scholarly journals Obesogenic environment and childhood obesity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Jia
2014 ◽  
pp. 111-132
Author(s):  
Kristin Voigt ◽  
Stuart G. Nicholls ◽  
Garrath Williams

Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 230
Author(s):  
Daniel Campos ◽  
Mireia Escudero-Marín ◽  
Camila M. Snitman ◽  
Francisco J. Torres-Espínola ◽  
Hatim Azaryah ◽  
...  

The prevalence of childhood obesity continues to increase. Screen time, one of the most documented reasons for the obesogenic environment, enhances childhood obesity, since advertisements for unhealthy food products are still broadcast on channels for children. This is presently one of the main challenges for the government in Spain, since the current laws and obligations are not updated. This study aims to analyze food advertising aimed at children on Spanish television in 2013 and 2018 on children’s and general channels to test the effect of laws and obligations over time. In total, we viewed 512 h of the most viewed channels, two children’s and two general channels, during the week and on weekends during specific periods of 2013 and 2018. Food advertising was categorized as core, non-core, and other food advertisement (CFA, NCFA, and OFA, respectively) according to the nutritional profile. A total of 2935 adverts were analyzed, 1263 in 2013 and 1672 in 2018. A higher proportion of NCFAs were broadcast on children’s channels than in prior years, rising from 52.2% to 69.8% (p < 0.001). Nowadays, the risk of watching NCFAs on children’s channels compared to general channels turns out to be higher (Odds ratio > 2.5; p < 0.001), due to exposure to adverts for high-sugar and high-fat foods such as cakes, muffins, cookies, and fried and frozen meals rich in fat. In conclusion, the trends of nutritional profiles in food advertising on television are worsening over time, since the prevalence of NCFAs was higher in 2018 than in 2013. Currently, CFAs are not mainly broadcast on children’s channels, confirming high-risk exposure to non-core food advertising by watching them. Thus, food advertising laws and obligations should be adapted to increase compliance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 430 ◽  
Author(s):  
SaurabhRamBihariLal Shrivastava ◽  
PrateekSaurabh Shrivastava ◽  
Jegadeesh Ramasamy

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 477-482
Author(s):  
Maximilian Andreas Storz

The childhood obesity pandemic has emerged as an important public health problem in many countries. Obese children are likely to become obese adults, and adult obesity is associated with an increased risk of morbidity. Therefore, controlling the childhood obesity epidemic has become a top public health priority worldwide. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may significantly impede this important mission and constitute an unprecedented tragedy in the global battle against childhood obesity. This manuscript presents evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic will aggravate the childhood obesity epidemic and lead to significant weight gain in school children by creating an unprecedented obesogenic environment. Within the last few months, many countries took uncompromising measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including school closures and quarantine. While these steps are often necessary to ensure infection control, they may have a significant negative effect on children's mental and physical health. Physical, nutritional, and psychosocial factors that promote obesity in children during this special situation complementarily contribute to an unprecedented obesogenic environment. Large-scale quarantine and home confinement will impose new and unfamiliar stressors on children, thereby worsening the childhood obesity epidemic. Most importantly, adverse childhood events resulting from a predicted increase in domestic violence within the next few months will significantly contribute to this concern. The scenario presented in this review is of paramount public health importance and must be considered during future pandemic planning. Involved stakeholders, including governments, schools, and families, must make all possible efforts to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on childhood obesity.


PsycCRITIQUES ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (35) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Lee ◽  
Kenneth Littlefield
Keyword(s):  

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