In a new study published by the Chicago Tribune, one third of all disadvantaged 3-year-olds were obese. Why are so many children suffering from obesity and what can be done about it?
We live in a society where everything is quick. There are instant fixes for our mistakes, instant tax refund checks, and even instant pain relief.
However, one of the biggest pitfalls of living in a fast-paced world may be eating instant and fast foods. Many families and schools don’t have the time to fix hearty, well-balanced meals, so they throw their meals together quickly and easily. This usually results in calorie-filled diets laden with sugar.
The Center to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC) is a nationally recognized consortium that brings together organizations and individuals to confront childhood obesity in the city of Chicago. They have been around for four years and exist solely for the purpose of researching and finding information to aid in the fight against childhood obesity.
Once that information is found, they pass it on to others that share the same goals and ideas as the CLOCC. According to a representative from the consortium, “Many of our children are at risk of childhood obesity, and once they enter school many are already overweight.”
Joan Leafman, professor of health, physical education, recreation and athletics, is on staff here at NEIU. In addition to her job on campus, Leafman sits on the executive committee of the CLOCC.
“We work in the area of school-based intervention in order to reverse the ongoing trend of childhood obesity. I am working on making provisions for before- [and] after-school programs that will focus on implementing ways in which to help schools improve overall wellness, fitness and nutrition for our students,” Leafman said.
She continued, “There is a national wellness mandate that all schools that are enrolled in the school lunch program must have a wellness committee that focuses on, among other things, improved fitness and nutrition for school children.
“This wellness committee needs to be the model for all of those stakeholders in children’s well-being. Those stakeholders include parents, teachers and community leaders alike.”
To date, Leafman said there has been a “great buy-in” from educators, school dieticians, physical education professionals and parents. NEIU offers an HLED 304 class that looks at this issue as well.
Undergrad students work as “investigators” in partnership with the CLOCC. The group is investigating possible resources above and beyond their basic curriculum that schools might possibly use to help students in the areas of fitness and nutrition.
Children that suffer from childhood obesity have a much higher risk of developing other health problems throughout their lifetime. They are more likely to suffer from diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
A representative for CLOCC said that we can change the way children eat and improve their overall fitness and well-being, but everyone has to be on board. “There is no quick fix and change won’t happen overnight. We need to address it early in order for our children to develop and maintain a healthier life style,” she said.