The domino effect of childhood obesity
According to the American Obesity Association, more than 30 percent of American children and adolescents ages 6 - 19 are overweight, and close to 16 percent of those in the same age group are classified as obese.

Most of us are aware of the health risks associated with overweight and obesity, such as diabetes, heart disease, some forms of cancer, hypertension, and arthritis, but how seriously do we consider the effect obesity has on a child's self-esteem?

Fifty-two percent of Amherst youth report having a high self-esteem. What about the other 49 percent? Are we doing enough to help those youth?

A study of childhood obesity and self-esteem published in Pediatrics (Richard S. Strauss, 2000) finds decreasing levels of self-esteem in obese children to be associated with significantly increased rates of sadness, loneliness, and nervousness compared with obese children whose self-esteem increased or remained unchanged.

So not only are obese children running the risk of developing serious chronic illnesses, but there is a chance they can be emotionally impacted by their physical state as well.

In addition, the study found that obese children with decreasing levels of self-esteem over a four-year period were more likely to smoke and drink alcohol compared with obese children whose self-esteem increased or remained unchanged. In other words, substance abuse and all the physical ailments and consequences that can result from it are also linked to obesity.

By adopting the Search Institute Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth initiative, the Amherst Task Force has adopted 40 Developmental Assets the community will focus on for the good of Amherst youth - including self-esteem. According to the Search Institute and their extensive research on the healthy development of children and adolescents, these assets are "positive experiences, opportunities, and personal qualities that all children and adolescents from many cultural backgrounds need in order to be responsible, successful, and caring."

Other Developmental Assets categorized with self-esteem include other "positive identity assets," such as personal power, sense of purpose, and positive view of personal future.

Parents, teachers, and community members all serve as role models for our children and play a crucial role in the development of their eating habits, physical activity levels, and emotional development.

According to the Centers for Disease Controls (CDC), strategies to increase physical activity include parental involvement, role modeling, and consistent health messages.

Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents/caregivers to promote healthy eating and model behavior by making healthy food choices for themselves, and routinely promote physical activity including unstructured play at home and school. Adults also need to raise their own awareness of the impact that the media have on their children.

Are you aware, for example, that a study of sixth and seventh graders showed that for each hour they snacked in front of the TV (usually those snacks consisted of items advertised on the TV they were watching) they gained an additional 167 calories?

A good example of healthy living can be found in the Univera Healthcare created Fun 2B Fit program. The program strives to raise awareness of the importance of healthy habits for both children and their families in Western New York. Fun 2B Fit engages second, third, and fourth grade students in interactive elements that teach them lessons about healthy eating and being physically active - and most importantly, provides them with tools so they can have fun doing it ( www. fun2bfit. univerahealthcare. com).

The Amherst Task Force is happy and thankful for the opportunity to partner with Univera Healthcare on this article. Thank you to Virginia McAuliffe, public relations coordinator at Univera Healthcare for her contribution.

The Healthy Community*Healthy Youth column is presented as a forum for family discussion. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. If you have an idea for a topic, please let us hear from you. Send a note to the Amherst Task Force, 4255 Harlem Road, Amherst, N.Y. 14226 or e-mail Sally@eccpasa.info.