Prevent Childhood Obesity

What are the Forces and Influences at Work?

• Families are living in poverty:Obesity rates are generally the highest in communities with high levels of poverty and low levels of income.  Low-income communities are often underserved by grocery stores and frequently have fewer places that are safe for children to play.
• Children do not have access to safe places to play and do not have enough opportunities for physical activities: Most children do not get the required amount of physical activity.  A lack of safe places to play outside, community infrastructures that do not support walking and biking as a means of transportation and the recent elimination of physical education in schools has led to increased levels of obesity in children.  Children living in neighborhoods considered unsafe by their parents are more likely to be overweight than children who live in what their parents consider to be safe neighborhoods. [1] Moving from a high poverty area to a low poverty area is associated with a 50 percent increase in the overall availability of outdoor places to play and engage in physical activity. [2]There are also significant race equity issues; communities with higher percentages of African American residents have fewer available parks and green spaces, places to play sports, public pools and beaches.[3] Communities without safe places to engage in physical activity lead to less active children and higher rates of childhood obesity.
• Families do not have access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables: Living in communities without access to fresh foods limits the ability of parents to provide nutritious meals for their children, and this lack of access disproportionately affects minority and low-income families.  In one study, fruit and vegetable consumption among African American families increased 32 percent for each additional supermarket in the local community.[4] There are three times as many supermarkets in wealthy neighborhoods as in poor neighborhoods. [5]  Additionally, there are four times as many supermarkets in predominately white neighborhoods as in predominately African American neighborhoods.
• Children do not have healthy eating habits: The 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that only 9.5 percent of students eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.  Healthy eating habits are impacted not only by choice but by access to healthy foods in a child’s community and school.  Developing healthy eating behavior early leads to reduced childhood obesity rates and an increased likelihood that a child will grow into a healthy adults.

[1] Cecil-Karb, R., & Grogan-Kaylor, A. (2009). Childhood BMI in community context: Neighborhood safety, television viewing, and growth trajectories of body mass index. Health and Social Work, 34(3), 169-178.

[2] Powell LM, Slater S, Chaloupka FJ.  The relationship between physical activity setting and race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.  Evidence-Based Preventative Medicine 2004; 1[2]: (135-44).

[3] Powell LM, Slater S, Chaloupka FJ.  The relationship between physical activity setting and race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.  Evidenc-Based Preventative Medicine 2004; 1[2]: (135-44).

[4] Morland K, Wing S, Diez Roux A, Poole C. Neighborhood characteristics associated with the location of food stores and service places. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2002, 22 [1]: (23-9).

[5] Morland K, Wing S, Diez Roux A, Poole C. Neighborhood characteristics associated with the location of food stores and service places. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2002, 22 [1]: (23-9).

[6] Morland K, Wing S, Diez Roux A, Poole C. Neighborhood characteristics associated with the location of food stores and service places. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2002, 22 [1]: (23-9).