According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity rates in children have doubled since 1986. Childhood obesity occurs when the amount of calories being consumed outweigh the amount of calories being burned. With obesity contributing to possible health problems later in life, including diabetes, heart disease and even some forms of cancer, family and school systems must work together to lower the rates of obesity in children throughout the United States.
Identification
Weight control programs are any school activities or provisions that encourage or teach children to make good decisions when it comes to their health. These health decisions help control childhood obesity, and can also help prevent eventual adulthood obesity. A weight control program can be generalized to an entire school, such as a school lunch program, or individualized to a specific interest, such as an after school sport. Weight control programs can also give choice, such as providing a salad bar option during lunch time, or can be required, such as a class on health and nutrition.
Types
Weight control programs fall into three different types; nutrition, physical activity and education. Nutrition programs focus on both providing healthy school meals as well as encouraging kids to make healthy decisions when it comes to food. Physical activity programs encourage children to get regular exercise and continue that process on through adulthood. According to the Mayo Clinic, not only is physical activity important to burn calories, but it also helps children strengthen bones and muscles as they continue to develop. Education programs help teach kids through classroom learning the importance of exercise and a well-balanced diet.
Problems
Although research is available to schools about the importance of weight control programs, many have fallen behind in making the necessary changes. According to the Nemours Foundation, many schools still have menus that exceed the recommended levels of fat. Many schools also contain vending machines full of sugar-laden sodas and high calorie snack foods. In some schools important physical activities such as recess, P.E. classes and after school sports are being removed due to budget cuts or other administrative reasons. The Mayo Clinic notes that exercise not only helps kids control their weight, but also helps kids stay focused during the rest of the school day.
Benefits
For many kids, school meal programs, physical activity courses and after school sports programs are their first opportunity to make their own choices about their health. Giving kids the right options and tools they need now to make the right decisions can help them learn to make lifelong healthier choices in the future.
Effects
By introducing programs that help control weight problems in children, school systems can help create a healthier society. For example, according to the CDC, 80 percent of children who are obese grow up to be obese adults. By introducing programs that reduce obesity rates in children, schools can help reduce the obesity prevalence in adults as well. The effects of this change can roll over into less obesity related diseases (such as diabetes and heart disease) which leads to a reduction in healthcare costs.
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