Essay Three - Annotated Bibliography - Childhood Obesity

“Cutting School Snacks Could Curb Childhood Obesity.”abc News. Dr. George L.
Blackburn, Leslie Bonci, Keith-Thomas Ayoob, Dr. Stephen Cook, Elisa Zied,
Dr. Dean Ornish, Julie N. Germann, Richard D. Feinman, and Barry M. Popkin.
6 October 2006.

This report is a handful of doctor’s and expert’s reactions to Bill Clinton and the American Heart Association’s effort to make food in schools healthier and more nutritious. One doctor mentioned that we should get the children of the school involved, for example having them grow or make their own food so they learn for the future. Some doctors mentioned that daily physical activity is very important; children should be getting 60 minutes a day. Some experts were concerned if children would actually carry on this knowledge out of school, and not just walk down the street to a fast food place on their own time. A lot of experts mentioned this seems like a good idea to also influence parents and the family as a whole. The experts who disagreed said the “guidelines were
very weak” and that we have tried this before. They say cutting out a few sugary products will not produce results, but maybe even a rise in obesity.

Edelman, Marian Wright. “Fighting Childhood Obesity.” Children’s Defense Fund.
31 July 2006. http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/News 2?news_iv_ctrl=0
&cmd=articles&page=NewsArticle&security=1&id=7363&start=9

This article by Marian Wright introduces us to a campaign to fight childhood obesity. She starts the article by explaining how The American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation have started a campaign to end childhood obesity, and to encourage parents
to join in. This popular campaign is the same one mentioned in the first source of this bibliography. Edelman has more of a completely positive opinion regarding it, while the
abc News report seemed to show mixed reviews among doctors and experts. She gives alarming statistics about the rise in obesity among the years stating that more than 11 million children are overweight. Wright is proving that parents need to get serious about this issue. Side effects of overweight adults are now popping up among children, for example diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. She writes about how children and adolescents these days spend less time “running around” and too much time watching TV or playing video games. She explains how schools have become one of the major roots of the problem. Schools are now starting to focus on healthy diets among their students. In her conclusion Wright stresses that the major influence on children is the “home.” She encourages parents to teach their children good habits from day one.

Freemark, Michael MD. “Obesity.” 25 April 2006. http://www. Emedicine.com/ped/topic
1699.htm

This article was written exclusively for emedicine.com by a prestigious pediatrics professor from Duke. Freemark writes a thorough explanation and analysis of obesity, especially among children. The introduction talks about the definition of obesity (there
are many) and gives general background about the subject. Freemark then talks about why someone would become obese or not, for example drug-induced obesity, genetic and hormonal behaviors, accumulation of fat, and even different kinds of twins. He gives statistics about childhood obesity and talks about how people don’t realize children who are obese have the same complications as obese adults do. He explains the acute and long term complications obese children can pick up. The article talks about different physical attributes while they were growing up that affected them or leaded them to obesity.

Freemark explains syndromes, hormonal disorders, and medications that can cause obesity. He also explains the different kinds of medical care that can be acted out to
prevent and stop obesity, for example physical activity, nutritional counseling, intervention, and energy diets. The last few pages of the article wraps up by talking about different ways of changing children’s future for the better, for example surgical care, consultations, diets, activities, and further prevention.

Mann, Charles C. “PUBLIC HEALTH: Provocative Study Says Obesity May Reduce
U.S. Life Expectancy.” Science. 18 March 2005.

Charles C. Mann’s article accurately portrays its title by explaining the effects of obesity on our life expectancy. Mann shows how an economist predicted our future as bright regarding life expectancy, but the facts prove him wrong. Some experts say that the advances in biomedical research will fix the problem and keep us alive longer in the future, but some say obesity is still on the rise. He also explains in one section of the article that as the life expectancy goes up, the rise of obesity has risen drastically. The health effects of obesity take years to appear. He quotes an expert from the New England Journal who says we will start to lose years off of the life expectancy if we don’t stop obesity.

“National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth: Childhood obesity.” The Daily.
18 October 2002. http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/0201018/d021018b.htm

This article is about the rising obesity among children in Canada. It gives bar graphs showing obesity among different age groups. The article gives a variety of different facts about child obesity, including boys being more overweight than girls, low

income affecting obesity, and that the majority of children are overweight at some point. This article is mainly using facts and statistics to get their point across, and could use a little more substance to help the reader learn background about the subject.

“Report: Obesity rising sharply among U.S. preschoolers American Heart
Association study shows weight impact on Health.” CNN.30 December 2004.
Http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/conditions/12/30/childhood.obesity/index.html

This report for CNN was a general alarm to the public about the rising number of obesity over the last decade. It gives statistics showing significant increases in child and adolescent obesity. The report stresses the fact that kid’s weight problems are beginning to start earlier as the years go by. There is commentary from concerned doctors talking
about clueless parents and the growing number of heart disease, stroke and diabetes among these overweight children. The idea of long term medical effects on the children closely resembles Freemark’s concerns with obesity in his article on page 4.

Santora, Marc. “Child Obesity Picture Grim Among New York City Poor.” The New
York Times. 6 April 2006.

Marc Santora points out the direct correlation between obesity and low incomes among New York children in this well written article. He introduces the article by referencing two studies: preschool children by the City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and also a 2003 study of obesity among children. A major statistic he refers to throughout the article is the fact that one in four 2-year-olds were found to be obese, and
that it climbs rapidly to one in three were found to be obese by the age of 4. Santora is essentially implying that obesity among children is increasing each year and also that the
number of obese children increases rapidly in their earliest years of life. There seems to be some type of action being taken trying to change the city health code so schools and day cares will pay more attention to physical activity and diet. In the obesity studies he references the most affected groups of children are African-American and Hispanic boys.
He quotes a lead author in one of the studies, Candace Young. Young talks about how we should put emphasis on proportion sizes and the things children drink. His thoughts of low income affecting childhood obesity reflect the ideas in the article The Daily, on the previous page.

Stein, Rob. “Report Urges Nationwide Campaign to Combat Childhood Obesity.” The
Washington Post. 1 October 2004: Pg. A16

This article stresses ways to prevent children from becoming obese. Stein refers to the National Academy of Sciences’ report about recommendations for preventing childhood obesity. It mentions how parents, doctors, media, schools, and even government need to asses the situation. It states how doctors should measure children’s Body Mass Index (B.M.I) more often, and how parents should regulate their child’s eating habits and increase daily activity. The article also covers how media should decrease the marketing of junk food, and schools’ food systems could be changed for the better by introducing healthy foods. After this report was sent out, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy came up with a bill that “would, for example, ban vending machines selling unhealthful food or drink in schools receiving federal funds.” Stein reports how the recommendations generally went well with the public and other anti-obesity advocates. There were some concerns and
disagreements with the report from the National Food Processors Association and a few professors.

“The Surgeon General’s Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and
Obesity.”United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Http:// www.surgeongeneral .gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm

This report mentions the risks of being obese, including heart disease, diabetes, and even social discrimination. It states the causes of obesity as well, for example, little to no physical activity and unhealthy eating habits. They give suggestions to parents and kids on what to do if they are in this situation. It states that families should gradually change their eating habits and physical activity for a more healthy and balanced future. It suggests reducing the amount of time sitting in front of the TV, and increase the amount of physical activity. In regards to eating healthy, it suggests following the Dietary Guidelines, and not to use food as punishment or rewards. The report also gives suggestions like not to eat in front of the TV, and to make sure you start your day with a healthy breakfast, etc. It explains how weight loss may be gradual, and to avoid crash dieting and diet pills. It also suggests consulting a doctor for weight management. This report is highly credible considering that it came from the official website of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. This formal source is also necessary for my paper because it gets right to the point about prevention of obesity.

Torg, Elizabeth. “Cute and Chubby or Dangerously Overweight?: Stop early signs before
Kids gain too much weight.” http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-6-73-
164-3372-1,00.html.

This article is bringing attention to people by showing how parents and pediatricians don’t recognize that kids are gaining too much weight very early on in their childhood. Torg uses studies by University of Michigan to show how children don’t get their Body Mass Index (B.M.I) checked as often as they should. The article closes by demonstrating how one could measure their children’s B.M.I, figuring out if it’s healthy, and then visiting a doctor. This article is a great source for my paper, because it’s talking directly to the reader about how to prevent obesity before it starts.