Presentation Transcript
Environmental SolutionsTo Obesity in America’s Youth : Environmental Solutions To Obesity in America’s Youth David A. Schwartz, M.D. Director National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Environmental Factors that Influence Risk for Obesity: Environmental Factors that Influence Risk for Obesity
Access to affordable healthy food, physical fitness activities, and health education
Air and water quality
Transportation choices
Land use and community design
Crime and public safety
Environmental chemicals that influence hormonal balances
Prevalence of Overweight Among US Children and Adolescents: Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics,
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Prevalence of Overweight Among US Children and Adolescents NHES II andamp; III 1963-1970 NHANES I 1971-1974 NHANES II 1976-1980 NHANES III 1988-1994 NHANES 1999
Overweight Prevalence by Race/Ethnicity for Adolescent Boys and Girls: Overweight Prevalence by Race/Ethnicity for Adolescent Boys and Girls
Multilevel Approach to Obesity in Children: Multilevel Approach to Obesity in Children Community support:
Safe places to play and exercise
School locations, lunches, and physical education programs
Zoning, planning, and environmental regulations
Transportation systems
Marketplace responsibility:
Food availability and pricing
Advertising
Individual choices:
Increase physical activity
Make healthier food choices and monitor consumption
President’s Council on Physical Fitness: President’s Council on Physical Fitness President Kennedy speaks at the Conference on Physical Fitness of Youth in 1961 'We have become more and more not a nation of athletes but a nation of spectators.' John F. Kennedy, 1961
Suggested Approaches to Overweight Children: Suggested Approaches to Overweight Children Strategies to help families with overweight children and adolescents:
Controlling the environment
Monitoring behavior
Setting goals
Rewarding successful changes in behavior New England Journal of Medicine, May 19, 2005; 352:2100-9. These strategies also apply to prevention
NIEHS Initiatives to Address Obesity : NIEHS Initiatives to Address Obesity Research
Joint NIH-CDC effort of $5M; awards this summer
Impact of environmental factors on obesity
Effectiveness of improving access to healthy foods and physical activity
Support multidisciplinary research teams to understand the causes and effective interventions
Partnership with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Evaluation of Active Living by Design, programs in 25 communities throughout the U.S.
Education
Funded 'Fitness Fighters,' an interactive video and educational tool for kids
Slide9: