Childhood Obesity
Written by Samantha Westgard, Texas Woman’s University Practicum Student at the University
of North Texas Center for Parent Education
Childhood obesity has become a prevalent issue across the United States in recent years,
yet most people sigh in pity and turn their heads rather than take action. The state of Georgia has
decided that enough is enough; they refuse to sit by and watch the children in their state suffer.
They launched a statewide campaign to promote a decrease in childhood obesity called
“Strong4Life” (Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Inc., 2011). Much like Georgia, the rates of
obesity in Texas are quickly on the rise. As of 2010, the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) reported that 12 states show that more than 30% of their population is
classified as obese; Texas is one of the 12 (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
The rate among the population of children in Texas is equally disheartening. Over 32.2% of
Texas children were classified as overweight or obese in 2007 (National Conference of State
Legislature, 2012). Not only does obesity effect a child’s health leading to possible diabetes,
hypertension, and organ failure; but a child’s emotional health is also affected as a result of the
bullying and low self-esteem that generally accompany being overweight. Like Georgia, we too
must take action to stop this growing epidemic.
As professionals we have an obligation to advocate for children, that includes their
health. We may not be able to grocery shop and prepare meals for the children with whom we
work, but through education we can influence them to make healthy choices. It is vitally
important that we take immediate action in doing so to prevent the further decline of the health
of Texas children. It is no mystery that the children of today will become the adults of tomorrow,
and they deserve a fair chance at leading a healthy and successful life. We have the opportunity
to make a significant impact by committing to education both children and parents about making
choices to lead a healthy life.
As stated by the National Association of State Board of Education (NASBE), “Health and
success in school are interrelated. Schools cannot achieve their primary mission of education if
students and staff are not healthy and fit physically, mentally, and socially” (The State Education
Board, 2004). Based on this information, there is a necessity to have a call to action for the
epidemic of childhood obesity.
It has been proposed by the Children’s Hospital Association of Texas (CHAT) that Texas
implement a Coordinated School Health Program (CHSP) in order to create a substantial
influence on school children (Arons, 2011). The effectiveness of this particular model is based
on the 8 subcategories which include health education, physical education, nutrition services,
counseling, psychological and social services, healthy school environment, health promotion for
staff, and family and community involvement (Arons, 2011). Encouraging children to make
healthy food choices by providing information about why healthy choices are vital must be
accompanied by an increase in the importance stressed on physical education. School
environments can be altered to aide in this cause by decreasing or eliminating unhealthy choices
in lunch menus and vending machines. It is also important that staff and parents portray the
habits that they expect of their children such as daily physical activity and healthy food choices.
According to Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, children learn many of their behaviors
both pleasant and unpleasant through their observations of others behaviors, they then imitate
these behaviors in modeling (Berk, 2000). Therefore, if children see adults around them making
healthy lifestyle choices; the children can imitate these behaviors. The saying “Do as I say, not as
I do” is not a statement that can be applied to the way in which children learn. By implementing
a program that addresses all of the listed categories, schools can make an impact on the health of
their students that will benefit both the child and the school as a whole.
We have an obligation as professionals to advocate for the physical, mental, social, and
emotional well-being of all children. Through the environment which we provide, the formal
education we present, and the behaviors we model; we must encourage healthy development of
children. The most pressing of current issues affecting the healthy development of children in
Texas is the alarming rise in the rate of childhood obesity. Therefore, we must address the issue
of obesity in both prevention and treatment of to give children in Texas a fair chance at a healthy
and successful future.
References
Arons, A. (2011). Childhood Obesity in Texas: The Costs, The Policies, and the Framework for
the Future. Retrieved February 22, 2012, from
http://www.childhealthtx.org/pdfs/Childhood%20Obesity%20in%20Texas%20Report.pd
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Berk, L.E. (2000). Child Development. (5th ed.).Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, Inc.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2010). U.S. Obesity Trends. Retrieved
February 24, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Inc. (2011). Strong 4 Life. Retrieved February 22, 2012, from
strong4life.com
National Conference of State Legislature. (2012). Childhood Overweight and Obesity Trends.
Retrieved February 24, 2012, from http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/childhoodobesity-trends-state-rates.aspx
The State Education Standard. (2004). The Role of Schools in Preventing Childhood Obesity.
Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/pdf/roleofschools_obesity.pdf