TRIMMING THE FAT: A SENSIBLE APPROACH TO THE CHILDHOOD OBESITY DIAGNOSIS (AND THE PRESCRIPTION)
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Date
2008-09-08T19:54:48Z
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Johns Hopkins University
Abstract
A significant amount of information on dietary habits, children’s Body Mass
Index, exercise patterns, television watching habits and other elements have flown
through the popular airwaves and policymaker circles regarding childhood obesity. A
2004 report by the Institute of Medicine depicted the issue as a problem of epic
proportions, while other authors have condemned that work and research supporting it as
inflated and based upon questionable research methods.
The following work offers a brief review of the literature, research, and policy
actions (both Federal and state) taken on childhood obesity to date, and argues that the
problem is legitimate, but not on a scope comparable to the solutions offered by the 2004
report. Global warming is used as a means of comparative leverage over the question of
exactly where childhood obesity lies in the policy issue life cycle, and analysis is offered
regarding the tactical mistakes made by childhood obesity stakeholders in their efforts to
achieve both public awareness and policy progress.
The work proceeds to argue that the combination of a well-targeted public
relations campaign, combined with structural reforms to the Food Stamp and child
nutrition programs, would provide the most appropriate solution to childhood obesity.
Research from the Center for Disease Control’s VERB campaign earlier this decade is
drawn upon to help shape the public relations campaign recommendations, and the
chapter on nutrition program reforms argues that these programs should be shifted
towards the Food Stamp program model where meals are provided via consumer
purchases rather than school kitchen staff. That chapter also suggests allowing states the
option of taking part in a pilot program where the state could bring Food Stamps, School
Lunch and School Breakfast-eligible foods under one purchasing regimen and then
negotiate with food companies for lower rates, which could account for the increased
costs of providing healthier food via these programs. Equally important, it is argued that
these recommendations and the necessary funding for them are politically viable.