Health
Programs targeting pediatric obesity come too late
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 2, 2004
Anti-obesity programs for children tend not to include other family members and usually do not target those younger than school age, according to a presentation at the Institute of Food Technologists' annual meeting in Las Vegas last month.
Researchers at the Academic Network, a health care consulting agency in Portland, Ore., surveyed more than 1,000 organizations working on pediatric weight issues. They found that only 8% of programs included parents, siblings and other relatives. Also, 80% were aimed at children older than 6.
The researchers believe that this means that most programs do not affect family involvement, one of the factors believed to impact childhood obesity, and that the programs start long after many health habits are already established.
"Most of the programs are based on providing educational material rather than helping make active structural changes in the child's environment," said David McCarron, MD, lead author and president of the network.
The survey is the first part of the Shaping America's Youth initiative, an effort supported by the Surgeon General's office and several medical societies. The initiative is working to centralize and disseminate information about childhood obesity in order to turn the tide on the epidemic.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/08/02/hlbf0802.htm.
