Battling the Childhood Obesity Crisis

With a recent report that predicts overwhelming statistics on the growing epidemic of child obesity throughout the world, there is now glaring evidence that demands that we as a society need to reverse this plague-like trend. The Associated Press has reported findings of the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity (IJPO) that there is a worldwide problem in the increasing numbers of overweight children, not just here in the United States. I'd like to comment on what the release of this information means, and to give you some insight into a rapidly progressing disease that has infiltrated our families, our nation, and our world.

Experts forecast that without any changes in current trends, 38 percent of all children in the European Union will be overweight, up from 25 percent in recent surveys. Percentages of overweight children in the Middle East and Southeast Asia are expected to increase significantly: one in five children in China will be overweight by 2010. Being an Asian American myself, and knowing that a culture with a predominantly "skinny" stigma can have such an obesity rate is more than a little bothersome to me, as both an Asian American and a health-oriented individual.

Here in the U.S., it is evident that legislation is increasing to tackle the growing problem of obesity. Recall the Healthy Lifestyles and Prevention (HeLP) America Act of 2004 instituted change in our children's schools in physical education and nutrition; provided incentives to businesses and communities for promoting healthier lifestyles; regulated food marketing such as requiring the display of nutritional information and placing limits on junk food advertising; and expanded funds for research regarding obesity. You will see more legislation like this in the near future due to the reports published by the IJPO. This legislation is, in my opinion, completely necessary.

According to statistics referenced by the American Psychological Association (http://www.apa.org/), the U.S. spends 40 percent more than any other country on health care as a proportion of our gross domestic product - over $1.8 trillion annually. 75 percent of these health care costs are spent on the treatment of chronic diseases: $352 billion on cardiovascular disease and $117 billion on obesity, annually. These costs will increase as the effects of unhealthy lifestyles today will translate into increased health care costs later in life. Chronic diseases that can be caused by obesity such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain cancers, are the most common and costly health problems. These chronic diseases are also the most preventable. Yet only 2 percent (two!) of annual health care spending in the United States goes towards the prevention of chronic diseases. How does this statement sound, iterated by the APA: The generation of children attending school now will most likely live a shorter life span than their parents, the first time in the nation's history to do so.

On our homefront, the Surgeon General (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/) stated that in 1999, 13% of children ages 6-11, and 14% of adolescents aged 12-19 were overweight. From a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey taken from 1999-2002, 16 percent of children aged 6-19 are considered overweight. Children with BMI values at or above the 95th percentile of the gender-specific BMI growth charts are categorized as overweight. According to the Institute of Medicine, in September 2004, there were approximately nine million children over age 6 that were considered obese. The most general statistic you will find throughout the available resources depicting the prevalence of childhood obesity is that over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for children aged 2-5 year and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years.
What is Obese? What is Overweight?

These terms are used quite frequently, but know they are not the same, and they have very different meanings. There are actual medically defined differences between the two, and these differences are not the same when evaluating children compared to adults. The NIH MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus) defines an "obese" individual as having a BMI (body mass index) over 30; "overweight" individuals have a lower BMI between 25 and 29.9. BMI is a number that is calculated based on your weight and height:

Multiply your weight in pounds by 703.
Divide that answer by your height in inches.
Divide that answer again by your height in inches again.

For example, a man who weights 270 pounds and is 68 inches tall has a BMI of 41.0.

Use your calculated BMI and compare it to the following chart:
BMI CATEGORY
Below 18.5 Underweight
18.5 - 24.9 Healthy
25.0 - 29.9 Overweight
30.0 - 39.9 Obese
Over 40 Morbidly Obese

The facts have been stated, implied, and in our face for a long time now due to the prevalence of adult obesity in America, and because of the growing prevalence of childhood obesity, you will continue to hear the effects of obesity on your long term health and life expectancy due to diabetes, stroke, heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, kidney and gallbladder disorders, cancer, osteoarthritis, and sleep apnea (cessation of breathing during sleep).

Note that the BMI is not always an accurate way to determine how healthy or unhealthy your weight is, and should not be used for body builders or the elderly. The above BMI chart should also not be used for calculating BMI for children: in fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/) has developed a BMI chart specifically for children (termed "BMI-for-Age"), and is gender and age specific.

Now that you have a better idea of some of the terms currently being used to evaluate the worldwide epidemic of obesity, I'll return to the more important topic of discussing this growing trend in childhood obesity.

Yes, of course genetics have some effect on the development of obesity. The NIH states that children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to be obese than children with parents of normal weight. This statistic makes the actions of parents even more accountable for the future health of their children and their children's children. And it makes you as a young individual more aware of your present condition, why it is what it is, yet empowers you with the ability to change.

It is under-estimated that 30 million children worldwide are obese. 150 million children are either overweight or obese. There is an actual International Obesity Task Force that exists which developed these estimates, and is just one branch in a rapidly diversifying, global presence in obesity organizations and resources.

The International Journal of Pediatric Obesity was just launched, and its initially published studies have been the topic of several recent news reports. The journal's editors accept the dichotomy of excitement and sad truthfulness of providing a forum to collaborate, share, and develop ideas for implementing change at the international, national, societal, and individual levels.

Some of the resources I've listed in this discussion comprise the needle point tip of the vast iceberg of state, federal, international, and medical organizations that have dedicated a wealth of in-your-face statistics on this tragic and far reaching epidemic. Try typing "obesity" into your search engine and see what pops up.

It's factual that we live in a time that has us sitting at a desk for most of the day, justifying fast food and no exercise because there's no time, and succumbing to our children's interests in the newest handheld video games rather than walking the family dog. But invest now in yourself, invest in your children, and allow yourself a lifestyle that is not just preventative, but truly positive in enhancing your mind, your body, and your spirit.

TriActive America's mission and philosophy now exists alongside the efforts put out by both the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity and our own government: that we need to provide more ways to inform about and reverse the growing trend of obesity in both adults and more importantly in our children. We have made resources available within this website as well as our sister site: www.triactivekids.com. I give you the simplest philosophy to start changing towards a more healthy life: eat less, and exercise more. With our line of outdoor fitness equipment, we are providing you and/or your organization the opportunity to be directly involved in the global fight against obesity. Our outdoor exercise product line speaks for itself, and we at TriActive America, Inc. are here to be part of the solution.