Confronting Childhood Obesity
Obesity is a very serious health risk for children and teens -- and it's one that affects a large percentage of Michigan kids and youth across the nation.
William Dietz, CDC nutrition and obesity expert, spoke to a standing room crowd on Friday at the David Adamany library about the childhood obesity epidemic, and what can be done to confront the problem.
According to Dietz, since 1980 there has been a "threefold increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity." This significant increase has many worried and seeking explanations.
Dietz suggests that one factor that affects childhood obesity is in the relative cost of food. "The cost of things like sugar has actually decreased over time in relative dollars, whereas the costs of fruits and vegetables have increased," he said. There have also been notable cost decreases for fast food and other junk food items in recent times.
Dietz also noted a change in how much kids are eating, noting that "portion size has increased dramatically."
The data presented also suggests that different ethnicities and races have different rates of childhood obesity. Two groups in particular have especially high prevalence: Latino boys, and African-America girls. Dietz said these findings suggest that there are cultural components to obesity worth exploring.
To take on the problem,Dietz said it's helpful to limit children's access to sugary beverages, and television watching. In combination with these restrictions, children should be given more access to fruits and vegetables and walkable communities.
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