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The environment and pediatric overweight: a review for nurse practitioners
1School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. cmcadams@mclennan.edu
Insights
Environmental factors significantly influence children's eating and activity habits, contributing to overweight and obesity. Nurse practitioners must identify these influences to implement effective prevention strategies for pediatric overweight.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatric Health
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Pediatric obesity is a major public health threat in the United States.
- It is a leading preventable cause of disease and death across all age groups.
- An energy-dense diet and low physical activity create an environment that promotes obesity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review environmental determinants affecting eating and physical activity behaviors in the pediatric population.
- To identify factors contributing to overweight status in children.
- To inform healthcare providers on preventing pediatric overweight.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of selected articles on pediatric obesity and overweight.
- Analysis of federal government publications on pediatric overweight, physical activity, and dietary habits.
Main Results:
- Environmental factors play a critical role in shaping children's dietary and physical activity behaviors.
- Specific environmental supports and barriers influence pediatric overweight status.
- Identifying these environmental influences is key to successful prevention.
Conclusions:
- Obesity requires immediate attention as a significant public health issue.
- Nurse practitioners (NPs) must proactively implement strategies to prevent chronic disease in children and adolescents.
- Tailoring interventions to address environmental influences is crucial for preventing and reducing the overweight epidemic.
Purpose:
The primary aim of this article is to review environmental determinates on eating and physical activity behaviors that lead to overweight status in the pediatric population.
Data Sources:
Selected articles on pediatric obesity and overweight and federal government publications addressing pediatric overweight, physical activity, and dietary habits.
Conclusions:
Obesity is one of the leading preventable causes of disease and death in the United States and is considered a major public health threat to Americans of all ages. An energy-dense diet coupled with low physical activity creates an environment conducive to obesity. Obesity warrants immediate attention and nurse practitioners (NPs) must implement proactive strategies to prevent the development of chronic disease in American children and adolescents. An initial key to successful prevention is identification of environmental supports and barriers that influence pediatric overweight.
Implications For Practice:
NPs must identify at-risk and overweight youth and translate current research findings into their practices. Designing and implementing age and family appropriate strategies that address positive and negative environmental influences is crucial to prevent or reduce the overweight epidemic.
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