Hello everyone!
I've done a little research on my own regarding childhood obesity and how it affects the state I live in. I've written an essay that describes few problems Nevada is facing when it comes to fighting obesity epidemic. Take a look and see if you can relate these issues to your own state.
Thank you
Yuliyasha
*************************************************
Nevada in Need for Support
In recent years childhood obesity has become a hot topic for debate. Studies have shown that “in the past 30 years, the occurrence of overweight in children has doubled and it is now estimated that one in five children in the US is obese” (NAASO). Rapid increases in childhood obesity have raised public awareness and efforts of health organizations to make changes in the school systems and family education. While national and local governments have created programs to fight childhood obesity, parents, their children, and school systems in Nevada are still in need of more help.
Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a federal program, has a well developed plan of action. American Heart Association and William J. Clinton Foundation have created this partnership to “work nationally to create awareness and real solutions for the childhood obesity epidemic” (Alliance). Their mission is to “eliminate childhood obesity and to inspire all young people in the United States to develop lifelong, healthy habits” (Alliance). Alliance has various programs that together engage in different aspects of children’s lives creating healthier environment. These include: healthy schools programs, industry programs, kids movement, and healthcare programs. Alliance has also partnered up with Nickelodeon pro-social campaign and with governors of thirty four states. Their joint goal is to improve health policies at the state level to reduce rapid increase in childhood obesity.
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation fights childhood obesity at the local and national levels by creating healthier schools programs. The Alliance aims to: “Increase opportunities for students to exercise and play, put healthy foods and beverages in the vending machines and cafeterias, and increase resources for parents and families to become healthy role models” (Alliance).
In order to achieve these goals, the Alliance teaches schools to limit the amount of sweets and fast foods, introduce healthier and fresher foods, and add more varieties of small snacks and fruits. The Alliance tries to counteract the lack of general school funding, which has resulted in cut back of equipment and programs for physical education classes and recess. “Students have fewer opportunities to exercise and play because standardized testing and budget cuts have resulted in physical and health education being taken out of the busy school day” (Alliance). The Alliance advocates more opportunities for children to exercise. It works with school districts to plan more outdoor activities and sports. With help of the Alliance, many public schools around the United States have nutrition teachers and school nurses go from class to class and give lessons on proper diet and exercise. These educators encourage children to seek alternatives to fried and sugary foods, and to eat more vegetables and fruits.
Educating parents regarding how to identify and treat childhood obesity is another main goal of Alliance. Parents are the ones who monitor their kids throughout most of the day and buy the food they eat. “When we talk about obesity as it relates to children, our children have and always will continue to learn by example. If their parents are not physically active, if they not encourage their children to be active, regardless of what we teach them or attempt to tech them in school, these children will not be physically active” (Congress Hearing, 2004). Parents are role models for their kids. They need to accept responsibility for their own health and activities in order to improve the health of their children.
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is just one example of what federal organizations do to reduce childhood obesity nationwide. Truly federal organizations such as these are far from being perfect. They don’t support all states. Nevada is one state that does not receive this federal funding. In fact, Nevada does not receive any federal funding for childhood obesity programs. Dr. Dixie E. Snider, acting Chief of Science for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services clarified why Nevada is not part of the federal sponsorship fund for childhood obesity. She pointed out that “Nevada’s Legislative Committee of Health Care meets annually to review issues regarding childhood obesity. They design recommendations that are then sent as a letter of voice to support to federal entities.” Dr. Snider was asked in an interview what specific qualifications Nevada has to have to receive federal funding and how can this be done. She responded that the Nevada Healthcare Committee tries to receive approval and funding from the federal government, which is a long paperwork process. Dr. Snider added: “Last year the state’s Department of Human Resources and Healthcare Subcommittee sent letters to Nevada’s Congressional representatives at the national level to enact legislation, such as the Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act. They also sent a letter to the FDA with a request to simplify the nation’s food labeling system and to undertake a more comprehensive promotional effort to educate consumers about the use of the Nutrition Facts Panel and its application to their daily diet and the Food Pyramid.” It appears that the Nevada legislature is aware of inadequate public education about nutrition and physical health, and they seek help and support from Federal representatives in Congress. Although Nevada requested support, it has yet to receive federal assistance.
Since Nevada doesn’t receive federal assistance, it has set up its own programs to fight childhood obesity. Among them are: An Ounce of Prevention, Chef for Kids, Nevada Nutrition Network, New-trition-A Nutrition and Health Resource for Kids, and YMCA Fitness Standards and Childhood Obesity. Programs outside of school try to provide more indoor activities for hot summers and cold winters. More and more gyms and athletic clubs offer programs for children, where professional trainers work one on one with children to design individual workout plans. My Gym is a program that was established in California and also has a few gyms in Reno, Nevada. This program is designed for parents and their children to “participate in age-appropriate exercise programs and acquire skills, confidence, and positive self-image needed to become healthy young adults” (My Gym). My Gym is a full resource gym for children offering educational classes about nutrition and healthy eating habits. It also offers classes for children of all ages starting at six weeks old. Parents have the opportunity to participate providing children with comfort and encouragement that keeps them motivated. My Gym is program like no other. Besides educational classes and age-appropriate exercise programs, it also has My Gym birthday parties. Birthday parties feature: “games, gymnastics, Space Flight, puppets, rides, songs, and exciting birthday events led by trained staff” (My Gym). It is not only a fun experience for children, but also a way to engage them in physical exercise to stay healthy.
Private organizations designed educational programs for kids and their parents to learn how to eat healthy and balance nutrition. One of the private non-profit organizations of Northern Nevada is the Food Bank that provides health teaching classes in Washoe County elementary schools to help fight childhood obesity. These classes “introduce the children to safe practices of food safety, the importance of a well balanced breakfast, making healthy snacks and the value of daily physical activity. The students participate in fun and delicious cooking activities while learning lifelong healthy habits” (Food Bank). These programs are run by certified nutritionists who act as volunteers of the community to help children implement healthier lifestyles.
Although these Nevada based programs have good intentions, they struggle to implement their goals in an efficient manner. While numerous programs exist locally, their lack of communication with one another and redundant efforts make for less than optimal results. By combining their efforts, local organizations would reduce inefficiencies and help to accomplish common goal to fight childhood obesity in Nevada.
Lack of efficient programs locally and funding from national programs likely contributed to Nevada being one of the highest risk states in America for overweight and obese children. The Trust of America’s Health report states: “Nevada has 32nd highest rate of adult obesity in US” (Obesity Report in Nevada). The Nevada’s health situation will only get worse with the rapid growth of its population. “Federal obesity programs are too limited and silo-ed to have a significant impact toward reducing or controlling obesity” (Obesity Report in Nevada). Unfortunately, this trend is likely to continue without more funding and support, which is most likely due to the fact that Nevada is a very small state population wise, especially when it comes to the ethnicities at highest risk for obesity, which include Hispanics, African Americans and Native Americans. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “Hispanics or Latino origins constitute only 23.5% of population of Nevada, but 49% of population in California and Texas. California is home to 12.4 million Hispanics, and Texas is home to 7.8 million” (U.S. Census Bureau). Based on this data states such as California and Texas will most likely receive more federal assistance compared Nevada since they have a much higher at risk population. At this rate, Nevada might not get the help it needs for a very long time. By the time it does, obese children who needed help might be grown adults with more serious health complications resulting from obesity.
In addition to the previously mentioned problems facing Nevada, other factors play a role in Nevada’s low obesity ranking. Certain social groups in Nevada cannot afford exercise programs or healthier foods. Many children who suffer from obesity or who are overweight come from poor families of minority population. “Prevalence of overweight is especially higher among certain populations such as Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans where some studies indicate prevalence of 35-40%” (NAASO). Many cannot afford foods high in nutrition, and they rely on cheap fast foods.
Minorities in Nevada also have culturally different diet preferences, which may contribute to obesity. For example, Filipino food is high in oil, butter and milk-based dressings. They tend to eat fatty meat, such as pork. Their diet composed mainly of rice that is high in carbohydrates. Mexican food is very similar in that its components are also high on animal fats and salt. The highest percentage of obese population in the U.S. is African Americans. “28.8% of men and 50.8% of African American women are considered obese […] black women lead the population both in the numbers who are overweight and obese” (Andrews). The African American population prefers to eat what is referred to as “soul foods”. Since soul food tastes good, it is interpreted as healthy. “Soul foods traditionally depend on fat, sugar and sodium for their flavor. By modifying recipes and decreasing portion sizes, African Americans may reduce their weight and the chronic diseases that accompany it” (Andrews). Proper education of modified diet in high risk populations like African Americans and Hispanics is the number one priority for reducing the obesity epidemic in Nevada.
Most children still remain uneducated about nutrient contents and like to eat what tastes good. “In looking at plate waste and lunch choices, researchers found sixth graders threw away one third of the fruits and vegetables and one fifth of the entrees. A third of sixth graders bought soft drinks and snacks. They ate 1.5 times the fat and twice as much sugar as their counterparts but consumed less iron, calcium, fewer vitamins, and less fiber” (USDA). Children tend to select less healthy foods and throw away fruits and vegetables. Their meals are reduced in size to avoid extra calorie. In reality the meals remain nutritionally unbalanced and high in carbohydrates and fats. The local health committees fail to control and follow up with schools on their policies on food and beverage choices. Regardless of the efforts to limit unhealthy foods from school cafeterias, the food choices remain low in nutritional value. “Food contracts should be reevaluated to focus on maximum nutrition as priority in the bidding process” (Obesity Report in Nevada). This means before the food reaches schools’ cafeterias, it must pass inspection control from the state health department, which should also check portion sizes of meals based on the Food Pyramid (established by the USDA and US Department of Health and Human Services) and the 2,000 calorie daily recommended value (established by the FDA). So far the state government has not implemented standards on meal portions and caloric contributions, putting kids at risk for imbalanced nutrition and possible metabolic disorders.
Nevada’s nursing shortage affects school nurses and their abilities to provide adequate care and education to children. On the outskirts of rural Nevada there might be only one school nurse for all levels of education and more than one neighboring school. “An analysis of 2004 Census data by USA TODAY showed roughly 56,000 nurses worked full time at schools. That's one for every 950 students, a ratio that fails to meet federal guidelines that call for one nurse for every 750 students” (USA Today). That means not all school age children receive proper care and education. Due to the high student—nurse ratio, school nurses do not have time to educate kids properly on health issues, and must rely on the help of parents and teachers.
While numerous programs exist nationally to fight childhood obesity, not every state receives benefits from these programs. There are local programs dedicated to fighting childhood obesity in Nevada. However, there is a dire need for more funding, support, and education to fight this epidemic. Hopefully Nevada’s rapid population growth will justify more assistance from the state and national levels. Nevada might not be the highest risk state in the United States, but it’s coming close to that point. Increasing the education of families and children, and support of school programs and organizations might slow down the state’s obesity problem. But without more help, there is no chance Nevada will be able to reverse, let alone stop, this troubling trend.
************************************************** ***
Works Cited
Alliance for a Healthier Generation. 15 Nov.2006. American Heart Association, Clinton
Foundation. 1 Feb. 2007. <http://www.healthiergeneration.org/engine/renderpage.asp?pid=s011>.
“Childhood Overweight.” NAASO: The Obesity Society. 2007. March 25, 2007.
<http://www.naaso.org/information/chidhood_overweight.asp>.
Cicciarello Andrews, Lisa, Med, RD, LD. “African Americans and Diet.” 10 April 2007.
College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati. 19 April 2005.
<http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/aahealth/healthybody.cfm>.
“Eating for Health: a Diet Action Plan for Scotland.” The Scottish Office. 1996. 12 March,
2007.
<http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents/diet-06b.htm>.
“Hispanic Americans by the Numbers.” U.S. Census Bureau. 2006. 22 April, 2007.
<http://www.infoplease.com/spot/hhmcensus1.html>.
Horovitz, Bruce, McCoy, Kevin. “Nurse Shortage Puts Kids at Risk.” USA Today. 2005.
22 April, 2007.
<http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-12-13-school-nurses_x.htm>.
“My Gym attacks Childhood Obesity with a Challenge to Kids Throughout the Country.” My
Gym Children Fitness Center. 30 April 2007. 30 April 2007.
http://www.my-gym.com/images/pict_independent.jpg.
“Nutrition education lessons combat obesity.” Food Bank of Northern Nevada. 1 January, 2007.
29 April, 2007.
< http://www.fbnn.org/resources.shtml>.
“Public-private partnerships to improve nutrition and increase physical activity in children.”
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Washington : U.S. G.P.O., 2005.
“Report Finds Has Highest Rate of Adult Obesity in U.S.; National Policy Paralysis Threatens to
Make Problem Worse.” Trust for America’s Health. August 2005. 25 March, 2007.
<http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2005/print.php?State>.
Snider, Dixie. “Childhood Obesity.” E-mail interview. 25 March, 2007.
“The Thin Line between Obesity and Nutrition.” USDA Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service. 4 August, 2006. 25 March, 2007.
<http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/impacts/04index/obesity.html>.
“VUSN Program Takes on Obesity in Schools.” The Reporter. February 2005. Vanderbilt
Medical Center. 22 April, 2007. <http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=3791>.
Childhood Obesity in Nevada 
Thanks so much for sharing!
Linear Mode
