This week, Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Kathleen Head about strategies and tips to help prevent obesity in children. Dr. Head is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and Associate Medical Director of the MUSC Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Approximately one in every five U.S. children and adolescents has obesity. Doctor Kathleen Head is here to talk about reducing the risk of childhood obesity. Doctor Head is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and she's the Associate Medical Director of the MUSC Boeing Center for Children's Wellness. Doctor Head, give us more details about what's going on related to rates of childhood obesity in the US and also in South Carolina.
Dr. Head: In the early 1980s. About 6% of children in the US had obesity, but today that number has risen to 1 in 5 children. So that's 20% of the US children who have obesity. And obesity affects more kids in some groups, like those who live in lower income households or those in minority groups like Black or Hispanic households. Interestingly enough, South Carolina school age children have a rate of 23% obesity, so that's higher than the national average.
Conner: What sorts of health complications or chronic conditions are more likely when a child does have obesity?
Dr. Head: Obesity can increase the risk of a number of health complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and even things like depression or arthritis.
Conner: What are the main healthy lifestyle routines then, that are actually effective in preventing childhood obesity?
Dr. Head: 75% of what goes into a healthy weight is actually nutrition. So, we want to focus on getting our kids whole foods, things that come directly from a plant or an animal. And this can include canned or frozen items to save money. It's recommended that our children get five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. We also want to incorporate things like nuts, seeds, whole grains, low fat dairy, and lean meats. And of course, we want to eliminate those sugar sweetened beverages like sodas. And then any child under two should not be drinking juice, and other children should get no more than 4 to 8oz of juice every day. Other things that are important are physical activity, 60 minutes a day for kids, and then also a healthy day starts with good sleep.
Conner: I'm guessing if you get this sort of healthy eating routine started early in your child's life, it's a lot easier than getting it started when your child's a teenager.
Dr. Head: Yes, we build healthy habits very early in life, although it's never too late to start building healthy habits. Teenagers are exceptionally good at making goals and then getting really excited when they make those goals. So don't think that you can't start new traditions with your families even when your kids are older.
Conner: And for families who really do need to make a fairly big change switching to healthier foods, how do they really get going with that and then make it stick?
Dr. Head: Well, big changes come from accomplishing many small goals. So, what I would recommend is looking at what you're eating for dinner. If you're going out for fast food several times a week, make a goal to reduce that to one time per week and then look at what you can cook at home really easily. If you want to batch cook a bunch of rice at the beginning of the week, and use that for the rest of the week with your veggies and your meats, go ahead and do that to fill in the rest of those nights. That'll last in the refrigerator for several days. Make a small goal and add to that once you've accomplished that goal.
Conner: Doctor Head, thanks for talking with us about preventing childhood obesity.
Dr. Head: You're welcome Bobbi, thanks so much for having me on.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
