Childhood obesity, a very complex health issue that becomes a growing problem in the U.S. In fact, “over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates have tripled in the U.S., and today, the country has some of the highest obesity rates in the world: one out of six children is obese, and one out of three children is overweight or obese.” (Child obesity, n.d.). Physical diseases and conditions are often accompanying obesity. Also, obesity may have an adverse effect on various systems in a child’s body, such as heart, lungs, muscles and bones, kidneys, digestive tract, and hormones that control blood sugar and puberty. Furthermore, it can take a toll on social life because obese kids and teenagers are more likely to have low self-esteem. “Childhood obesity is one of the most serious threats to the health of our nation.” (Building evidence to prevent childhood obesity, n.d.). Children and youth who are obese and overweight will likely remain overweight or obese into adulthood. References Building evidence to prevent childhood obesity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.rwjf.org/content/rwjf/en/how-we-work/grants-explorer/featured-programs/healthy-eating-research.html Childhood obesity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-trends/global-obesity-trends-in-children/

1. 7-2 Final Project Submission: Health Issue Presentation by Igor Drizik
Healthcare issue:
Childhood
Obesity
HCM 320
Southern New Hampshire University

2. What is obesity?
Overview
The U.S. today has some of the highest
obesity rates in the world:
o 1 out of 6 children is obese
o 1 out of 3 children is overweight
“Childhood obesity is one of the most serious
threats to the health of our nation.” (Building
evidence to prevent childhood obesity, n.d.).
Children and youth who are obese and overweight
will likely remain overweight or obese into
adulthood.

3. I. Analysis of the Health Issue
 A number of different economic principles and indicators affect
the health issue in relation to childhood obesity. These are:
• Food prices
o Junk food and fast-food prices have fallen over the years and
became more accessible.
o Prices for healthy, organic food have increased.
• During the recent economic downturn, the risk of children to
become overweight or obese have risen with the unemployment
rates in their communities. Thus, when a family’s income isn’t
enough to afford fresh healthy food, then, parents end up with
things that are cheap and unhealthy, which will cause health
problem to the kids down the line.
• Maternal employment is associated with an increased risk of
childhood obesity. Both parents are too busy with employment
and have no time to make a home-cooked meal, hence they buy
their children frozen, processed TV dinners that often have little
or no nutrition value at all. Finally, the rapid development of
technology contributes to childhood obesity as well.
A. Economic principles and indicators

4. B. Economic Impact
 The issue of childhood obesity has an
impact on the economy, specifically on the
healthcare system. Childhood obesity is
associated with higher risks of serious
health conditions, including high blood
pressure, asthma, stroke, and childhood
obesity is one of the biggest drivers of
preventable chronic diseases. Therefore,
childhood obesity leads to higher medical
spending due to more frequent hospital
visits needed, high societal costs, and
productivity losses. As overweight and
obese children are more likely to stay obese
into adulthood, the medical care will be
necessary throughout their life, and the
medical costs for diagnosis and treatment of
obesity-related conditions will be
substantially higher than that of the normal
weight, healthy person.

5. C. Socioeconomic Factors
 Socioeconomic factors have an impact on childhood
obesity to a large extent. Studies have shown that the
majority of overweight children are from lower
income families. Families from lower socio-economic
classes likely have a choice to make between paying
rent or mortgage and buying fresh food every day.
Besides that, children from low-income families are
eligible either for the National School Lunch Program
or National School Breakfast Program every day they
are in school, place where they spend most of their
waking hours. Meals from both programs may contain
more than half the daily caloric intake recommended
for children, thereby kids who rely on these programs
may be influenced more significantly by the content
of these free or reduced-price meals. Another factor
that contributes to childhood obesity is the limitation
of physical activity.
https://royalexaminer.com/ways-deal-huge-
medical-bills/

6. D. Healthcare Organizations
The major healthcare organizations impacted by the childhood
obesity issue are the U.S. government, state government, and the
community healthcare providers. The U.S. government,
particularly the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the federal agency under the Department of Health and
Human Services has its focus on childhood obesity. CDC’s
website states that “CDC’s obesity efforts focus on policy and
environmental strategies to make healthy eating and active living
accessible and affordable for everyone.” (Overweight and
obesity, n.d.). The government is subsidizing the healthcare
charges via Medicaid and CHIP, that offers health care to low-
income children. Moreover, the government created the health
policies that aimed to combat the nation’s obesity epidemic.
Nutrition assistance policies include programs such as the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Woman,
Infants and Children (WIC) Program, Child and Adult Care Food
Program (CACFP), etc. Government making policies and
regulations involving transportation, land use, education,
agriculture, and economics so that it can have an important effect
on a healthy environment and health of people, in turn, reducing
obesity rates.

7. II. Evaluation of Policy
 Childhood obesity is also caused by current economic
conditions. Food prices rise at the steady rate, while costs of
unhealthy, energy-dense foods are at an all-time low due to
the agriculture policies and rapid changes in technology. This
leads to mass preparation and preservation of food, allowing
parents to prepare tertiary processed food for their children in
less time. “Fresh vegetables and fruit are not only more
expensive (on a per calorie basis) than are fats and sweets,
they are also less likely to be available in low-income
neighborhoods.” (Drewnowski & Darmon, 2005). In addition,
studies consistently show a correlation of BMI with fast-food
prices, especially in areas that are home to families of low
socioeconomic status. The same thing applies to beverages,
where high-fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, raw sugar,
fructose, and sucrose is used. These types of sweeteners are
inexpensive and often used in beverages served in
convenience stores and fast-food restaurants. “The current
structure of food prices is such that sweet and high-fat foods
provide dietary energy at the lowest cost”. (Drewnowski &
Darmon, 2005).
A. Current economic and legal landscape

8. B. Proposed Policy
 1. Operational Strategies
o The childhood obesity epidemic is mostly a social
and economic phenomenon. The highest rates of
obesity are found in lower-income towns,
neighborhoods, and deprived areas. Because this
issue costs a lot to the U.S. healthcare system and to
American taxpayers, the all levels of the government
have to intervene, e.g., enforce current policies in
place and enact more policies and regulations that
address obesity in children. In my opinion, the effort
should be made to try and remove the offering of
low-cost foods from the consumers' reach. This can
be done by restricting the sale of fats and sweets,
and by limiting the advertising and marketing of
junk food and soft drinks to kids and teenagers. In
addition, the government can tax obesity itself by
imposing taxes on unhealthy foods to discourage
snack consumption to stymie the behavior that
contributes to obesity.

9. B. Proposed Policy (continued)
 2. Healthcare organizations
o The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the nation’s health protection agency,
already plays a major role in addressing the issue
of childhood obesity. “CDC works across the
health system to put the [the United States
Preventive Services Task Force] USPSTF
recommendation into practice, especially for
those children most in need.” (CDC, 2019). For
example, screening kids that are 6 years old and
older for obesity, and children who are already
struggling with obesity to be referred to high-
quality weight management programs. Also, the
CDC works across the healthcare system to
identify effective strategies that would improve
the situation. In fact, CDC targets both
improvements in physical activity and providing a
nutritious diet to reduce childhood obesity.

10. C. Defend
 1. Improve
o Although CDC already makes an effort and takes concrete
steps to reduce childhood obesity rates, some of their
programs are not expended nationwide. For instance, the
program mentioned earlier, CORD 1.0, is implemented only
in 3 states. The next iteration of the program, “CORD 2.0,
funds communities in Massachusetts and Arizona to focus
on clinical and weight management program interventions
to improve nutrition and physical activity behaviors of low-
income children struggling with obesity.” (CDC, 2019).
However, this program is only available in two states.
Another program, The National Association of Community
Health Centers project of CDC funds implementation of
high-quality weight management programs and is available
only in four states. Thus, the purpose of this letter is
to request Congress to make a budget modification and
allocate funds necessary for CDC to continue to advance
their public health mission nationwide and keep Americans
safe and healthy where they work, live and play.

11. C. Defend (continued)
 2. Informed
• Continued obesity prevention initiatives at the national,
state, and local levels have to focus on the areas where
families with low-income live. These policies must be
directed at supporting pregnant women and promoting
healthy pregnancies, breastfeeding, healthy nutrition, and
physical activities for kids and youth to further decrease the
problem of childhood obesity. In 2000, the total cost of
obesity was estimated to be $117 billion. (Health Policy
Institute, n.d.). The diseases associated with obesity and
healthcare costs have added millions more to the national
fiscal expenditure. Childhood obesity epidemic is not only a
major public health challenge, but also has serious
implications on the U.S. economy because of vast health
expenditures. In fact, “in a 2008 nationwide survey, obesity
was ranked as the number-one health problem for children”.
(Cawley, 2010). Thus, all efforts should be made to address
this issue immediately.

12. III. Implementation
 Ethnicity is one of the major socioeconomic
barriers. The childhood obesity is on the
rise in all ethnic and racial groups,
however, a disproportionate percentage of
certain racial/ethnic minorities are affected.
The research published by the Center for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
states that childhood obesity is higher in
Hispanics (25.9%), non-Hispanic blacks
(22.0%), whites at (14.1%), and non-
Hispanic Asians at (11%) as of 2018, for
children and adolescents who were between
the ages of 2-19 years old. (Childhood
obesity facts, n.d.).
A. Barriers to policy change

13. B. Supports for policy change
 The community plays a significant role in
childhood obesity and may largely contribute to
this issue, at the same time, a community can
become the support group in many ways.
“Community support is invaluable in
implementing interventions and organizing
social events like healthy food festivals, harvest
festivals, imparting healthy messages, and
educating and encouraging people to adopt a
healthy lifestyle.” (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012).
Among other things, community initiatives can
be a helpful resource in educating parents about
ways to prevent childhood obesity, encourage
healthy nutrition, and help low-income families
to get affordable and healthy fresh food
options.

14. C.Value Proposition
There will be a beneficial outcome for
healthcare organizations if my policies would
be enacted. It would tremendously improve
balancing the triple aim dimension:
• Improving the patient experience of care,
including quality and satisfaction
• Improving the health of populations
• Reducing the per capita cost of health care

15. D. Call to action
 If the healthcare system, schools,
community organizations, food industry,
and parents who play a critical role in
child’s health, address causes of
childhood obesity with all seriousness, it
will help child maintain a healthy weight,
balance the calories child consumes from
foods and beverages, and over time,
decrease risk of childhood obesity.
Treating, as well as preventing childhood
obesity, will help protect kids health now
and in the future, which will lead to a
healthier society as a whole.

16. References
o Afterschool programs learning to prevent childhood obesity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/healthcare/cord1/afterschool.html
o Borrell, L. N., Graham, L., & Joseph, S. P. (2016). Associations of Neighborhood Safety and Neighborhood Support with Overweight and Obesity in US Children and Adolescents. Ethnicity &
disease, 26(4), 469–476. doi:10.18865/ed.26.4.469
o Building evidence to prevent childhood obesity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.rwjf.org/content/rwjf/en/how-we-work/grants-explorer/featured-programs/healthy-eating-research.html
o Cawley, J. (2010, March). The economics of childhood obesity. Retrieved from https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2009.0721
o Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, January). CDC’s work in healthcare settings to reduce childhood obesity. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/data/DNPAO-
HealthCare-Infographic-201902-508.pdf
o Childhood obesity facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html
o Childhood obesity causes & consequences. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/causes.html
o Chriqui J. F. (2013). Obesity Prevention Policies in U.S. States and Localities: Lessons from the Field. Current obesity reports, 2(3), 200–210. doi:10.1007/s13679-013-0063-x
o Drewnowski, A., & Darmon, N. (2005, April 4). Food choices and diet costs: an economic analysis. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/135/4/900/4663788
o Farmer, B. (2015, July 01). Childhood obesity and technology: Overcoming the challenges. Retrieved from http://servingkidshope.org/childhood-obesity-and-technology-overcoming-the-challenges
o Hammond, R. A., & Levine, R. (2010). The economic impact of obesity in the United States. Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity : targets and therapy, 3, 285–295. doi:10.2147/DMSOTT.S7384

17. References (continued)
o Health Policy Institute. (n.d.). Childhood obesity: A life long threat to health. Retrieved from https://hpi.georgetown.edu/obesity/
o Karnik, S., & Kanekar, A. (2012). Childhood obesity: a global public health crisis. International journal of preventive medicine, 3(1), 1–7. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278864/#sec1-14title
o Obesity: Environmental strategies for preventing childhood obesity. (2004, January 09). Retrieved from http://www.bmsg.org/resources/publications/obesity-environmental-strategies-for-
preventing-childhood-obesity/
o Overweight & obesity. (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/
o Porter, E.M. (2010, December 23). Perspective: What is Value of Health Care? NEJM. Retrieved on December 13, 2017, from
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1011024?viewType=Print
o Reducing obesity (n.d.). https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/quality-of-care/improvement-initiatives/reducing-obesity/index.html
o Sahoo, K., Sahoo, B., Choudhury, A. K., Sofi, N. Y., Kumar, R., & Bhadoria, A. S. (2015). Childhood obesity: causes and consequences. Journal of family medicine and
primary care, 4(2), 187–192. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.154628. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4408699/
o University of Pennsylvania. (2007, August 12). Childhood Obesity Indicates Greater Risk Of School Absenteeism, Study Reveals. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 24, 2019 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070810194710.htm