More than a third of children in Washington, D.C. are considered obese—the highest number in the country. Child obesity is more than a weight issue.
The silent killer goes undiagnosed and undertreated and can lead to cardiovascular problems, organ failure, orthopedic issues, or even type-2 diabetes. But most of the damage caused by childhood obesity won’t show face until the child reaches adulthood—sometimes 30 years later.
Seventh-grader Adrienne, Ward 8 resident, has battled with her weight her whole life. “I always knew I was bigger than most kids, but there are still a lot of kids that are big like me, so I thought I was normal,” says Adrienne.
Children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors.
Only in rare cases is being overweight caused by a medical condition such as a hormonal problem. A physical exam and some blood tests can rule out the possibility of a medical condition as the cause for obesity.
Although there are some genetic and hormonal causes of childhood obesity, most excess weight is caused by kids eating too much and exercising too little. Many risk factors play in a child becoming obese: diet, inactivity, genetics, psychological factors, family history and socioeconomic factors.
According to associate professor of psychiatry, Alice Mao, M.D., “psychological factors play a huge role in the food people consume, taking someone from neurological issues to now severe health issues. Depression from school, home life, or even everyday socioeconomic living conditions cause people—especially children—to turn to comfort food.”
Inactivity is another huge contributor to obesity. Children spend three hours watching TV a day, where only one hour of exercise is needed three to four days a week to keep a child’s weight under control. The cycle of obesity and disease seems to begin before birth: Women who are overweight are more likely to give birth to bigger babies, who are then more likely to become obese—a genetic generational curse.
A recent study by Carnegie Mellon compared community income levels to the percentage of obese children within that same community. According to Randy Corp, Ward 8 has over 60% of children through age 17 classified as obese—largely because of food choices.
Child Nutrition Associate for DC Hunger Solutions, Srinidhi Vijaykumar, says “it’s harder for kids in areas like Ward 8 to eat healthy because their only options are corner stores and take-out restaurants that question passing health code. As a result, out of 70,000 residents in Ward 8 half are overweight. This issue is bigger than weight, the health conditions obesity causes children are so severe but won’t be visible until they are late into their 30’s, such as: diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.”
Adrienne finds it hard to eat healthy in her community, “the closest grocery store is a bus ride away. My mom gives me money to get food, but it’s easier to go to McDonalds.”
Adrienne has not been diagnosed as obese, but is visibly over weight and like most children in Ward 8, don’t know the consequences of their weight problem.
Studies indicate that many obese children will never overcome their disease—up to 80 percent of obese teens become obese adults—experts fear an exponential increase in heart disease, strokes, cancer and other health problems as the children move into their 20s and beyond.
The studies suggest that these conditions could occur decades sooner and could greatly diminish the quality of their lives. Many could find themselves disabled in what otherwise would be their most productive years.
With such urgency needed, programs like The Federal Research and Action Center (FRAC) are using every resource and outlet available to force proper nutrition down the throats of children weighing 180 to 230 pounds in DC’s low-income wards.
Adrienne participates in a popular program offered to children mainly in Ward 7 and 8—the FitNut program for girl’s fitness and nutrition.
The program is aimed to help adolescent African American girls who are over-weight or at risk of becoming over-weight.
With 23% of African American girls obese in this country—the leading group of obese children—this program teaches healthy eating and involves the girls in physical activities like dance lessons. Adrienne feels “staying focused on the fun parts keeps [her] motivated;” as she’s already lost 12 pounds over eight-months.
With one in three children in this country overweight, the future health and productivity of an entire generation could be in jeopardy.
With the nation’s capital leading by poor example, bringing much attention and active solutions to the national crisis, Dr. Mao feels “this disease was once incurable, but through education and persistence childhood obesity can be the myth is once was back in the 1960’s.”
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