Childhood Obesity Epidemic- African American Community Link D Juanna Satcher MD MPH Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Baylor College of Medicine Gulf Coast Apollo Chapter
Objectives Summarize obesity rates in children Discuss risks associated with childhood obesity Describe factors contributing to obesity Explain reasons for higher obesity rates in African-American children
To be better equipped to develop programs to combat the pediatric obesity epidemic in our communities
Obesity Epidemic 33% of US are overweight or obese 17 % of US are obese Minority children are at higher risk for obesity African-American teen girls are most affected- with 30% being obese
RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN PEDIATRIC OBESITY Non-Hispanic white 12.3% African American 21.5% Hispanic 21.8%
United States Obesity Prevalence
United States Obesity Prevalence
Obesity rates have tripled over past 30 years
Obesity rates have tripled over past 30 years
Percent of obese children and adolescents 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 1963-70 1971-74 1976-80 1988-94 1999-02 6-11 years 12-19 years
Medical Complications Type 2 diabetes Hypertension Sleep Apnea/sleep problems Fatty liver disease Bone and Joint problems Heart disease/stroke Cancers
Medical Complications Early puberty Increased linear growth
Other Complications Poor self esteem Poorer academic performance Depression More missed days of school
Obese teen females as young adults have: Less education Lower incomes Higher poverty rates Lower acceptance rates for college Decrease rates of marriage
US Economic Costs In 2002, over 100 Billion Dollars was spent on obesity related issues/diseases
Does the African American community recognize there is a problem? NO
Distorted perceptions Chubby and overweight kids are considered to be healthy Study of mom of African-American toddlers (280 lower income) 82% moms of overweight kids thought they were fine/healthy 21% moms of normal sized kids thought they were too thin and needed to gain weight
The future Overweight kids are more likely to become obese adults 80 % of obese teens will remain so as adults If obesity trends continue- can expect 2-5 year decrease in life expectancy
PERCENT OF OBESE CHILDREN BECOMING OBESE ADULTS
Factors Affecting Obesity Diet Physical Activity Genetics
Dietary Issues Sugar sweetened beverages (account for 11% calorie intake for children) Most parents don t understand difference between fruit drinks and fruit juices Fast foods 1/3 US children eat fast food daily
Dietary Issues Limited access to fresh fruits/vegetable in some communities Food marketing of unhealthy foods aimed at children School lunches often unhealthy
Physical Activity
Sedentary lifestyle Physical Activity Teens spend on average 12 hrs watching TV, video games or computers Unsafe neighborhoods Decreased availability of PE classes in school Lack of access to recreational facilities
TVs Higher rates of obesity in children with TVs in their bedrooms 40% of 1-5 yrs old have TVs in their bedrooms
Genetics Obesity in at least one parent increases risk of obesity persisting into adulthood Risk for obesity is 60-80% if both parents are obese
To be effective programs need support of: Child Parent Community
International Journal of Obesity 33, S74-S81 (April 2009) doi:10.1038/ijo.2009.22
Dietary Recommendations 5 servings fruit/vegetables per day Limit intake of sweet drinks only 100 % fruit juices Switch to low fat milk Increase water intake Eat breakfast daily
Dietary Recommendations Limit fast food visit (thoughtful choices) Avoid fried foods Regularly eat meals together as family (not in front of TV) Monitor portions Healthy snack options Food not to be used as a reward
Physical Activity Recommendations 60 minutes of physical activity daily Walk/bike to school Organized sports Family/group activities Limit TV/computer time (<2 hrs/day)
Questions?
Other Factors Influencing Obesity GENETICS FAMILY OBESITY COMMUNITY
Helpful Resources http://www.aap.org/obesity/ http://txpeds.org/texas-pediatric-societyobesity-toolkit http://www.nichq.org/nichq/programs/ ConferencesAndTraining/ ChildhoodObesityActionNetwork.htm