This document discusses childhood obesity rates in the U.S., which are increasing at an alarming rate. Childhood obesity can lead to conditions like type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance syndrome in children as young as 5 years old. Reducing daily calorie, sodium, and saturated fat intake could help eliminate millions of obesity cases and save billions annually in medical costs. Solutions proposed to combat childhood obesity include breastfeeding, parental nutrition education, community involvement, cooking at home more often, shopping locally and seasonally, and incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

1. Childhood Obesity
Who is responsible?

2. Childhood obesity rates
are increasing in the
U.S.

3. Look at the rates for adults
1985 2010

4. Childhood obesity rates are
increasing at an alarming rate
aspe.hhs.gov sbm.org

5. Who can benefit from childhood
obesity education?
• Children
• Parents
• Society

6. Childhood obesity can lead to:
• Type II Diabetes
• Insulin Resistance Syndrome

7. Insulin Resistance Syndrome
A group of cardiovascular disease
risk factors that have become
present in children as young as 5
years old
These
include:

8. • Hypertension
• Dyslipidemia
• Chronic inflammation
• Increased blood clotting tendency
• Endothelial dysfunction
• Hyperinsulinaemia

9. Costs?
Permanent reduction of kcal of at least 100/d
could eliminate about 71.2 million cases of
overweight/obese and save about $58 billion
annually; reduction in about 400 mg/d Na
would eliminate 1.5 million cases and save $2.3
billion; lowering Sat Fat intake by 5 g/d can
eliminate 3.9 million cases and save $2 billion
annually
retireat21.com

10. A lot of research has been done
How can we combat this
epidemic?
• Breastfeeding?
• Parental nutrition education?
• Community involvement?

11. Solutions
• Cook at home • Shop “in season”
– Plan meals ahead foods:
• Shop locally – Fall: squash, broccoli
– Farmer’s market – Spring: asparagus,
strawberries
• Incorporate more
– Summer: blueberries,
fruits, vegetables tomatoes
and whole grains – Winter: kale, pears

12. Sources Cited
Ebbeling CB, Pawlak DB, Ludwig DS. Childhood obesity:
public-health crisis, common sense cure. The Lancet
2002;360:473-482.
Dall, T. M., Fulgoni III, V. L., Zhang, Y., Reimers, K. J.,
Packard, P. T., & Astwood, J. D. Potential Health
Benefits and Medical Cost Savings From Calorie,
Sodium, and Saturated Fat Reductions in the American
Diet. The Science of Health Promotion. 2009;412 - 422.