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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Reducing childhood obesity, one family at a time

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About one in three Indiana youth are overweight or obese, making Indiana the ninth most obese state for youth ages 2-19 in the country, according to the State of Obesity report.

While those numbers donā€™t bode well for any child as there are a number of diseases that can occur because of obesity, non-Hispanic Black children are more likely to develop Type II diabetes than non-Hispanic white children, said Susan Maisel, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Peyton Manning Childrenā€™s Hospital.

ā€œIf you look at family risk factors, if you look at the parents, children who have the highest risk of becoming obese are children whose parents are obese,ā€ Maisel said.

Because childhood obesity is actually a family issue, it takes the effort of everyone in the household ā€” and the community as well ā€” to address it.

Consider these factors: food deserts in many communities ā€” especially those in low-income and predominately Black neighborhoods ā€” dependence on cars for transportation versus walking (especially to school), a reduction or elimination of recess, a diet filled with fast food and processed foods with a high amount of high fructose corn syrup, and a sedentary lifestyle created a perfect storm that contributes to high overweight and obesity rates among adults and children, said Ann Alley, Indiana State Department of Health director of Chronic Disease, Primary Care and Rural Health.

To counter these societal trends, health professionals must help individual families find workable solutions that fit their situation while avoiding shaming parents and children for being overweight or obese. For instance, telling children to go outside and play doesnā€™t make sense if parents feel the neighborhood is unsafe.

ā€œI try to make it so that the family comes up with the plan, and I just facilitate the plan,ā€ Maisel said. ā€œI give them some I ideas ā€¦ You have to let them construct it. You can tell somebody to do something all the time [but] unless theyā€™re feeling itā€™s something they have control over and they can accomplish, they get discouraged. I donā€™t give them any weight goals for the kids. I just want them to maintain the weight. Then the weight loss comes later.ā€

Maisel focuses on a healthy lifestyle instead of weight loss to make it easier for families to accomplish goals. To that end, she coaches families to remember the zip code 85210: eight hours of sleep each night, five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, two hours maximum of recreational screen time a day, at least one hour of exercise a day and 0 servings of high fructose corn syrup foods a day.

ā€œWe gear everything toward healthy,ā€ Maisel said. ā€œItā€™s a combination of physical exercise and eating right and eliminating all sugared drinks. I donā€™t try to eliminate anything else in the beginning except sugared drinks.ā€

In addition to what parents can do at home, community organizations also can work to reduce the rate of childhood obesity by providing opportunities for children to learn about the importance of good health. The Keenan-Stahl Boys and Girls Club recently received a grant to implement the Triple Play program, which focuses on using the mind, body and soul for overall wellness. Children at the club rotate to different activities ā€” many of which require physical activity, unit director Michael Coleman said.

ā€œThey donā€™t understand that theyā€™re exercising,ā€ Coleman said.

Contact Editor Oseye Boyd at 317-762-7850. Follow her on Twitter @oseye_boyd.

Childhood obesity

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