National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Concerning Issues: Childhood Obesity

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found unsettling trends among our young people ages two to 19. In particular, the CDC found a prevalence of obesity that continues to trend higher, with disturbing consequences in terms of long-term health challenges. (See infographic.)

And in a report by the National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR), they state that “…authors of the accompanying commentary caution that severe obesity among very young children is ‘nearly irreversible’ and increases their risk of cardiometabolic disease and early death.”   

Their associated articles point to the need for strong prevention work, identification early on of very young kids at risk for severe obesity, and “…access to evidence-based family healthy weight programs to support children and their families.”

Indeed, their research and associated commentaries maintain that a holistic and multi-faceted approach is needed to reduce severe childhood obesity, taking into account “…multiple interrelated factors, such as food insecurity, sleep duration, diet, and screen time, and invest in greater surveillance, research, and innovative policies to address food insecurity.”

How Myers and Stauffer Can Help

Colin Diamond (senior manager, Atlanta) is passionate about helping these kids and their families through the Food Nutrition Services projects the Benefit/Program Integrity team works on.

“The child nutrition programs we work with have a major influence on healthy eating habits for kids. Sometimes the exposure to food in the day care centers is the only time they get to eat healthy food or eat anything at all,” he says.

Since 2018, Myers and Stauffer has been working with state agencies performing audit and consulting services across multiple programs related to providing nutritious food to underserved populations across the nation. Our Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) team has been working day in and day out to grow this service area as we see the direct impact these programs have on the welfare of children.

Colin expressed that the child nutrition programs play an integral role in reducing food insecurity throughout the nation. Having programs intended to provide not only meals, but healthy and nutritious meals to children that may otherwise have no food at all, is crucial to fight childhood hunger, create healthy eating habits, enable healthy sleeping patterns, and ultimately help in reducing childhood obesity. The CNP team has seen firsthand how many of the facilities taking part in these programs serve children that rely on the facilities for the food they eat throughout the day. Many children will eat at their school/daycare center, and then will not eat food again until they return the next day. Many times, the centers work to provide food that may seem to be common foods, such as, salad, fresh fruits and vegetables, etc., but are children’s first and only exposure to these foods. These simple acts of adding healthy varieties of food are what may build the base for healthy eating habits as these children grow up with little to no exposure to healthy foods otherwise.

While these programs are crucial to the reduction of childhood obesity and food insecurity, there are schools, centers, and sponsoring organizations willing to take advantage of program benefits. Each of our clients face a challenge of ensuring program accountability, while also serving these critical populations of children. Our audit work (administrative reviews) include identifying findings, providing technical assistance, reviewing corrective action plans, and in some instances making recommendations for termination from the program.

Beyond our “audit work”, we are expanding into other services that touch nutrition programs, such as review of food service management company (FSMC) procurements and state rule revisions to ensure clarity and enforceable actions for those not following regulations, as well as, continuing program oversight reviews.

In closing, Colin stated, it is vital that we continue to focus on the importance these programs have on children as we continue to build the human services area of Myers and Stauffer. As we stay invested in those impacted most by these programs, we will better understand how to serve and assist each state agency through challenges they face.

Research

The most recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) document some troubling trends for children and adolescents aged 2–19 years:

• The prevalence of obesity was 19.7% and affected about 14.7 million children and adolescents.
• Obesity prevalence was 12.7% among 2- to 5-year-olds, 20.7% among 6- to 11-year-olds, and 22.2% among 12- to 19-year-olds. Childhood obesity is also more common among certain populations.
• Obesity prevalence was 26.2% among Hispanic children, 24.8% among non-Hispanic Black children, 16.6% among non-Hispanic White children, and 9.0% among non-Hispanic Asian children.

Obesity-related conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea, and joint problems.