For the last several years I have placed my oldest daughter in a rigorous swim camp here in the city. Every year I have had to endure the endless complaints and huffs/puffs.
“Why me?”
“I don’t want to go!” she said each time.
However, as I have mentioned on several occasions, my old-fashioned southern upbringing allowed me to look at that child and declare with authority akin to a four star general that she had no voting power in the matter. It had been settled. Further conversation was unnecessary at that point.
For what my short-sighted child could not comprehend was that her mother understood the obesity epidemic that had been plaguing minority communities all too well. Her mother understood that if she did not make deliberate interventions into the lives of her children that they too would be walking down a medical disaster path. Her mother also knew that about a third of the teens living in Missouri were either overweight or obese.
A BMI, body mass index, greater than the 95th percentile in a child is classified as obesity. Similar to adults, obesity can increase the child’s risk of developing hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and endocrine abnormalities such as menstrual irregularities. In addition, socially, obese children are often bullied which may then result in social withdrawal and eventual depression. I am sure many of us remember those children growing up who were always picked last for kickball, never got asked to dance, and who had very few friends. I think we often underestimate the stigma that obesity has on the lives of our children.
Because obesity rates have tripled over the last 3 decades, first lady Michelle Obama championed childhood obesity as her signature platform in 2010. Her “Let’s Move” campaign focuses on healthier foods in the schools and at home, childhood activity and providing support to parents. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians support Ms. Obama’s initiative.
Ms. Obama also brought needed attention to the vast array of “food deserts” in which so many of our local citizens live. These areas have minimal access to quality fresh fruits and vegetables but are home to many mini-marts that sell mostly processed foods high in salt and sugar. Unfortunately, these are the places that children often frequent for their after school snack. Children not only are choosing the high caloric food options they are also spending greater than 2 hours daily couched in front of the television, computer, or video game. Those days when children actually played games such as double Dutch and freeze tag are mostly over. It is so rare to see children actually outside running, jumping, or skipping.
Furthermore, during educational budget deficits, physical education time is usually always first on the list for elimination. Children spend less and less time exercising their bodies as compared to the time they spend sitting behind a desk preparing for a standardized test. However, this method has yet to improve any test scores. John Ratey, M.D., author of A User’s Guide to the Brain and an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard states, “Exercise is really for the brain, not the body. It affects mood, vitality, alertness, and feelings of well-being.” Therefore, it is counter intuitive to expect children to sit for six to eight hours a day and be able to fully grasp the various concepts taught during that time. The clarity simply is not there. Thus, not only is a lack of exercise in the school fueling the obesity epidemic but it is also fueling the academic disparities our children face as well.
This crisis in our community will not be eradicated overnight. It will take each of us making conscious decisions on behalf of our children. For example, turning off the television and having our children eat dinner at the table with the family is a great first step. Research shows that children that eat structured meals as a family unit are less obese. In addition, joining a sports team is not just about wanting to be the next Lebron James. It is about exercise. The local boys and girls clubs have a variety of teams such as basketball, football and dance which have minimal joining fees. And how about just good old fashioned neighborhood play? As parents, we simply need to make sure our children are getting as much activity as possible and in the words of Malcolm X: “by any means necessary!”
Yours in Service,
Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D.
Assistant Professor
SLUCare Family Medicine
yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com
