Group Name 1
Names of Group Members
Molly Tenenbaum
English 102
March 24, 2014
Childhood Obesity: What Are the Causes and What Can be Done About It?
Introduction
Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in America that is in need of a solution. Our
first step in researching this issue is learning the causes of obesity and what effect is has on
future generations. Children are less informed about nutritional and lifestyle choices that lead to
obesity as well as less able to comprehend the severe consequences of being obese as a child.
Additionally, children lack the resources to make healthy decisions on their own. Parents make
the majority of the choices regarding physical activity level and eating habits. This makes
children especially vulnerable to obesity, which is why we chose to focus on the cause and
effects, in hopes of finding a solution.
We find that there isn’t one specific cause: rather a myriad of causes ranging from food
marketing to genetic influences. There are also numerous effects, both psychical and
psychological. Lastly the solutions include both preventative measures as well as treatment
solutions. The scope of research includes four scholarly articles and two popular sources. One of
our sources is a documentary series that exposes the uncomfortable truth of obesity and allows
the reader to easily connect with the hardships obesity is causing in America’s children. This
Group Name 2
source juxtaposes our other four scholarly sources that provided hard evidence and facts, along
with the popular article that provides several supporting sources to back up its claims on
obesity’s physical effects. Every article remains unbiased while also providing expert analysis of
childhood obesity in America. Each annotation builds upon the three questions: What is causing
obesity? What are the effects? What can be done to combat it?
Annotated Bibliography
Chou, Shin-Yi, Inas Rashad, and Michael Grossman. "Fast-Food Restaurant Advertising on Television
and Its Influence on Childhood Obesity”. Journal of Law and Economics. Vol. 51. Chicago: U of
Chicago P, 2008. 599-618. JSTOR. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.
The cause of weight gain, according to the article Fast-Food Restaurant Advertising on
Television and Its Influence on Childhood Obesity, is the balance between energy intake and
energy expenditure. If calories are being taken in and those calories are not being burned off the
result is weight gain and potential obesity.
This study shows that children who are exposed to large amounts of advertising through
television commercials, internet and other media outlets are particularly susceptible to obesity
because the message is that the food is good for you. The availability of high fat and calorie
heavy fast food that is advertised and available in schools promotes unhealthy food choices and
the number of fast-food advertisements on television increases because more television viewers
are consuming their products. This study also cites that larger meal portions in restaurants and
the increase in sedentary activities like watching television and playing video games, promotes
laziness, prevents ample energy expenditure and directly causes childhood obesity.
Group Name 3
This is a current and reliable source because The University of Chicago Press for The
Booth School of Business of the University of Chicago and The University of Chicago Law
School published it in 2008. The reviewers of this article are from the credible universities of:
Lehigh, Georgia State, and the City University of New York.
Anderson, M., Patricia, et al. "Childhood Obesity: Trends and Potential Causes." The Future of Children
Vol. 16 (2006): 19-46. JSTOR. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
Childhood Obesity: Trends and Potential Causes define obesity as a body mass index
higher than 30 and links the growing national and international trends. We learn that there are
numerous potential causes of childhood obesity such as food, family influence, and genetics.
Family influence is a major contributor to childhood obesity. Since children rely on their parents
for nutrition, it is up to the parents to offer food that is healthy and sustainable. Parents determine
what their children eat and if the parents offer food that is unhealthy then the children end up
learning to make unhealthy choices for themselves.
This study also states that there is a genetic aspect to childhood obesity. Parents can pass
a particular gene to their children that make it difficult to lose weight if the child takes in too
many calories. Even though genetics are a contributor to childhood obesity, research makes it
clear that it is not the cause of the obesity issue as a whole. The author Patricia M. Anderson is a
Professor of Economics at Dartmouth College while the other author Kristin F. Butcher has a
PhD in Economics from Princeton University. The source was published in 2006 and does not
appear to have any bias and back up all their claims with statistics and facts. Their sources
Group Name 4
include the World Health Organization, National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, and
personal research.
Gundersen, C., Mahatmya, D., Garasky, S. and Lohman, B. (2011), "Linking psychosocial stressors and
childhood obesity." Obesity Reviews, Wiley Online Library. November 2010, 19 Apr. 2011.
Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
This article is focused on the relationship between environmental factors, stressors and
childhood obesity. It states that, “We adopt the definition of psychosocial stressors and external
events or conditions that threaten an individual’s well-being with a focus on the well-being of
children and adolescents.” We learn that the parents’ body mass and weight status, known as
BMI, contribute to the cause of childhood obesity and it also studies the connection between the
individuals living in households with psychosocial stressors and the risk of obesity. Some
children have specific characteristics that cause them to be more vulnerable to psychosocial
stressors and health problems related to obesity. Situations such as parents divorcing, bad
parenting, poor mental health, domestic violence, and relationship strain among family members
can lead to household stressors. Research states that children who are exposed to constant
conflict and disruptions have an increased risk of becoming overweight and obese. This source
is reliable since it was published on April 19th of 2011 and it includes 27 supporting sources.
The article has enough supportive research to be unbiased.
Adolescent and School Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d. Web.18 March 2014.
In summary, Adolescent and School Health, states that the physical effects of childhood
obesity are “both immediate and long term” Immediate effects include, increase in the possibility
Group Name 5
of developing cardiovascular diseases and pre-diabetes, which heightens the risk of developing
diabetes in “obese adolescents”. “Bone and joint” problems are also more likely to occur in
obese children and adolescence. Long-term effects include being more susceptible to obesity as
an adult, leading to an amplified risk of developing “heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke,
several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.” The likelihood of developing “cancer of the breast,
colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and
prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma” also increases in obese and
overweight patients. This source provides prevention information as well. This source is reliable
because it is current: updated February 27, 2014. It also provides 15 supporting sources, while
remaining un-biased. This source shows how harmful the effects of childhood obesity are, and
provides evidence of why prevention and treatment are needed. While focusing mostly on
physical effects it also touches on the detrimental psychological effects as well.
Sherafat-Kazemzadeh, R, S Z Yanovski, and J A Yanovski. "Pharmacotherapy For Childhood Obesity:
Present and Future Prospects." International Journal of Obesity 37.1 (2013): 1-15. Academic
Search Premier.Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
Pharmacotherapy for Childhood Obesity: Present and Future Prospects is a reliable
source that has cited 299 references and is written by three doctors associated with the National
Institutes of Health. It is a current 2013 published review from the International Journal of
Obesity and focuses on drug treatment that targets obesity phenotypes to restrict
overconsumption of food. Drug therapy, or pharmacotherapy, is given to children and
adolescents with BMI greater than or equal to 95th percentile and after six months of lifestyle
modification has been done with no reduction in weight. This study also makes it clear that even
Group Name 6
though pharmacotherapy can be prescribed on its own, it is highly encouraged that the patient
should continue behavioral therapy for lifestyle change.
Pharmacotherapeutic options include appetite suppressants with adrenergic and
serotonergic effects: agents with dopaminergic effects; monoamine receptors; along with drugs
in development; and off-label drugs. This review states that pharmacotherapy often fails because
the benefits usually do not outweigh the adverse effects of the drugs.
It is clear from this review that pharmacotherapy studies have not lasted long enough to
determine the potential long-term risks that may be involved with these drugs. Therefore, obesity
prevention and long term lifestyle change are the preferred treatment for obesity with
pharmacotherapy being administered as a final option.
Institute of Medicine, et al. "The Weight of the Nation for Kids." TheWeightoftheNation.hbo.com. HBO
Documentary Films, 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Weight of the Nation is a collection of films produced by HBO Documentary and created
in collaboration with the Institute of National Health, Center for Disease Control and The
Institute of Medicine. It is a reliable source that was produced in 2012 and cites many scholarly
journals, government health agencies and non-profit organizations. This source states that the
consequences of unhealthy food choices, the lack of exercise and unhealthy social influences are
contributors to the epidemic of obesity in children and that preventative measures at the family
and community level are the most effective treatment.
Group Name 7
Weight of the Nation suggests these ways for people to prevent obesity: 1) Start with
small steps such as cutting out one unhealthy food; 2) Make realistic goals for change; 3) Seek
support from family and professionals; 4) Keep portions small; 5) Track calories; 6) Make
physical activity a consistent part of life.
"The Weight of the Nation for Kids" shows us that along with family support, the most
influential place to make changes to diet is in public schools because so many children rely on
the school system for their daily nutrition. Making healthy food choices and exercise
opportunities available will prevent obesity through education and community support.
Conclusion
As a result of our research we found that there are many different factors that contribute
to the cause of childhood obesity and that childhood obesity has lasting detrimental effects into
adulthood. Childhood obesity can be caused by a genetic predisposition however our research
shows that the strongest causes are the influence of family and unhealthy food marketing to
children. The choices that are made about food in the home form food choices at a young age
and with predatory marketing of high saturated fat and calorie-rich fast food through television
and internet, it becomes very difficult for children to understand what healthy food is.
Our research also shows that there are immediate and long-term physical effects
associated with childhood obesity. The immediate effects are bone and joint problems, which can
limit physical activity, cardiovascular disease and pre-diabetes. The long-term effects are adult
obesity, stroke, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Research also shows that these are risk factors even
Group Name 8
if the weight is lost in adulthood. There are also harmful psychological effects like depression
and anxiety about self image that negatively impact quality of life.
We found drug therapies that target phenotypes associated with obesity however, these
treatments cannot be administered to children who are under 12 years of age. Our research shows
that the most effective treatment for childhood obesity is early education and prevention.
Educating families about healthy food choices, the effects of fast food marketing and consistent
exercise, can battle the obesity epidemic.
Another effective source for prevention is in our schools. Since school age children
depend on the school meals for daily nutrition, we need programs and public policy to ensure
healthy food options are always available to them.
After learning about childhood obesity and its detrimental effects on society, we will
become more aware of our own food choices and make an effort to inspire others to do the same
by choosing more fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly and sharing what we’ve learned.