Addressing Childhood Obesity Through School-based Prevention Programs

Childhood obesity has become of public health importance because of the powerful, adverse impact it has on our Nation's youth and on the well-being of our society. Childhood obesity affects all aspects of a child's life; most significantly by contributing to poor health and negative social perceptions by society. Extensive research of this issue has identified numerous causal and risk factors associated with obesity. Given the multifaceted nature of the problem, and its severe implications for the future health and well-being of affected children, I believe that the most effective solutions will be achieved through programs that focus on prevention efforts. In the last decade national attention has increasingly focused on efforts to reduce obesity among our youth. Schools have been the primary setting for prevention program, but these efforts have generally been found to be meet with only limited success. Researchers have increasingly focused on other environmental factors such as the home environment and family influences on children's behavior. Recent studies have shown that family and social influences are key determinates of the high incidence rate of childhood obesity. I am proposing to build upon the efforts currently taking place in school districts by implementing a family-based prevention program. The program is an eight-week nutrition and physical education program for middle school students. It is intended that it be implemented within the school environment one evening each week, and that participants include both students and parents. The purpose of this program is to provide children and their families with nutritional education and to encourage physical activity. The desired outcomes include inducing positive behavioral changes and creating an environment within the home that encourages healthy habits, thereby decreasing the prevalence of childhood obesity within the school community