Interventions for Childhood Obesity

Doctors of nursing practice have an ethical and professional obligation to disseminate findings that emerge from relevant and timely research. One area of ongoing concern is the near-epidemic levels of childhood obesity that have emerged in recent years due in large part to increasingly sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits among young people. This paper provides an assessment and reflection on the success of the program design for disseminating the results of childhood obesity research, the challenges that were encountered, and the ethical considerations that may warrant additional attention. A summary of the research and important findings concerning these issues are provided in the conclusion.

Assessment and Reflection

Over the past several weeks, my understanding of the national health-promotion and disease-prevention issue has become far more acute. The extent of the childhood obesity problem in this country became increasingly apparent as study after study confirmed the existence of the problem and cautioned that unless actions are taken now, members of this generation may be the first in 200 years to die before their parents due to weight-related health issues (Hannan, 2014). For instance, Berkowitz and Borchard (2009) emphasize that, "The obesity challenge does not seem to reflect a lack of knowledge because the problems associated with obesity, particularly in children, are well documented. Rather, the challenge relates to our society's ability/inability to act on that knowledge" (p. 37).

The human and economic toll exacted by the current inordinately high levels of obesity in children demand more effective interventions. For example, Hickey (2002) notes that during the period from 1979 to 2000, childhood obesity-related hospital costs increased for children between the ages of 6 and 7 years from $35 million to $127 million and Hersen and Van Hasselt (1998) emphasize that, "Obese children suffer both short- and long-term psychosocial consequences related to weight status. Specifically, obese children have been found to be the victims of social stigmatization, and themselves endorse negative stereotypes of obese individuals" (p. 37). In this regard, Cawley (2006) cites three fundamental reasons why childhood obesity interventions of this type are needed:

1. Since free markets typically fail to provide adequate information concerning the causes and prevalence of childhood obesity, interventions to provide consumers with the nutritional and physical fitness information they need are appropriate;

2. Since society must pay for the rising costs of childhood obesity, interventions are appropriate to reduce the costs to taxpayers; and,

3. Since children lack the life skills and experience to evaluate critically the implications of their current eating and physical fitness regimens, interventions that help young people make healthier choices are essential.

Taken together, childhood obesity programs represent a cost-effective approach for addressing this problem in the target population wherein the benefits would clearly outweigh the costs that are involved. There are some important ethical implications involved in childhood obesity programs, though, that must be taken into account in the program design and administration. Of particular importance is the fact that young people that participate in such programming may experience stigma from their peers (Hersen & Van Hasselt, 1998).

There are a number of viable venues for disseminating the results of childhood obesity program design and evaluation, including the American Academy of Pediatrics's Web site, Childhood Obesity (healthychildren.org?), the Mayo Clinic's Web site, Childhood obesity (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-obesity/basics/definition/con-20027428) and the Web site maintained by WebMD, Childhood obesity (www.webmd.com / children/guide/obesity-children). The audience that would be most interested in the findings published online would be concerned parents, healthcare practitioners and educators.

There are also peer-reviewed journals that would be viable venues for disseminating the results of childhood obesity program design and evaluation, including JOPERD -- The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, The Future of Children, the American Journal of Health Education and the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. The audience that would be most interested in the findings published in juried journals would be healthcare practitioners. A final venue wherein the results could be published would be primary school newsletters that are provided for parents of young children.