A report released by the US National Academy of Sciences has outlined recommendations for combating the rapid rise in childhood obesity.
Tasked by the US Congress with drawing up a prevention-focused action plan to lower the numbers of obese children in the United States, the IOM appointed a committee of 19 experts in child health, obesity, nutrition, physical activity, and public health.
The report, Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in Balance describes the action plan and says that a multi-pronged attack is needed which will include efforts from;
-Schools
-Families
-Communities
-Industry and media
-Government
The report highlights that the food and beverage industries spend $10 billion to $12 billion annually marketing directly to children and youths with the average child watching 40,000 TV commercials annually. It goes on to say that more than half of those advertisements are directed at kids and advertise high-calorie foods and beverages.
Research shows that the cumulative impact of long-term exposure [to these adverts] may adversely affect the eating habits and activity levels of children, but the report states that, at present, there is insufficient causal evidence linking TV advertising with childhood obesity to support a ban on the advertising of junk food to children. The report also stops short of recommending a ‘junk food tax’ being implemented.
The authors present an action plan that consists of explicit recommendations for confronting the epidemic of obesity.
–The United States government should develop nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold in schools whilst developing guidelines regarding advertising and marketing to children.
–Industry and Media should work to develop healthier food and beverage product and packaging innovations, expand consumer nutrition information and provide clear and consistent media messages.
–Health care professionals should monitor the Body Mass Index (BMI) of children and discuss thier patients weight with parents and children in a sensitive and age-appropriate manner.
–Schools should improve the nutrional quality of foods and beverages served and sold in schools. In addition they should provide opportunity for at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day.
-Finally, parents should encourage a healthier diet and more active lifestyle.
The study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the National Institutes of Health’s Division of Nutrition Research Coordination; and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
“Progress in preventing Childhood Obesity: How Do We Measure Up?”
This study builds on the Institute of Medicine’s 2005 report, Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance, which recommended ways that families, schools, industry, the media, communities, and government could work together to address rising rates of obesity in children and youth.
This latest offering from the Institute of Medicine coincides with another publication by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) entitled “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2006″.
Despite the focus on the US situation found in these reports, European organisations may be surprised to find quite a number of parallels on the obesity issue with this side of the Atlantic.
– Full copy of the report ‘Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in Balance’
– Related EPHA articles on obesity
