Children and Obesity
Chances are, you've heard the grim statistics: 10 percent of children aged 2–5 and 15 percent of children aged 6–19 are overweight or obese. Moreover, overweight kids have a 70 to 80 percent chance of growing up to be overweight adults. Some researchers predict that, with the ensuing health complications from obesity, the current generation of kids may be the first to have a shorter life average life expectancy than the previous generation.
Unfortunately, children and adolescents are more vulnerable to obesity than adults because they have less control over their own environments. Parents who do not make healthy habits a priority are hardly in a position to model those habits to their children, and even schools are compromised in their efforts to teach nutrition and fitness.
An Avalanche of Advertising
Nearly one-third of the money spent on food advertising annually is targeted at children, and 83 percent of child-centric advertising is for fast food, sugary cereals, and other junk foods. Children as young as 2 can demonstrate brand-consciousness. The top brands recognized by young children include Cheerios, McDonald's, Pop Tarts, and Coca-Cola.
The problem with this is that children do not have the critical thinking skills to understand that the purpose of advertising is to sell products, and that facts are sometimes twisted in the process. Children are particularly likely to be swayed by the use of appealing mascots (like Tony the Tiger), favorite cartoon characters (like Spongebob Squarepants), or celebrities and sports stars to sell food products. The only fictional character with a higher degree of recognition than Ronald McDonald is Santa Claus.
On December 6, 2005, the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report that drew strong correlations between advertising aimed at kids and the increase in child obesity. The IOM recommended that cartoon characters be used only to promote healthy foods and that restaurants provide healthier options for children. It even went so far as to say that if the food industry does not step up to the plate and make these changes, Congress should pursue legislation.
Our Schools: Brought to You By …
When schools are not able to raise adequate funds from property taxes and other sources, they often make up the difference through sales of soda, snacks, and even fast food. A study in 2000 found that 58 percent of elementary school students, 83 percent of middle school students, and 94 percent of high school students had access to vending machines. Between 1985 and 1997, schools decreased the amount of milk they bought by nearly 30 percent while buying more than 1,000 percent more soda.
Some schools have even entered into "exclusive pour" contracts with soda companies. In these agreements, a soda company pays an initial lump-sum payment plus additional payments over five to ten years; in exchange, the school agrees to provide only that company's products to students. These agreements also entail the prominent display of company logos throughout the school. Some agreements directly link payments to the amount of soda sold to the students—as many as 50 sodas per student per year.
Fast food appeals to students because it is more "cool" than the regular school lunch and because it tastes better. School districts like it because while they just barely break even on the federally-subsidized school lunches, they can make a profit on fast food. As of 1997, 30 percent of high schools sold fast foods from one of nine different chains.
Physical Education: Too Many Children Left Behind
Because of tighter budgets and increased academic demands, some schools are abandoning mandatory physical education classes. Between 1991 and 1997, the number of students participating in physical education dropped from 42 percent to 29 percent. Only the state of Illinois requires daily physical education in all schools.
Of course, even when phys. ed. is available, it is not a panacaea. Those of us who did endure gym classes remember standing around for most of the class period, waiting for just a few minutes to be able to play. In fact, students may be aerobically active for just three and a half minutes during an average gym class. Then, of course, there are students (and, sadly, even teachers) who badger and belittle overweight students—trust me, there's nothing better than ridicule to make an overweight kid want to just stay on the sidelines.
Children are also less active outside of school. Thirty-five percent of students, including almost half of all teenagers, do not engage in any kind of vigorous activity. Homework, television, video games, and the Internet all compete with good old-fashioned physical activity.
The Importance of Modeling Good Habits
In the United States, we have quite a few preconceived notions about what children can and should eat. Look at the children's menu at any restaurant, and you will find chicken tenders (or nuggets, or strips), french fries, hot dogs, hamburgers, and grilled cheese. The healthiest item that you're likely to find is spaghetti. All of these items are tasty, yet bland, and all fall into American notions of what is appropriate for children.
In most other countries, however, children are expected to eat the same things adults eat; there is not even such a thing as a children's menu. According to David Bergman, a pediatrics researcher at Stanford University, young children can tolerate even spicy foods if these foods are introduced early enough. Introducing a variety of healthy foods at a younger age may help prevent obesity later.
Parents (and other adults) also need to consider other messages that they send to their children. Are children provided with a variety of vegetables prepared in tasty ways? Or are vegetables treated as something to be endured rather than enjoyed? Are ice cream and candy offered as rewards or withheld as punishment? In such an environment, it is little wonder that children seek out sweets and reject vegetables.