Preventing Childhood Obesity:Educating Children about Nutrition

English 1Prof. Tim Cramer

Santa Monica CollegeMarch 27, 2012

Presented by Supaporn Thienapirak

About childhood obesity in US

• One out of six children is obese

• About 12.5 million of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese

• Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has tripled (“Smith and Robinson”)

Obese children are more likely to become obese adults (“Childhood Obesity Vicious Cycle”)

Two components of childhood obesity

1. Physical inactivity 2. Improper nutrition

Landscape of food: Supermarket/food

Then (30 years ago) Now

Landscape of food: home

Then (30 years ago) Now

Landscape of food: School

Then (30 years ago) Now

What we can do?

As First Lady Michelle Obama says “This isn’t the kind of problem that can be solved overnight, but with

everyone working together, it can be solved. So, let’s move.” (“First Lady”)

To make a big change and success in solving childhood obesity problem, we need to

educate children about nutrition.

BIG CORPORATIONS: Supermarket &Fast Food

• Major Supermarkets need to put “food ambassador” in the stores to educate and help customer to choose healthier choices

• Big fast food chains need to put food education as a core of their business

FAMILY

• Leading by example• Encourage healthy

eating habits• Be smart about snacks

and sweets• Portion control

SCHOOL

• Teach students about nutrition in class

• Add cooking class in the program

• Have a garden set-up for education (“Jamie”)

Q & A

Works cited

Birch, L. L., and A. K. Ventura. "Preventing Childhood Obesity: What Works?." International Journal Of Obesity 33.(2009): S74-S81. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com.libdb.smc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=366276ab-1eea- 444c- 9e50-5179c1c25167%40sessionmgr115&vid=14&hid=110Childhood Obesity Vicious Cycle. N.d. Photograph. BookBing.org <http://bookbing.org/wp- content/uploads/childhood-obesity-vicious-cycle.jpg>"First Lady Michelle Obama Launches Let's Move: America's Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids ." The White House. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/first-lady-michelle-obama-launches-lets-move- americas-move-raise-a-healthier-genera>."Jamie Oliver's TED Prize Wish: Teach Every Child about Food | Video on TED.com." TED: Ideas worth Spreading. Feb. 2010. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jamie_oliver.html>."KIDS HEART FELT HEALTH." KIDS HEART FELT HEALTH. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <http://www.kidsheartfelthealth.com/>."Learn The Facts." Let's Move! Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.letsmove.gov/learn- facts/epidemic-childhood-obesity>.

Works cited"McDonald's: Apple Slices in Every Happy Meal." USA Today. Gannett, 26 July 2011. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. <http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2011-07-26-McDonalds- apples-happy-meal_n.htm>."Overweight and Obesity/Data and Statistics." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. dcd.gov, 12 Sep 2011. Web.26 Mar2012.<http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/data.html>Rahman, Tamanna, Rachel A. Cushing, and Richard J. Jackson. "Contributions Of Built Environment To Childhood Obesity." Mount Sinai Journal Of Medicine 78.1 (2011): 49-57. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com.libdb.smc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=2d881611-6167- 41a5-8280-58b0c74df76f%40sessionmgr114&vid=4&hid=125>Smith, Melinda, and Robinson, Lawrence . "Childhood Obesity and Overweight Kids." Childhood Obesity and Overweight Kids: Helping Your Child Reach a Healthy Weight. 23 Apr. 2010. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. <http://www.helpguide.org/mental/childhood_obesity.htm>.