Fighting Childhood Obesity Kristen Miller Laikin Burroughs Chelsea Barrett Lexie Maule

 The most important aspect of childhood obesity that we as ECH teachers should be aware of is prevention. Preventing obesity in young children can affect the way our children preform in and outside the classroom. Another way this relates to early childhood is with school lunches. Much research has shown the correlation between school lunches and childhood obesity. Written Statement: Childhood Obesity

 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-  Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.  In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.  The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in Research 1

 National Conference of State Legislatures- obesity-trends-state-rates.aspx obesity-trends-state-rates.aspx Research 2

 Food Research and Action Center- in-the-us/: in-the-us/  Based on recent national figures, 29.2 percent of White girls are overweight or obese compared to 36.1 percent of Black and 37.0 percent of Hispanic girls (Ogden et al., 2014).  About 40 percent of Hispanic boys are overweight or obese, compared to 34.4 percent and 27.8 percent of Black and White boys, respectively (Ogden et al., 2014 Research 3

 American Heart Association- erweight-in-Children_UCM_304054_Article.jsp: erweight-in-Children_UCM_304054_Article.jsp  How is body fat measured?  Body mass index (BMI) assesses weight relative to height. It provides a useful screening tool to indirectly measure the amount of body fat for both children and adults.  The CDC has an online BMI calculator for children which factors in children’s age, gender, height, and weight.BMI calculator for children which factors in children’s age, gender, height, and weight. Research 4

 The Washington Post- /2015/02/24/chart-how-childhood-obesity-has-swept- the-world-in-less-than-a-generation/: /2015/02/24/chart-how-childhood-obesity-has-swept- the-world-in-less-than-a-generation/  Chart on Obesity in multiple countries: Research 5

 In educating young children we must take into consideration both the physical and psychological health of the children in our classroom. Physical inactivity is a major public health issue in the United States, today. More than half of American children are overweight and are not participating in physical activity on a daily basis. Childhood obesity has been proven to increase the risk of several adult health concerns such as; early onset type II diabetes, depression and other psychological outcomes. Also, it has been reported that studies have found that 40% of obese children and 70% of obese adolescents will become obese adults. Due to children being less physically active than ever before, as early childhood educators we must recognize how important it is to include regular physical activity in the curriculum. We as educators can help make a change.  PoGYmiG8pkq8LlxLTj PoGYmiG8pkq8LlxLTj Getting the Message Across

 his-story-to-inspire-obese-kids-to-get- /nSDf5/#__federated=1 his-story-to-inspire-obese-kids-to-get- /nSDf5/#__federated=1   obesity/alejandra.htm obesity/alejandra.htm Example Stories

Letter

 Child Wellness Intervention Project (CWIP)  The Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Commission, in collaboration with the Arkansas Department of Education Office of Coordinated School Health, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and ACHI, offers grants to address childhood obesity in the state.  CWIP uses proven methods to increase time spent in physical activity by providing quality physical education programs. The Arkansas CWIP grants provide eligible schools with the SPARK physical education curriculum and equipment, Fitnessgram software, HealthTeacher.com curriculum, and all teacher trainings.  Schools receiving this grant must commit to making policy changes that will allow an increase in the number of required physical education/activity minutes per week from 60 minutes to 120 minutes for all children. Resources

 Growing Healthy Communities (GHC)  GHC is a project developed by the Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention (ArCOP) in 2009 to build capacity within local communities to reduce obesity by increasing physical activity, increasing access to healthy foods, and implementing environmental and policy changes that support healthy living.  The Growing Healthy Communities project is a collaborative effort funded by the Blue and You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas, the Arkansas Department of Health’s CDC Cooperative Agreement, UAMS Partners for Inclusive Communities, and the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute.  Through a grant process, communities are selected to participate in an immersion training event, with required attendance by the mayor and other decision leaders. During the training, participants network with and learn from national, state, and local leaders about policy and environmental changes that will promote healthy lifestyles. Each community delegation is then assisted in creating a plan to address specific areas of need in their community and provided with funding to help them implement their plans. Resources

 Smart Nutrition Active People-Education (SNAP-Ed)  The Smart Nutrition Active People-Education (SNAP-Ed) Program is a partnership between the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service (UACES), the Arkansas Department of Health, the Arkansas Department of Human Services, and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.  The goal of SNAP-Ed is to provide educational programs that help Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants and those eligible for SNAP make healthier food choices and adopt active lifestyles that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and USDA Food Guidance System. Resources

 The program is designed to teach skills that help participants to:  Buy and prepare healthful meals and snacks based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and USDA Food Guidance System  Become more physically active  Improve safe handling, preparation, and storage of food  Develop spending and savings plans to make food dollars last throughout the month Resources cont.

 When talking to many parents about childhood obesity the majority of them want to argue that they simply do not have the time for their children to eat healthy or get the exercise they need.  You may also hear parents say that it cost more money for their child to eat healthy and they cannot afford to go to a gym to exercise or buy equipment for their home.  As teachers we should provide parents with information on things they can do to improve their child’s eating habits and help them get the exercise they need. I have provided a few different resources that parents doesn’t know are available and that can be beneficial to them. Arguments Against Childhood Obesity