1. Preventing Childhood Obesity:
Educating Children about Nutrition
English 1
Prof. Tim Cramer
Santa Monica College
March 27, 2012
Presented by Supaporn Thienapirak

2. About childhood obesity in US
• One out of six children is obese
• About 12.5 million of children and adolescents
aged 2-19 years are obese
• Since 1980, obesity prevalence among
children and adolescents has tripled (“Smith and Robinson”)

3. Obese children are more likely to
become obese adults (“Childhood Obesity Vicious Cycle”)

4. Two components of childhood obesity
1. Physical inactivity 2. Improper nutrition

5. Landscape of food: Supermarket/food
Then (30 years ago) Now

6. Landscape of food: home
Then (30 years ago) Now

7. Landscape of food: School
Then (30 years ago) Now

8. What we can do?
As First Lady Michelle Obama says “This isn’t the kind
of problem that can be solved overnight, but with
everyone working together, it can be solved.
So, let’s move.” (“First Lady”)
To make a big change and success in solving
childhood obesity problem, we need to
educate children about nutrition.

9. BIG CORPORATIONS:
Supermarket &Fast Food
• Major Supermarkets need to put “food
ambassador” in the stores to educate and
help customer to choose healthier choices
• Big fast food chains need to put food
education as a core of their business

10. FAMILY
• Leading by example
• Encourage healthy
eating habits
• Be smart about snacks
and sweets
• Portion control

11. SCHOOL
• Teach students about
nutrition in class
• Add cooking class in the
program
• Have a garden set-up
for education (“Jamie”)

12. Q & A

13. Works cited
Birch, L. L., and A. K. Ventura. "Preventing Childhood Obesity: What Works?." International
Journal Of Obesity 33.(2009): S74-S81. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
<http://web.ebscohost.com.libdb.smc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=366276ab-1eea-
444c- 9e50-5179c1c25167%40sessionmgr115&vid=14&hid=110
Childhood Obesity Vicious Cycle. N.d. Photograph. BookBing.org <http://bookbing.org/wp-
content/uploads/childhood-obesity-vicious-cycle.jpg>
"First Lady Michelle Obama Launches Let's Move: America's Move to Raise a Healthier
Generation of Kids ." The White House. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/first-lady-michelle-obama-launches-lets-move-
americas-move-raise-a-healthier-genera>.
"Jamie Oliver's TED Prize Wish: Teach Every Child about Food | Video on TED.com." TED:
Ideas worth Spreading. Feb. 2010. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jamie_oliver.html>.
"KIDS HEART FELT HEALTH." KIDS HEART FELT HEALTH. Web. 27 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.kidsheartfelthealth.com/>.
"Learn The Facts." Let's Move! Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.letsmove.gov/learn-
facts/epidemic-childhood-obesity>.

14. Works cited
"McDonald's: Apple Slices in Every Happy Meal." USA Today. Gannett, 26 July 2011. Web. 27
Mar. 2012. <http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2011-07-26-McDonalds-
apples-happy-meal_n.htm>.
"Overweight and Obesity/Data and Statistics." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
dcd.gov, 12 Sep 2011. Web.26 Mar2012.<http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/data.html>
Rahman, Tamanna, Rachel A. Cushing, and Richard J. Jackson. "Contributions Of Built
Environment To Childhood Obesity." Mount Sinai Journal Of Medicine 78.1 (2011): 49-57.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
<http://web.ebscohost.com.libdb.smc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=2d881611-6167-
41a5-8280-58b0c74df76f%40sessionmgr114&vid=4&hid=125>
Smith, Melinda, and Robinson, Lawrence . "Childhood Obesity and Overweight Kids." Childhood
Obesity and Overweight Kids: Helping Your Child Reach a Healthy Weight. 23 Apr. 2010.
Web. 19 Mar. 2012. <http://www.helpguide.org/mental/childhood_obesity.htm>.