CHILDHOOD OBESITY
Childhood obesity is a growing concern in our society, and the consequences impact more than a child's appearance. According to a new study done at the University of Pittsburgh, researchers scanned the brains of 94 people who were of normal weight, overweight, and obese. The results were staggering. Overweight people had 4% less brain tissue than people of normal weight, and obese people had 8% less brain tissue than people of normal weight. These results are serious for children who are obese. According to author of the study, just a 4% loss represents, "severe" brain degeneration. These are the areas of the brain reported to be effected by obesity:
How Obesity Impacts LearningObesity has serious consequences for learning because in obese people, the loss of brain tissue results in less brain to think with resulting in a lower IQ; there is a loss in the ability to regulate attention so the child is not able to remain focused long enough to absorb any information so less learning is taking place; long-term memory is impaired so there is limited retention of what he does manage to learn; and now the child is also clumsy, because basal ganglia are all clogged up causing a loss of coordination.This information suggests that childhood obesity interferes with the child's ability to learn, and, if we have correctly understood the facts in the research, we may conclude a logical relationship between childhood obesity and learning disabilities. This all brings to mind the commercial of the obese child sitting in front of the TV playing video games while stuffing his face with pizza. An assessment plan, evaluation, and a meeting to design an individualized education plan, for special education do not seem to be proper interventions for this scenario. This scene suggests the need for more exercise and better nutrition. A Quick and Easy Action Plan to Curb ObesityRecommended interventions and preventions for childhood obesity include turning off the TV and putting child outside to get some exercise, or purchasing a Wii Sport instead of video games. The physical exercise required to play Wii could be just the ticket. Research demonstrates remarkable results for elderly adults, so let’s pretend that the results are equally beneficial for children, and we have covered step number one: more exercise.However, new information suggests that children have demonstrated the ptoential to injure themselves playing this game, so they may need careful supervision while palying.The second step, better nutrition, is easy, because children don’t choose their own menus. It can he challenging for thos busy adults/parents their world who are nutritionally challenged themselves, and take the easy way out with foods less time consuming to prepare. A gradual change to more beneficial foods is needed. An immediate action with immense benefits is to eliminate
soft drinks and sodas.
This lack of attention and hyperactive behavior is often misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD and because the behavior is so disruptive, the child is referred to special education or some other alternative program outside the general education classroom. Prevent Obesity with Healthier NutritionAn immediate approach to childhood obesity, or to prevent it, and other problems associated with poor nutrition is to eliminate added sugar from your childs diet. Begin by reading labels.The ingredients in food are labeled with the highest content first. If sugar or high fructose corn syrup is in the first three ingredients don't purchase it. Also, if you can't pronounce the names of all those things listed on the label, they are chemical additives added to lengthen the shelf life of the product. They have no nutritional value, and are known to cause allergic reactions in children. An old adage goes, "if you can't say it, don't eat it." Instead, purchase a dozen eggs and some sausage. Scramble the sausage, add eggs, scramble together and serve in a taco shell.Add some fresh fruits and vegetables to the menu and you will win the war against childhood obesity. Some urban areas have stores called grocery outlets, farmers markets, or dollar stores where produce is less expensive. Find one of those and enjoy the savings as well. It will take some time and effort to master a healthier lifestyle for an obese child, but it will be well worth it at school. More tips for food preparation, information about nutrition, food allergies, toxins and other environmental factors that effect a child's health are discussed in our parents guide.
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