Obesity

"My Four-Year-Old Would Never Eat That!"

Sara Mead — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:42:00 -0400

With childhood obesity on the rise, parents, educators, and policymakers are increasingly concerned with how to get young kids eating healthier foods. The New York Times looks at 6 common mistakes parents make when it comes to children and food--and offers recommendations for reversing them.

Photo by flickr user churl, used under a Creative Commons license.

QUALITY: Curb Obesity, Walk Down Memory Lane

Hannah Graff — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:44:00 -0400

When was the last time you walked from home to the market? The hardware store? Your office? Can't remember? Your subdivision may be a few decades too young.

A study to be released in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (and cited in today's New York Times), found that people who live in older neighborhoods appear less likely to be overweight. The key is walkability. The researchers surveyed more than 450,000 residents of Salt Lake City, UT—examining which communities' environments encouraged residents to drive less and walk more.

According to lead author Dr. Ken. R. Smith, from the University of Utah, each extra decade in a neighborhood's age corresponded to a 13 percent drop in the risk of obesity for men, and 8 percent for women. Not only did old neighborhoods have better, tree-lined sidewalks, they also have places to go —parks, schools, and restaurants. As Dr. Smith says, most people "want something to walk to."

As we all know by now, obesity (and the additional chronic diseases linked to it) is a growing and costly burden on our health care system (especially for the uninsured—check out our post from earlier today). We've also begun to examine the role of diet, culture, and childhood fitness in managing obesity in our society.

The Salt Lake study is just a snapshot but it illustrates local influences on health, and should give us something to think about as we manage growth and sprawl and development in a future with high energy costs. So save your gas and take a page from simpler times—take a walk.

QUALITY: PhysEd - A Real Lifesaver

Hannah Graff — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:51:00 -0400

Remember Phys. Ed? Or recess? You know, that chance to run around during the school day and burn off steam -- and calories?

Well, Congress seems to have been doing some remembering too.

During the last two weeks, Congress heard quite a lot about childhood obesity. The Senate HELP committee had not just one, but two hearings. Doctors, public health experts, economists, and community activists substantiated the fact that one in three of America's children can be defined as obese, and described the immense economic and logistical burden this will place on our already strained health system. On a more encouraging note, several witnesses described initiatives where these challenges are being successfully addressed. For example, the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA has added more subsidized after-school programs that encourage physical activity; provided a service that lets people order fresh fruit from their local YMCA; and have "Y" board members get involved with local building commissions and school boards—getting their communities to recognize the value of sidewalks and P.E.

These hearings were followed-up by a House Committee on Education and Labor hearing. Richard Simmons—the fitness guru himself, part of the day in a suit, part of the day in red, white, and blue rhinestones (read TNR's take on his congressional workout here)—testified for the widespread reinstatement of physical education as a mandatory part of all public education (many programs have been lost to No Child Left Behind or other initiatives aimed at beefing up academic basics even if that means bulking up the students ). Simmons has been working with Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) (who spoke at our Medicare event last week) and others in Congress to stress the value of simple play. American children aren't moving!

The New York Times over the weekend reported on the startling number of children who are now taking adult medications for obesity linked conditions such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and acid reflux. ( A couple of bloggers, however, thought the Times' math was a bit soft around the middle).

We too have written before on this growing problem—its complexities and severity—and perhaps now Congress is starting to take note. Childhood obesity is a marker for obesity and chronic disease in adulthood; an expensive and deadly prospect. Having gym class as part of a well- balanced education, might literally save a generation. Then they too can "Sweat to the Oldies" long into the future.

Early Ed Roundup: Week of March 10 - March 14

Christina Satkowski — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:10:00 -0400

Boston Launches Birth to Five Initiative

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino announced plans on Thursday for a 10 year program to expand and streamline early education services for Beantown’s youngest learners. The public-private partnership, "Thrive in Five", will align educators, health and human service providers, city departments and the private sector to connect families with local services and ensure that day-care providers offer high-quality pre-k programs. The City of Boston, The United Way, local hospitals and others have already committed $3.25 million for the program. Boston's schools have made significant progress under Menino's leadership, and working to extend those education improvements down into the early years is a logical next step.

New Hampshire Lawmakers Debate Kindergarten Funding

Last year the New Hampshire State Senate passed legislation requiring school districts to implement kindergarten programs by September 2008, but lawmakers still can't agree on how to fund it. Eleven New Hampshire school districts, serving nearly 15 percent of the state’s students, do not offer public kindergarten, making New Hampshire the only state that does not offer kindergarten in all districts.

The primary obstacle has been paying for space to house kindergarten classrooms. The state of New Hampshire traditionally funds 75 percent of the cost of building or leasing new classrooms, but Senate Republican leader Ted Gatseas is pushing to make the state foot the entire bill, estimated at $20 million. In a preliminary vote last week, legislators voted against Gatseas’s plan and gave initial approval to allow districts to delay kindergarten programs by one year.

Pre-K on the Delaware Campaign Trail

Delaware State Treasurer and Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Jack Markell outlined a comprehensive plan to consolidate and expand early education programs in the state. The plan includes $12.5 million to subsidize 75 percent of the salaries of high-quality teachers working in childcare classrooms. The state would also work to connect private childcare providers with local schools in an effort to align pre-school and elementary-grade curricula. Candidates John Carney and Mike Protak have yet to outline their views on early ed.

Pre-School Intervention Curbs Obesity, Study Finds

Cookie Monster may not be a good role model after all. A new study from the University of Miami finds that targeted nutrition and physical activity programs in pre-k classrooms can instill good eating habits and reduce the risk of obesity for children aged 2 – 5. Children, parents, and teachers in the study participated in a six-month program, where they learned about healthy eating, how to incorporate physical activity into lesson plans, and about the cultural and environmental barriers to implementing a healthy lifestyle. By the end of the program, the percentage of children at risk for overweight dropped from 16 to 12 percent. The study’s authors hope that the findings will encourage the public to think more about the importance of nutrition and exercise in the early years.