1887
  1. Home
  2. A-Z Publications
  3. Journal of Local and Global Health Science
  4. Volume 2014, Issue 1
  5. Article
Volume 2014, Issue 1
  • EISSN: 2223-0440

Abstract

Childhood obesity rates in the United States have skyrocketed thus making it a major public health concern. The impact of childhood obesity is also reflected on the economic status of the country and is leading to increased health care spending. Public health policies, laws and other intervention policies can have a substantial impact on preventing and reducing childhood obesity rates. Public health policies play a crucial role in changing the physical and social environment to promote healthy behavior. The purpose of this article was to conduct a narrative review of childhood obesity as a public health issue of prime importance and address some of the public health policies implemented at the federal and the state level which can assist in the development and implementation of future policies related to childhood obesity prevention. In order to collect materials for this review a detailed open search of various databases was carried out and relevant articles were narratively summarized. Lobbying and advocacy efforts to prevent and reduce childhood obesity can encourage policymakers and public healthcare practitioners to devise effective public health policy interventions to address this very important public health issue. A multidimensional approach to childhood obesity has increased the importance of comprehensive and coordinated public health policies targeted to address this issue. Future policy recommendations are also mentioned in conclusion of this review.

© 2014 Karnik, Kanekar, licensee Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals.
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.5339/jlghs.2014.4
2014-10-01
2024-11-13
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/jlghs/2014/1/jlghs.2014.4.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.5339/jlghs.2014.4&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among US children and adolescents, 1999–2010. JAMA. 2012; 307:5:483–490.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Dodson EA, Fleming C, Boehmer TK, Haire-Joshu D, Luke DA, Brownson RC. Preventing childhood obesity through state policy: Qualitative assessment of enablers and barriers. J Public Health Policy. 2009; 30::S161–S176, doi: 10.1057/jphp.2008.57 .
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Singh GK, Kogan MD, Van Dyck PC. Changes in state specific childhood obesity and overweight prevalence in the United States from 2003–2007. JAMA. 2010; 164:7:598–607.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Bethell C, Simpson L, Stumbo S, Carle AC, Gombojav N. National, state and local disparities in childhood obesity. Health Aff. 2010; 29:3:347–356.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Orsi CM, Hale DE, Lynch JE. Pediatric obesity epidemiology. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2013; 18:1:14–22.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Skelton JA, Cook SR, Auinger P, Klein JD, Barlow SE. Prevalence and trends of severe obesity among US children and adolescents. Acad Pediatr. 2009; 9:5:322–329.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Lo JC, Maring B, Chandra M, Daniels SR, Sinaiko A, Daley MF, Sherwood NE, Kharbanda EO, Parker ED, Adams KF, Prineas RJ, Magid DJ, O'Connor PJ, Greenspan LC. Prevalence of obesity and extreme obesity in children ages 3-5 years. Pediatr Obes. 2014; 9:3:167–175.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Moreno G, Johnston-Shelton D, Boles S. Prevalence and prediction of overweight and obesity among elementary school students. J Sch Health. 2013; 83:3:157–163.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Singh GK, Siahpush M, Kogan MD. Rising social inequalities in US childhood obesity, 2003–2007. Ann Epidemiol. 2010; 20:1:40–52.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Lytle LA. Dealing with the childhood obesity epidemic: A public health approach. Abdom Imaging. 2012; 37:5:719–724.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. National Conference of State Legislature (NCSL). Childhood obesity – 2011 update of legislative policy options. http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/childhood-obesity-2011.aspx. Updated Spring 2013. Accessed April 15, 2014.
  12. Koplan JP, Liverman CT, Kraak VI. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Prevention of Obesity in Children and Youth. Washington, DC: National Academies Press 2005;. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK83827/. Accessed April 17, 2014.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Children's National Health System. Obesity institute – public policy and advocacy. http://www.childrensnational.org/obesity-institute/publicpolicy-advocacy.aspx. Accessed April 19, 2014.
  14. Phillips MM, Ryan K, Raczynski JM. Public policy versus individual rights in childhood obesity interventions: Perspectives from the Arkansas experience with Act 1220 of 2003. Prev Chronic Dis. 2011; 8:5:A96. http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/sep/10_0286.htm. Accessed April 20, 2014.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Overweight and obesity, basics about childhood obesity. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/basics.html. Last updated April 27 2012. Accessed April 16, 2014.
  16. Haskins R, Paxson C, Donahue E. Fighting obesity in public schools. The Future of Children., http://futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/docs/16_01_PolicyBrief.pdf. Published Spring 2006. Accessed April 19, 2014.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Khan T, Powell LM, Wada R. Fast food consumption and food prices: Evidence from panel data on 5th and 8th grade children. J Obes. 2012; 2012::1–8. doi: 10.1155/2012/857697. Epub 2012 Jan 15.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Han-Markey TL, Wang L, Shlotterbeck S, Jackson EA, Gurm R, Leidal A, Eagle K. A public school district's vending machine policy and changes over a 4-year period: Implementation of a national wellness policy. Public Health. 2012; 126:4:335–337.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Phillips MM, Raczynski JM, West DS, Pulley L, Bursac Z, Leviton LC. The evaluation of Arkansas Act 1220 of 2003 to reduce childhood obesity: Conceptualization, design and special challenges. Am J Community Psychol. 2013; 51:1–2:289–298.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Raczynski JM, Thompson JW, Phillips MM, Ryan KW, Cleveland HW. Arkansas act 1220 of 2003 to reduce childhood obesity: Its implementation and impact on child and adolescent body mass index. J Public Health Policy. 2009; 30:s1:124–140.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ). Mobilizing healthcare professionals as community leadership the fight against childhood obesity, Advocacy resource guide. http://www.nichq.org/advocacy/advocacy%20documents/Advocacy%20Resource%20Guide.pdf. Published May 2010. Accessed April 25, 2014.
  22. American Heart Association. Voices for Healthy Kids, Grant application. https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Advocate/StateIssues/StateandLocalPolicyPriorities/Grant-Resources_UCM_454325_SubHomePage.jsp. Accessed April 10, 2014.
  23. American Heart Association. Voices for Healthy Kids. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Advocate/Taking-Action-to-Prevent-Obesity_UCM_453195_SubHomePage.jsp. Accessed April 10, 2014.
  24. Levy D, Friend K. Simulation modeling of policies directed at youth sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Am J Community Psychol. 2013; 51:1/2:299–313.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Pomeranz JL. Sugary beverage tax policy: Lessons learned from tobacco. Am J Public Health. 2014; 104:3:e13–e15.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Hodge JG, Orenstein DG, Corbett A, Barraza L, White LC. New frontiers in obesity control: Innovative public health legal interventions. Duke F L & Soc Change. 2013; 5::1–37.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Wilson D, Roberts J. Special report: How Washington went soft on childhood obesity. Reuters., http://www.reuters.com/article//04/27/us-usa-foodlobby-idUSBRE83Q0ED20120427. Published Spring 2012. Accessed April 26, 2014.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. The White House Washington. Health reform for children, The Affordable Care Act Gives Parents Greater Control Over Their Children's Health Care. http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/health_reform_for_children.pdf. Accessed April 26, 2014.
  29. Cawley J. The economics of childhood obesity. Health Aff. 2010; 29:3:364–371. http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/29/3/364.full. Accessed April 16, 2014.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Frieden TR, Dietz W, Collins J. Reducing childhood obesity through policy change: Acting now to prevent obesity. Health Aff. 2010; 29:3:357–363. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0039 .
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Franzini L, Elliott MN, Cuccaro P, Schuster M, Gilliland MJ, Grunbaum JA, Franklin F, Tortorelo SR. Influences of physical and social neighbourhood environments on children's physical activity and obesity. Am J Public Health. 2009; 99:2:271–278.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Huang TTK, Grimm B, Hammond RA. A systems-based typological framework for understanding the sustainability, scalability and reach of childhood obesity interventions. Child Health Care. 2011; 40:3:253–266.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. Brownson RC, Boehmer TK, Haire-Joshu D, Dreisinger ML. Patterns of childhood obesity prevention legislation in the United States. Prev Chronic Dis. 2007; 4:3:A56. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1955401/. Accessed April 15, 2014.
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.5339/jlghs.2014.4
Loading
  • Article Type: Review Article
Keyword(s): advocacy, childhood obesity, interventions and public health policy

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error