Friday, March 6th of Obesity Care Week (#OCW2021) is focused on the topic of childhood obesity. While this can be a sensitive topic, it is important to talk about it because childhood obesity places kids at risk for diseases that were once only seen in adults, such as type 2 diabetes. When childhood obesity goes untreated, health complications will likely continue to worsen in adulthood.
It is crucial that we work to prevent obesity in children and treat it when it becomes present. Childhood obesity affects more than 18% of children, making it the most common chronic disease of childhood. Adding to this issue is the compounded stigma that children with obesity often face, as 92% of children report that they witness their peers affected by obesity and excess weight being teased at school.
Addressing Childhood Obesity
Like adult obesity, we know that childhood obesity is not simple and that there are a lot of factors involved. Additionally, children and adolescents deserve equal access to care. Parents, caregivers and healthcare providers need to be armed with resources and tools necessary to treat and prevent childhood obesity.
To dive into the topic of childhood obesity further and give you the key takeaways, watch this video that the OAC produced for #OCW2021. It features an interview between Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, an obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; and Nikki Massie, MA, an OAC National Board Member and volunteer who has navigated the topic of childhood obesity within her own family.
OAC’s Resources on Childhood Obesity
- Understanding Childhood Obesity Brochure
- Understanding Childhood Obesity Stigma
- Understanding Childhood Obesity Poster
- What is Childhood Obesity?
- Kid’s Corner articles of OAC’s Weight Matters Magazine
For more #OCW2021 resources on childhood obesity, click here.
Help Spread the Word During #OCW2021!
- Tweet this! Comprehensive #obesity healthcare for children is needed to help families on their health journey. @OCW2021 @ObesityCareWeek https://www.obesitycareweek.org/childhood-obesity/
- Tweet this! Childhood #obesity places kids at risk for diseases once only seen in adults. #OCW2021 @ObesityCareWeek https://www.obesitycareweek.org/childhood-obesity/
To learn more about #OCW2021 and get involved, sign-up for OCW Alerts.