Childhood Obesity Statistics, Causes, and Prevention Strategies: A PICO (Nursing) Question

Identification and Description of the Clinical Problem

Obesity is when the child has a significantly higher body weight than is considered appropriate based on weight and height. A body mass index (BMI) “between the 85th and 94th percentile is in the “overweight” range, whereas BMI ≥ 95th percentile for age and gender is in the “obese” range” (Smith et al., 2020, p.354). Notably, the prevention of childhood obesity should be addressed as a public health priority given its huge impact on chronic and acute diseases, the development of well-being, and the child’s general health.

Some of the comorbidities of obesity, such as high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and sensitivity to insulin, are increasingly developing at an early age (Brown et al., 2019). Thus, childhood obesity is one of the leading healthcare burdens that must be addressed promptly to prevent the development of other complex problems in the future.

Statistics

Childhood obesity is increasing at a fast rate across the world. Statistics indicate that 170 million children are overweight globally (Lambrinou et al., 2020, p. 2). In the United States, the prevalence of childhood obesity has escalated from 6% in the 1980s to 18.5% in 2016 (Lambrinou et al., 2020, p. 2). Although obesity cuts across children from different ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds, some people are disproportionately affected. For instance, 12.8% of children of black American descent and 12.4% of Hispanics have severe obesity compared to only 5% of white children (Smith et al., 2020, p.353).

Moreover, in rural regions, 38% of children are overweight compared to 30% of the children in urban areas (Bains, 2022, p.1). The rationale is that people living in rural places have fewer resources. The prevalence is expected to grow as many families embrace a sedentary lifestyle with less physical activity and consumption of many fast foods.

Causes

The causes of childhood obesity are multiple and may be biological, psychological, genetic, or health behavior. However, poor diet and lack of physical activity are the primary contributors to obesity (Smith et al., 2020). The implication is that people from a low socioeconomic status have higher chances of developing obesity. One of the reasons is that green vegetables, fruits, and healthy whole grains are expensive, leaving families to survive with junk food that is high in bad cholesterol. The problem is that once obesity is established in childhood, it is hard to reverse using interventions and progresses to adulthood (Brown et al., 2019). Therefore, the best strategy is to prevent childhood obesity from developing when the children are still young.

Solutions

One of the possible solutions to childhood obesity is having school (community or family)-based education intervention. The education programs can focus on utilizing teamwork between teachers, parents, and the community with knowledge that makes them become agents of change in promoting healthy weight. Noteworthy, childhood years provide a unique opportunity to prevent childhood obesity by establishing lifestyle behaviors such as healthy eating habits, limited sedentary time, and regular physical activities (Lambrinou et al., 2020).

Education appears to be the best intervention, given that there are still no established criteria for child obesity intervention (Arlinghaus et al., 2022). The implication is that people should strive to empower parents and their children with information on establishing healthy lifestyles. In addition, the organizations within the community can come together and establish various sports and athletic activities to provide opportunities for the children to engage in physical activities.

Apart from exercise interventions, creating educational platforms that provide insights into the best food choices is vital. The 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act provides some recommendations for dietary guidelines for children. Particularly, it urges adolescents and children to increase their intake of fruits, whole grains, and low-fat milk and lower their intake of sodium and saturated fat (Hawkins et al., 2018). Past studies have shown similar positive results when interventions are implemented at home, in school, or within the community (Hodder et al., 2022). Parents and school cooks need to be enlightened on cooking methods that preserve the nutritional content of food while minimizing fat. For example, boiling is a healthier option instead of deep-frying potatoes. The education should also focus on enlightening the parents, children, and their cooks on the daily dietary recommendations so they can make a good meal table.

Relevance of the Topic to Population

Children make up a good percentage of the total population. They are young and have plenty of life opportunities. However, they are also vulnerable and dependent on adults for their health and wellness. These characteristics make children a unique population worthy of protection by parents, guidance, teachers, and the public in general. The current study will benefit children by providing recommendations on ways of preventing obesity so that they can improve their quality of life.

Notably, a report by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that obesity in children has many negative implications, including increased risk of gastroparesis, Type 2 diabetes, depression, blindness, and heart disease (Sildén, 2018). The study will provide evidence-based solutions to prevent obesity and minimize the risk of all the related diseases and disabilities. In essence, the current study benefits children by proposing ways of promoting their overall health through education interventions.

Significance of the Problem to Nursing

Nursing practice is always undergoing transition as new knowledge, technology, and information are discovered. Evidence-based practices have significant use in developing new ways of working to enhance efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and effectiveness of caring solutions. The current study will provide possible evidence for intervention to reduce childhood obesity. The implication is that the nurses can adapt the recommendations and start teaching their patients better nutritional and activity preferences to maintain a healthy BMI. Noteworthy, when children learn good eating habits, they carry the same behavior to adulthood (Luybli et al., 2019). The implication is that the burden of obesity will be reduced. The nurses will have less work and experience significant improvement in the health of their patients.

In addition, the study benefits nursing researchers who are interested in learning more about childhood obesity. For instance, the study can inform the background and literature review. Another possible use is while doing a systematic review or meta-analysis with a variable similar to the current paper. In addition, the study contributes to knowledge in nursing practice and provides a source for reference when designing prevention interventions for childhood obesity. Overall, the study is relevant for research, practice, and knowledge in nursing.

Practice Question in PICO format

In children aged 6-12 with low socioeconomic status (Population), are school (or community or family) based nutrition education interventions (Intervention / Comparison can be no intervention) effective in reducing BMI (Outcome).

References

Arlinghaus, K. R., Cepni, A. B., Helbing, R. R., Goodman, L. P., Ledoux, T. A., & Johnston, C. A. (2022). Response to school‐based interventions for overweight and obesity: A systematic scoping review. Clinical Obesity, 12(6). Web.

Bains, R. (2022). Combating childhood obesity in rural areas-a systematic. Web.

Brown, T., Moore, T.H., Hooper, L., Gao, Y., Zayegh, A., Ijaz, S., Elwenspoek, M., Foxen, S.C., Magee, L., O’Malley, C. and Waters, E., (2019). Interventions for preventing obesity in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1(7), 1-627.

Hawkins, K. R., Burton, J. H., Apolzan, J. W., Thomson, J. L., Williamson, D. A., & Martin, C. K. (2018). Efficacy of a school-based obesity prevention intervention at reducing added sugar and sodium in children’s school lunches: The LA health randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Obesity, 42(11), 1845-1852. Web.

Hodder, R. K., O’Brien, K. M., Lorien, S., Wolfenden, L., Moore, T. H., Hall, A., Yoong, S. L., & Summerbell, C. (2022). Interventions to prevent obesity in school-aged children 6-18 years: An update of a Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis including studies from 2015–2021. eClinicalMedicine, 54(6), 1-41. Web.

Lambrinou, C., Androutsos, O., Karaglani, E., Cardon, G., Huys, N., Wikström, K., Kivelä, J., Ko, W., Karuranga, E., Tsochev, K., Iotova, V., Dimova, R., De Miguel-Etayo, P., M. González-Gil, E., Tamás, H., JANCSÓ, Z., Liatis, S., Makrilakis, K., & Manios, Y. (2020). Effective strategies for childhood obesity prevention via school based, family involved interventions: A critical review for the development of the feel4diabetes-study school based component. BMC Endocrine Disorders, 20(S2), 1-20. Web.

Luybli, M., Schmillen, H., & Sotos-Prieto, M. (2019). School-based interventions in low socioeconomic settings to reduce obesity outcomes among preschoolers: A scoping review. Nutrients, 11(7), 1-21. Web.

Sildén, K. E. (2018). Impact of competitive foods in public schools on child nutrition: Effects on adolescent obesity in the United States an integrative systematic literature review. Global Health Action, 11(1), 1-21. Web.

Smith, J. D., Fu, E., & Kobayashi, M. A. (2020). Prevention and management of childhood obesity and its psychological and health comorbidities. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 16(1), 351-378. Web.

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StudyCorgi. "Childhood Obesity Statistics, Causes, and Prevention Strategies: A PICO (Nursing) Question." October 24, 2024. https://studycorgi.com/childhood-obesity-statistics-causes-and-prevention-strategies-a-pico-nursing-question/.

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StudyCorgi. 2024. "Childhood Obesity Statistics, Causes, and Prevention Strategies: A PICO (Nursing) Question." October 24, 2024. https://studycorgi.com/childhood-obesity-statistics-causes-and-prevention-strategies-a-pico-nursing-question/.

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