This document discusses causes and risk factors for childhood obesity. It identifies several socioeconomic factors that increase obesity risk, such as lower income levels, lack of access to healthy foods, and greater exposure to junk food marketing. Family environment factors are also examined, including single-parent households, lack of parental involvement in meal preparation and eating, and psychosocial issues like neglect. Lifestyle behaviors like insufficient physical activity and high consumption of fast food are identified as additional risk factors. Potential health outcomes of childhood obesity and approaches for prevention through education are also summarized.

1. Childhood
Obesity
Group A Power Point Presentation
Problem Statement:
Lack of education, resources, and parental
involvement increases a child’s risk for obesity.

2. Introduction

3. Childhood Obesity has
Increased

4. Causes
* Socioeconomic,
* Medical,
* Family Environment
* Outcomes
* Prevention
* Actions Plan

5. History of Childhood Obesity

6. Socioeconomic Resources
* Childhood obesity in the U.S. increased across all income
levels between 1988-1994 and 2007-2008 (Ogden, et al, 2010, pg. 4).
* Even though there has been a dramatic increase across all
socioeconomic statuses, there are a higher proportion of
children and adolescents who come from low income,
minority families who are obese, or at risk for becoming
obese.
* Socioeconomic status itself is now being recognized as a risk
factor for childhood obesity (Austin, 2006, pg. 16).

7. Socioeconomic Resources
* Individuals of lower socioeconomic status often lack of
access to nutritional foods (Austin, 2006, pg. 17).
* There also appear to be, disproportionately, “four times as
many supermarkets located in white neighborhoods,
compared to black neighborhoods” (Austin, 2006, pg. 17).
* …And “2.4 fast food restaurants per square mile in black
neighborhoods compared to 1.5 restaurants in predominately
white neighborhoods” (Austin, 2006, pg. 17).

8. Socioeconomic Resources
* Television and advertisement viewing is greater among lower
socioeconomic populations (Austin, 2006, pg. 17).
* Commercials that aired during programs directed at the
African-American population were “more likely to be fore fast
food, candy, soda or meat” and that “these types of
advertisements essentially program minority children to crave
non nutritious foods with repetitive messages that imply that
fast food is tasty and fun to eat” (Austin, 2006, pg. 18).

9. Socioeconomic Resources
* “Children of immigrants also appear to be more vulnerable to
the risk of overweight” (Balistreri & Hook, 2010, pg. 611).
* “Immigrant parents who spent most of their live in their home
countries may be unfamiliar with U.S. foods and grocery
stores, unaware of the health risks of American junk food,
and uninformed about opportunities for their children to
participate in sports or other school related activities “ (Balistreri &
Hook, 2010, pg. 617-618).

10. Metabolic Syndrome/Differential
Diagnosis of Obesity Disorder
* Causes of childhood obesity can be separated into
“genetic/endogenous and environmental/exogenous factors” (Kiess, et al,
2001, pg. 576).
* Exogenous factors are the most common causes of childhood
obesity, but there are multiple disorders that can present with obesity
in childhood (Kiess, et al, 2001, pg. 576). Such as…
* “Endocrine disorders such as: Cushing’s syndrome, hypothyroidism,
growth hormone deficiency, hyperinsulinemia, (pseudo)
hypoparathyroidism, brain damage, hypothalamic
tumor/surgery/trauma and genetic syndromes such as Prader-
Labhard-Willi syndrome, Alstrom, Bardet-Biedl, Carpenter, Cohen as
well as monogenic disorders” (Kiess, et al, 2001, pg. 577).
* Medical practitioners must consider these endogenous factors when
diagnosing the cause of childhood obesity in individuals.

11. Metabolic Syndrome/Differential
Diagnosis of Obesity Disorder
* Childhood obesity has multiple co-morbid conditions that
result from the obesity.
* Co-morbidities can be grouped by: “Psychosocial-psychiatric,
cardiovascular, endocrine and gynecological,
metabolic, respiratory, orthopedic as well as others such as
paronychia [skin infection around the nails], akanthosis
nigricans [hyper-pigmentation of the skin], and striae rubrae
[stretch marks]” (Kiess, et al, 200, pg. 578).

12. Metabolic Syndrome/Differential
Diagnosis of Obesity Disorder
* There is evidence that links maternal gestational diabetes and childhood
obesity (Vohr & Boney, 2007, pg. 149).
* “Prenatal factors, including maternal gestational diabetes mellitus, pre-pregnancy
weight, weight gain during pregnancy and glycemia in pregnancy
affect the development of obesity in the neonate and that derangements of
growth persists at four to seven years of age” (Vohr & Boney, 2007, pg. 149).
* “Intrauterine environment represents a critical period of development which
may place the fetus at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and
cardiovascular disease” (Vohr & Boney, 2007, pg 154).
* Although exogenous factors do contribute to obesity and co-morbid
conditions, the “prevalence of obesity in both adults and children and
associated disorders of blood pressure and lipid metabolism suggest a
perpetuating cycle of increasing obesity, insulin resistance and
cardiovascular disease which has ominous consequences for future
generations” (Vohr & Boney, 2007, pg. 155).

13. Family Life
* A Parent’s Role:
* Monitor food intake for quality, quantity, and frequency
* Monitor “screen time”, or amount of time spent watching TV,
playing video games, or web-surfing
* Encourage physical activities to keep child(ren) moving at
least several times a week
* Set an example through actions, activities, and food choices
* Ask for school’s involvement in prevention techniques
* Network with other parents – seek opportunities for
socialization among peers that can promote healthy physical
activities and eating behaviors for children as well as parental
awareness of prevention and activity programs for youth
(Franzini, et al, 2009)
* Seek expert help if concerned your child’s weight is becoming
a possible issue

14. Causes: Single-Parent Households
* Single-parent households have a lower household income
than do traditional two-parent households.
* A lower household income leads to a decrease in the amount
of money spent on healthy food.
* “Children from single-parent homes consume more energy
than do children in two-parent homes (1,642kcals vs.
1,577kcals)” (Bowman & Harris, 2003, pg. 31).
* “Children from single-parent households eat an average of
62g of fat and 23g of saturated fat a day while those from
traditional households eat 56g of fat and 21g of saturated fat”
(Bowman & Harris, 2003, pg. 31).

15. Causes: Lack of Parental Time and
* Many parents report having insufficient time to prepare
healthy meals for their children
* Parents cope with their lack of time by using convenience
foods that their children enjoy
* “Researchers found that 46% of parents did not plan meals in
advance and families that plan meals are more likely to
consume more fruits and vegetables” (Boutelle, Birnbaum, Lytle, Murray &
Story, 2003, pg. 26).
Involvement

16. Causes: Lack of Parental and
Family Involvement at Mealtime
* When parents and family members are involved at mealtime,
children learn to: eat at a slower pace, follow internal satiety
cues, reduce consumption of energy dense fast foods and
consume higher amounts of fruits and vegetables” (Mccaffrey,
Rennie, Wallace & Livingston, 2006, pg. 52).
* “Cross-sectional studies have reported that children and
adolescents who regularly eat dinner with family members
are significantly less likely to be overweight and more likely to
have healthier eating habits, compared with those who eat
less frequently with the family” (Mccaffrey, Rennie, Wallace & Livingston, 2006,
pg. 52).

17. Causes: Psychosocial Issues
* Research has concluded that “restriction of certain foods,
such as energy dense or high caloric foods, by parents or
other supervising adults may actually serve to reinforce their
consumption, with higher levels of restriction of “junk foods”
by parents positively relating to higher fatness in children”
(Johannsen, Johannesen & Specker, 2006, pg. 435).
* “Children that are pressured to eat certain foods are more
likely to develop negative associations with these foods,
lessening their desire to consume healthy foods” (Fisher & Birch, 1999,
pg. 409).

18. Causes: Psychosocial Issues
* “Children receiving little or no emotional support have a
higher risk of becoming obese in young adulthood” (Gundersen,
Mahatmya & Loman, 2010, pg. e57).
* “Children considered to be neglected had about a 10-fold
increase in the likelihood of becoming obese in young
adulthood” (Gundersen, Mahatmya & Loman, 2010, pg. e57).
* “Researchers have found that households characterized as
having less family cohesion, more conflict and disruptive
home environments increase the child’s risk of being
overweight” (Gundersen, Mahatmya & Loman, 2010, pg. e56).

19. Causes: Lifestyle
* Children who lack physical activity in their daily lives are more
likely to be overweight and obese
* Many children spend most of their time in front of television
sets, playing video games and using the computer.
* The availability of low cost, high calorie fast food is a key
factor that promotes obesity in children.

20. Causes: Lifestyle
* “It has been calculated that the average calorie content of
fast-food menus is 65% higher than the calorie content of the
recommended healthy diet” (Mccaffrey, Rennie, Wallace & Livingston, 2006, pg.
54).
*
* “Data revealed that children aged 4-19 years, who ate fast-food,
consumed, on average, 770 calories more per day than
those who did not. This could result in a weight gain of
2.7kg/year in those children consuming fast-food” (Mccaffrey,
Rennie, Wallace & Livingston, 2006, pg. 54

21. Possible Outcomes of Childhood Obesity
* Physical Complications
* Insulin-resistant diabetes
* Hypertension
* Coronary Artery Disease
* High cholesterol
* Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) or sleep apena

22. Possible Outcomes of Childhood Obesity
* Psychological Strains
* Depression
* Social Isolation
* Anxiety
* Eating-disorders (binge-eating)
* Low self-esteem
* All of these psychological strains also have the potential to
worsen obesity (Puder & Munsch, 2010)

23. Prevention
* Education = Prevention
* Obesity risk factors
* Parents’ role
* Public’s role

24. * Public’s Role:
* Provide well-balanced school lunches
* Promote education on healthy eating and physical activity
behaviors in schools
* Promote physical activity during the school day
* Provide education forums on prevention and intervention for
parents and children
* Provide safe neighborhoods that promote outdoor activities,
including maintained parks and community sidewalks (Franzini, et
al, 2009)
Prevention

25. Conclusion
* By educating parents about the health risks of obesity, the
benefits to teach a healthy lifestyle, and the important role
they play in prevention, we can alter this epidemic’s course
* This change also includes a community based approach
through schools and private social activist groups
* There is on one single cause for obesity among all children it
affects
* Children and their parents need a simple educational
message about the risks and prevention of childhood obesity
* With knowledge and guidance in the household and the
community settings, we can ensure that the welfare our future
generation reaches its full potential

26. Walden University
Group A
Sociology 4080
Tiffany Bartholomew
Lynette Bettis
JoCarol Bines
LaVonne Cherrington
Kristin Fedish
Anna Ninneman
Debra Smith
Penny Viers

27. References
Austin, A. (2006). The correlation between socioeconomic status and obesity in
minority children; a review. The Journal of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, 52 (1), 16 – 19.
Balistreri, K.S. & Van Hook, J. (2011). Trajectories of overweight among US
school children: a focus on social and economic characteristics. Maternal &
Child Health Journal, 15 (5), 610-619.
Kiess, W. et al (2001). Clinical aspects of obesity in childhood and adolescence
– diagnosis, treatment and prevention. International Journal of Obesity, 2 (1),
575 – 579.
Ogden, C. et al (2010). Obesity and socioeconomic status in children and
adolescents: United States, 2005 – 2008, NCHS Data Brief, 51, 1 – 7.
Vohr, B. & Boney, C. M. (2008). Gestational diabetes: the forerunner for the
development of maternal and childhood obesity and metabolic syndrome? The
Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 21 (3), 149 – 157.

28. References
(Puder & Munsch, 2010) I need the rest of the reference in APA style
Franzini, L., Elliott, M.N., Cuccaro, P., Schuster, M.,Gilliland, M.J., et al. (2009,
February). Influences of Physical and Social Neighborhood Environments on
Children's Physical Activity and Obesity. American Journal of Public Health99. 2
(Feb 2009): 271-8. Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19059864
Boutelle, K., Birnbaum, A., Lytle, L., Murray, D., & Story, M. (2003). Associations
between perceived family meal environment and parent intake of fruit,
vegetables, and fat. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 35, 24-29.

29. References
Bowman, S., & Harris, E. (2006). Food security, dietary choices, and television-viewing
status of preschool-aged children living in single-parent or two-parent
households. Family Economics & Nutrition Review, 15(2), 29-34.
Fisher, B., & Birch, L. (1999). Restricting access to foods and children. Appetite,
(32), 405-19.
Gundersen, C., Mahatmya, G., & Loman, B. (2010). Linking psychosocial
stressors and childhood obesity. Obesity Reviews, e54-e61.
Johannsen, D., Johannsen, N., & Specker, B. (2006). Influence of parent’s
eating behaviors and child feeding practices on children’s weight status.
Obesity, (14), 431-9.
Mccaffrey, T., Rennie, K., Wallace, J., & Livingston, B. (2006). Dietary
determinants of childhood obesity: the role of the family. Current Medical
Literature - Clinical Nutrition, 15, 51-60.