2011 Interdisciplinary Perspectives Presentations
Location
UMass Boston Campus Center Ballroom C
Start Date
28-4-2011 4:00 PM
End Date
28-4-2011 6:00 PM
Description
Obesity has become an epidemic amongst American youth in the 21st century, and is spreading not only into other developed nations such as the UK and Australia, but is also beginning to effect developing nations such as India (Bhardwaj, 2008). It is estimated that nationwide, childhood obesity affects around 17% of American children (Center For Disease Control, 2011). Obesity has been linked to many health disorders, including but not limited to, heart disease and diabetes. Subsequently, this rise in childhood obesity is having a severe impact on the healthcare services sector in America, with some studies suggesting childhood obesity in the United States could cost as much as 11 billion annually for children with private insurance and 3 billion for children on Medicare (Thomson Medstat, 2006). An important question parents, teachers, and researchers have often asked, is “How can we reduce childhood obesity?” More specifically, how does school cafeteria policy towards obesity potentially effect student obesity rates? Can schools implement certain policies with dramatic reductions in childhood obesity? When looking at obesity rates within the states of Massachusetts, why do schools in regions that have similar socio-economic conditions (the most often cited causes of childhood obesity) have vastly different childhood obesity rates? How can measuring internal factors and communicating them to parents affect external factors? Is the communication and metric system that Arlington, a district with an obesity rate of 4.6% more effective than a city like that of Newton, a city which has a childhood obesity rate of 9%? In particular, we will look at the effectiveness of online tools and metrics in helping to reduce childhood obesity.
Included in
Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, Human and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons
The Importance of Metrics and Communication in Cafeteria School Policy
UMass Boston Campus Center Ballroom C
Obesity has become an epidemic amongst American youth in the 21st century, and is spreading not only into other developed nations such as the UK and Australia, but is also beginning to effect developing nations such as India (Bhardwaj, 2008). It is estimated that nationwide, childhood obesity affects around 17% of American children (Center For Disease Control, 2011). Obesity has been linked to many health disorders, including but not limited to, heart disease and diabetes. Subsequently, this rise in childhood obesity is having a severe impact on the healthcare services sector in America, with some studies suggesting childhood obesity in the United States could cost as much as 11 billion annually for children with private insurance and 3 billion for children on Medicare (Thomson Medstat, 2006). An important question parents, teachers, and researchers have often asked, is “How can we reduce childhood obesity?” More specifically, how does school cafeteria policy towards obesity potentially effect student obesity rates? Can schools implement certain policies with dramatic reductions in childhood obesity? When looking at obesity rates within the states of Massachusetts, why do schools in regions that have similar socio-economic conditions (the most often cited causes of childhood obesity) have vastly different childhood obesity rates? How can measuring internal factors and communicating them to parents affect external factors? Is the communication and metric system that Arlington, a district with an obesity rate of 4.6% more effective than a city like that of Newton, a city which has a childhood obesity rate of 9%? In particular, we will look at the effectiveness of online tools and metrics in helping to reduce childhood obesity.
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