Rise in Childhood Obesity? Mitch Scheide and Marcus Kyriacou Whats the Problem? Health Officials and the CDC are alarmed at the rapid growth in childhood obesity. Since 1980 the proportion of overweight children from age 6- 11 has more than doubled. The rate of adolescents has more than tripled. Today, 10% of 2-5 year olds are overweight. 15% of 6-9 year olds are overweight. 4 in 10 African and Mexican Americans are considered to be or to be at risk of being overweight.
What is O-be-sity? Coincidence? During the same period of this childhood obesity, there has been a huge increase in media targeting children including; TV shows and videos Specialized cable networks Video games Computer activities and internet web sites
Heres the Catch Today, children spend and average of 5 hours a day using these media types. (Full Time Job) They spend more time doing these things than anything else but sleeping. Even children 6 and younger spend as much time experiencing media as playing outside. Hmm? Is Television Viewing responsible for the for the rise in childhood obesity? According to The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation YES The time children spend using media displaces time they could be spend in physical activity. The food advertisements children are exposed to on TV influence them to make unhealthy food choices. The cross-promotions between food products and popular TV and movie characters are encouraging children to buy and eat more high calorie foods. YES Children snack excessively while using media, and they eat less healthy meals when eating in front of a TV. Watching TV and videos lowers childrens metabolic rates below what they would be even when they are sleeping. Depictions of nutrition and body weight in entertainment media encourage children to develop less healthy diets. Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvMsGwhJSWU Thoughts? What do you think? Do you feel that these are legitimate accusations or do you feel they may be exaggerated? What about you? Did you fall into any of these categories?
Hmm? Is Television Viewing responsible for the for the rise in childhood obesity? According to the Center for Science the Public Interest.. NO A study observing 251 schools (high and middle) in 24 states of the contents within their vending machines.
75% of beverage options and 85% of snacks were of poor nutritional quality.
NO Cause for concern? 74% of middle/junior high schools and 98% of senior high schools have vending machines, school store or snack bars. Children are in schools a substantial portion of the week. Obesity rates are rising in children AND teens. NO Schools Should Practice What They Preach Schools should offer more healthy items in their cafeteria and vending machines. The Sale of Low-Nutrition Foods in Schools Undermines Parents ability to Feed their Children Well. Parents entrust their children with the school. Most parents are not aware of the poor foods being served to them on a regular basis.
No Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8zG67EdNEk Thoughts? Do you feel that your school lunches had more unhealthy choices than healthy? Do you think that less children will take part in eating school lunches if the selection become more healthy? Think Pair Share 1.Should the schools or the parents take more of the blame for unhealthy eating habits? 2. Do you thinks advertisers should be held accountable for contributing to the obesity epidemic? 3. If you could only eliminate one part of the problem which would be a priority? Unhealthy Eating Habits or Lack of Physical Activity 4. Is television viewing responsible for the rise in childhood obesity?
Beales III, J., & Kulick, R. (2013). Does Advertising on Television Cause Childhood Obesity? A Longitudinal Analysis. Journal Of Public Policy & Marketing, 32(2), 185-194.
DelCampo. (2013). Is Television Viewing Responsible for the Rise in Childhood Obesity? Current Issues In Health (pp. 195- 218). USA: McGraw Hill-Education.