Nutrition & Obesity Publications
Winter 1999
Childhood Obesity: A Growing Epidemic
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held a symposium on Childhood Obesity: Causes and Prevention on October 27, 1998, in Washington, DC. The symposium included scientific presentations on the prevalence, causes, and effects of childhood obesity, as well as presentations on existing and recommended policies and programs to help prevent childhood obesity. In panel discussions, speakers fielded questions from the audience, which included nearly 500 representatives from the health care profession, industry, media, Government, schools, and community programs.
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Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman called for action to address "what has become a quiet epidemic in America" where "the habits that lead to this epidemic are ingrained at an early age." Secretary Glickman urged the audience to "think of this [symposium] not as a 1-day academic exercise, but the beginning of a long and important mission that we can only complete together." He spoke about current efforts by the USDA to address the childhood obesity problem, including school programs to ensure that lunches provide less than 30 percent of calories from fat; a supplemental nutrition program for low-income women, infants, and children (WIC), which serves 6.9 million nutritious school breakfasts across the country; and a joint effort with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urging schools to offer a range of milk choices.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Assistant Secretary for Health and Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., spoke about childhood obesity as a public health challenge and an epidemic because of the dramatic increase in obesity in children since the 1970's. Today, at least one in five children is overweight. Dr. Satcher stated that girls are at greater risk for obesity than boys, and African Americans and other minorities are at greater risk than Caucasians. He added that "this is the most inactive generation of children in history."
Other speakers pointed out the risk factors of childhood obesity: hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, early maturation, sleep apnea, orthopedic problems, and psychosocial factors (eating disorders, social consequences, and self-esteem issues).
Many efforts to prevent childhood obesity have focused on nutrition education programs in elementary and middle schools, but there is a need to develop comprehensive preschool health education programs. Several speakers emphasized the importance of parents in shaping their children's eating environments and stressed that children can learn to like nutritious foods if introduced in a positive way, frequently, and at an early age.
Some of the barriers to healthy eating and physical activity in children were identified:
- Excessive television viewing, which results in children eating and
being inactive while watching TV; in addition, 80 percent of commercials
on children's programs are for food products
- Availability of microwave foods, which allow children to select and
prepare their own meals
- Popularity of take-out food, which offers bigger portions and higher
caloric content than many meals prepared in the home
- Unsafe neighborhoods, which discourage parents from allowing their
children to play outside and force parents to drive their children to
school instead of encouraging them to walk
- Lack of recreational facilities in low-income neighborhoods.
USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Shirley Watkins concluded the program with a recap of the day's events and a statement of the next steps. Next steps are collaborative efforts among the under secretaries at the USDA, inviting speakers to recommend strategies for obesity prevention to be presented to Secretary Glickman, and keeping conference attendees and other interested individuals and organizations informed of actions and progress on childhood obesity prevention through a news bulletin or other vehicle.
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