR. 2011;60:42-46.

In the United States, about 12.5 million children and adolescents are obese. From the 1960s to the 1990s, childhood obesity prevalence grew from 5% to 15%. Today, 17% of American children and teens are obese.

During the past decade, the rapid increase in childhood obesity prevalence has slowed; however, “among the heaviest boys, a significant increase in obesity has been observed, with the heaviest getting even heavier,” according to a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Additionally, racial and age disparities exist. Hispanic boys and non-Hispanic black girls are disproportionately affected by childhood obesity, and older children and adolescents are more likely to be affected than younger children.

Besides psychosocial problems, childhood obesity can lead to cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes. Over the years, there have been shifts in food consumption, a decrease in physical activity levels and more television viewing. The CDC said identifying effective interventions and a change in policies and systems may help to overcome childhood obesity.

“For maximum population impact, the focus should be on strategies that alter the food and physical activity environments in places where persons live, learn, work, play and pray,” according to the CDC report.

For example, breast-feeding has significant health benefits for babies, and interventions that make it easier for women to breast-feed at work may encourage them to breast-feed longer. Another strategy is for childcare facilities and schools to reduce the availability of high-calorie foods, such as sugary drinks, and to increase physical activity through quality physical education programs.

Policies involving transportation, land use, education, agriculture and economics may have an effect on obesity rates. For example, approximately 23.5 million people living in urban and rural areas live in low-income areas without access to healthy food; therefore, policies or systems that increase access to healthy foods could improve eating habits and decrease obesity.

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