I have chosen We Can!® (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition), a national childhood obesity prevention program (We Can!®, 2011) for analysis.
Childhood obesity has become a global epidemic for the recent years. From 12% to over 30% of children are estimated as obese in developed countries and from 2% to 12% are assessed as obese in developing countries (Flynn et al., 2006). There are a lot of factors which influence the increase of the cases of children’s obesity, like consumption of caloric-dense food, reduction of physical activity, much amount of time spent in front of the TV set or computer (Siegrist, Hanssen, Lammel, Haller, & Halle, 2011).
One of the main problems caused by childhood obesity are medical ones, “metabolic disturbances, type 2 diabetes, disrupted sleep patterns, poor immune function, skin problems, impaired mobility, and increased blood pressure and hypertension” (Doak, Visscher, Renders, & Seidell, 2006, p. 112) and psychological, “low self-esteem, social alienation, and lack of self-confidence, discrimination and, for girls, depression” (Doak, Visscher, Renders, & Seidell, 2006, p. 112).
The necessity for the childhood obesity programs is obvious. We Can!® is directed not only on the medical problems, but also at addressing the obesogenic environment. Thus, We Can!® explains the rules for eating right and getting active. The program also pays attention to reducing screen time. Community is reviewed and necessary work with parents is held. We Can!® program promotes healthy childhood. Human attention is paid to the fact that the problem is international, and there is no need to hide it. Global epidemics should be considered on the international level.
References
Doak, C. M., Visscher, T. S., Renders, C. M., & Seidell, J. C. (2006). The prevention of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents: A review of interventions and programmes. Obesity Reviews, 7(1), 111-136.
Flynn, M. T., McNeil, D. A., Maloff, B. B., Mutasingwa, D. D., Wu, M. M., Ford, C. C., & Tough, S. C. (2006). Reducing obesity and related chronic disease risk in children and youth: a synthesis of evidence with ‘best practice’ recommendations. Obesity Reviews, 7, 77-66.
Siegrist, M., Hanssen, H., Lammel, C., Haller, B., & Halle, M. (2011). A cluster randomised school-based lifestyle intervention programme for the prevention of childhood obesity and related early cardiovascular disease (JuvenTUM 3). BMC Public Health, 11(1), 258-267.
We Can!®. (2011). U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Web.