Abstract
WHO Issues Childhood Obesity and Undernutrition Guidance
EU Funds Childhood Obesity Computing Project
The European Commission is providing €12 million, approximately $16 million USD, to support the Model-Driven European Paediatric Digital Repository for research focused on addressing childhood obesity by using mathematical models for childhood obesity-related disease simulations. The funding will last through 2017. Twenty-one health centers in 10 countries will participate in the studies and will use supercomputers and simulators to test new drugs and procedures with no use or minimal use of animals. The researchers will be able to tailor treatment regimens during the simulations to patients' personal medical information. Experts expect the simulated testing will speed up preclinical and phase one clinical trials and reduce associated risks.
UAE Launches Phase 2 of Obesity Prevention Program
The United Arab Emirates and the United Nations Children's Fund are building on the success and positive feedback from their initial obesity prevention program as they enter phase two. The program will include workshops for parents and staff, psychology workshops for school personnel, and student educational and physical activity sessions. More than 3000 students at eight government schools participated in phase one. Leaders found that the program helped change adults' attitudes and perceptions while teaching both adults and children how to lead healthier lifestyles. The second phase will include four government schools, two each in the emirates of Ajman and Umm Al Quwain. Partners include the General Women's Union and the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the Ministry of Education, Ambulatory Health Services, and Abu Dhabi Education Council.
Favorable Trend Seen in Pakistani Intervention
Researchers at Aga Khan University in Pakistan conducted a pilot cluster trial to determine the feasibility of a girls' school-based physical activity program and whether it would alter blood pressure or BMI in the 380 participating girls, ages 9–11 years. The 20-week-long intervention took place at four similar all-girls public schools in Karachi. The students participated in 30 minutes of physical activity four times per week. Overall retention was 79.2–80.1% in the intervention group and 78.5% in the controls. There was a favorable trend in blood pressure and body mass index in the intervention group. The team concluded in Archives of Disease in Childhood that the school-based program was feasible in public sector girls' schools.
French Children Lacking in Food Knowledge, Survey Finds
The French Association of Environment and Health commissioned a survey to learn more about youngsters' knowledge about foods. They surveyed children ages 8–12 years living in medium-sized urban cities and found a significant lack of information or misunderstanding. Eighty-seven percent of the children could not identify beetroot, 20% could not name an apricot when shown photographs, and some even said that pasta is a vegetable that grows on trees. Ninety percent of the children were able to identify carrots, pears, and watermelon. The youngsters also did not fare well when it came to meat, with more than half unable to identify what is in a hamburger and 40% not knowing where ham came from.
Risk Factors Identified for Obesity in Bangladesh Children
Limited exercise, more than 4 hours of daily sedentary activity, and having overweight parents increased the chance of Bangladesh school children becoming obese, according to findings from a team of researchers from the James P. Grant School of Public Health in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The team conducted a case–control study of 198 children ages 10–15 years in seven schools. They used a structured questionnaire to collect information about risk factors and found no association between being overweight and sex, maternal education, or school-based physical activity. However, at least 30 minutes of exercise at home was a protective factor against overweight and obesity. The authors conclude in BMC Pediatrics that “public health programs are needed to increase awareness on risk factors for overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in order to reduce the future burden of obesity-associated chronic diseases.”
Mexican School-Based Program Reduced Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
A 10-month lifestyle intervention conducted at eight schools in Mexico led to reductions in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children ages 6–12 years, and a decrease in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, according to scientists from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tecnológico de Monterrey, in Monterrey, Mexico. The cross-sectional sample of 96 overweight and obese children received individualized, structured daily meals and a physical activity plan. Parents attended as a requirement. The percentage of children with metabolic syndrome declined from 44% to 16%, and those with hypertension fell from 19% to zero. Thirty-two percent of the overweight children who entered the program reached a normal weight at the end, as did 1% of the obese children. Another 24% of the obese youngsters reduced their weight and were classified as overweight at the study's end. The article was published in Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
Malaysia Rotary Funds Skip Rope Project
The Rotary Club of George Town in Malaysia has donated 10,000 skipping ropes to 40 schools, aiming to reduce childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles among children ages 9–14 years. The Healthy Lifestyle—Skipping for Health project encourages children to participate in a fun exercise, which they can do alone or with classmates. Members of the Malaysia GB Rope Skipping Academy, Kuala Lumpur, presented a demonstration, including a dance number, during the rope presentation ceremony. The country's Rotary Clubs plan to sponsor regional skipping competitions to spur interest in rope jumping. The country's Education Ministry and Health Ministry provided a grant through the Malaysia Health Promotion Board. Corporate sponsorship also was received.
UK Borough Received Lottery Money To Promote Sports
The United Kingdom's Community Sport Activation Fund gave the Enfield Borough Council £250,000 ($385,025 USD) to get children moving and combat childhood obesity. It was one of 32 projects to receive lottery funding in support of grassroots efforts to further the interest in sports generated by the 2012 Olympics. Youngsters in Enfield had the highest rate of obesity among children entering school than any other borough in London. The efforts will focus on those children most in need, including youngsters with disabilities. Projects include counseling and motivating parents, and developing physical education referrals for physicians and schools.
New Zealand Reports Increase in Child Obesity
Lyn Provost, the Controller and Auditor-General of New Zealand, released the report, “Evolving approach to combating child obesity” with findings that the prevalence of child obesity has increased from 8% in 2006–2007 to 10% in 2011–2012. In addition to the 10% of children that are obese; 21% of children are overweight. Provost called child obesity a multifaceted problem with multiple agencies able to influence the issues associated with it. The report found that the Ministry of Education and Sport New Zealand are not as focused on obesity as they were in the past. The Ministry of Health has a range of existing interventions and is testing and evaluating new ideas and approaches to the problem.
Many Countries Have Double Burden of Malnutrition and Obesity
The Lancet Maternal and Child Nutrition Series reported that many low- and middle-income countries continue to deal with malnutrition issues, while at the same time obesity is becoming an emerging problem. Being overweight or obese has become more prevalent in children younger than 5 years, particularly in developing countries. The authors indicate that 76% of overweight children live in a low- or middle-income country. They urged that the trend be reversed or it will prove costly in healthcare expenditures and the overall development of countries and called for effective interventions to recognize the weight gain early and reverse the trend.
Need To Address Knowledge Gaps in India
A cross-sectional observational study involving 1800 Indian school children, ages 9–18 years in four cities, found the prevalence of overweight or obesity was 19.2% for boys and 18.1% for girls. Additionally, 64.8% of mothers were overweight or obese. Children in higher-income families and those with overweight mothers were more likely to be overweight or obese. During focus groups, only a few of the mothers believed that excess weight contributed to health problems, with most indicating that chubby cheeks were healthy. Children considered home-cooked meals old fashioned. The authors, from the National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation in New Delhi, concluded in Annals of Nutrition Metabolism that the study “highlights the poor knowledge, faulty attitudes and practices of urban Asian Indian mothers and their children in a highly correlated manner. These knowledge gaps must be addressed to formulate effective strategies for the prevention of obesity and related metabolic disorders.”
British Children Lack Knowledge about Food Sources
Findings from the British Nutrition Foundation's survey of more than 27,500 school children in the United Kingdom indicate that many youngsters do not understand where their food comes from. Twenty-nine percent think cheese comes from plants, 10% believe tomatoes grow underground, and 18% think fish fingers come from chickens. The researchers were encouraged that 64% of the children ages 5–8 years could correctly identify the Eatwell Plate and 77% of the primary school students and 88% of the secondary school children knew people should consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. On the day of the survey, 8% of primary school students had not eaten breakfast, a number that jumped to 25% among 11–14 year olds and 32% among 14–16 year olds.
Dutch Report Urgent Need for Pediatric Obesity Guidelines
Researchers from VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, surveyed 290 pediatricians in The Netherlands about their procedures and treatment methods when obese children are referred to them, which is the standard practice of child public health officials in the country. The physicians usually use adult BMI to define childhood obesity, with only 34% indicating they consider sex- and age-specific criteria. All of the pediatricians measured height and weight, 42% checked waist circumference, and 95% measured blood pressure. Of the overweight, but not obese, children, 11% had co-morbidities at the time of the pediatrician consult. When treating obese children without co-morbidity, the physicians used 30 different intervention programs. The authors conclude in the journal Health Policy, “Guidelines in pediatric obesity for diagnostics and treatment are urgently needed.”
Australia Ends SmartStart for Kids Program
The Australian Capital Territory government has decided to stop funding of Robert de Castella's SmartStart for Kids program, despite its success, due to a tight budget and difficult economy and the program's limited reach for the cost involved. The program was operational in 20 primary schools for the past 4 years, serving 55,000 students who were overweight, obese, or at-risk for weight problems, and had applied for additional funding to expand to all primary schools in the territory. SmartStart for Kids will wind down operations by September, after 13 years helping primary school children reduce weight and improve fitness.
Canadian Clinic Receives “Family Reset” Funding
The provincial government of Ottawa, Canada, is providing $1.8 million in funding for a Family Reset program at the Bariatric Medical Institute in Ottawa. Parents of participants in the year-long program, who are age 13 years and younger and weigh in the 85th percentile or higher, will receive unlimited access to registered dietitians, social workers, personal trainers, and physicians, followed by an additional 6 months of follow-up by the same team. The parents also will take part in a group class dealing with stress management and self-esteem. Those adults who are overweight or obese will attend another group class. Parents also can receive one-on-one therapy for help with depression or anxiety. The goal is to change the home environments without shaming or making the children feel guilty. Youngsters in the program can take group classes focused on self-esteem, body image, and bullying. The program will include family outings, with exercise specialists, and group cooking classes.
Abu Dhabi Adds Bariatric Dietitian to Hospital Staff
Investing in more resources to fight the growing childhood obesity problem, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Co. has added a clinical dietitian, specializing in bariatric pediatric care, to the staff at Mafraq Hospital in the United Arab Emirates. The hospital's endocrinology department has several consultants and support staff working with overweight and obese youngsters and their families. About one-quarter of children in the United Arab Emirates are obese. Bariatric dietetics focuses on dietary assessment, counseling, and follow up and aims to prevent malnutrition while helping the child lose weight. The hospital's program focuses on the entire family and helping them develop healthier habits.
School-Based Intervention Reduced BMI in Norwegian Girls
A 20-month long school-based intervention focused on physical activity and dietary choices led to a reduction in BMI among participating 11-year-old girls, but not boys, according to a report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine by researchers from the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo, Norway. Additionally, the team said children of higher-educated parents appeared to have gained more from the intervention than other children, with a beneficial effect on BMI noted among children of parents with more education and a negative effect on waist-to-height ratio among children of parents with a low level of education.