Childhood Obesity

Obesity is one of the biggest health threats many children face in the modern world. Its incidence has risen so dramatically in recent years that it has been called an epidemic. Obesity dramatically increases the risks of disease (in particular type 2 diabetes) and even death in both children and adults. It has been estimated that it is perhaps the biggest threat to public health and organized health care in many countries of the world.

Several studies have found a relationship between watching a lot of television at an early age and higher scores on the weight to height ratio (known as the body mass index) in adulthood. Much of this research is based on large cohorts of young people that have been followed over time. A curvilinear relationship between video game use and obesity has also been demonstrated. Several explanations between media use and obesity have been explored, although more research is needed to decide whether reducing media exposure makes any difference in fighting this major threat to children's health.

Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States because of its association with detrimental social and physical outcomes and its rising prevalence in recent years. Although several proposed methods for determining childhood obesity exist, the most widely used is to define childhood obesity as equal to or above the 95th percentile on the body mass index (BMI). Epidemiological studies employing the BMI method suggest that approximately 11% to 15% of children in the United States are obese. Estimates suggest that the prevalence of childhood obesity has risen by 4% over the previous decade (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). Although obesity rates have increased for both sexes and all racial-ethnic groups studied, it appears that rates of obesity may be higher among minority groups, including African Americans and Mexican Americans, when compared to whites.

Childhood obesity has multiple possible causes, which can be best understood by considering the combined effect of societal, genetic, and behavioral factors. Two important trends in society may increase the risk for childhood obesity. The first issue deals with consumption. The Food Guide Pyramid, created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and supported by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), outlines the recommended intakes for five food groups, with foods listed from bottom to top in order of portion size. According to the pyramid, carbohydrates from grains should be eaten in the greatest quantity, followed by fruits and vegetables, protein and dairy, and fats. Only 1% of children are meeting the nutritional intake recommendations from the Food Guide Pyramid, suggesting deficits in proper nutrition. This may be related to the availability and ingestion of convenient, inexpensive, flavorful, and high-fat foods.

Explanations And Hypotheses

There are four possible explanations of the relationship between media exposure and obesity.

Displacement

The displacement hypothesis suggests that the pathway from television to obesity is indirect. Television viewing displaces more-active leisure activities, thus leading to a decrease in calorie-burning behaviors. Energy expenditure is reduced because behaviors requiring more energy are displaced by ...