Easy Does It
In essence, childhood obesity is the result of kids eating and drinking more calories than they are burning off through play, movement and growth. Because of this, research and attempts to address childhood obesity have often focused excessively on individual behaviors of parents and children and seldom on the environment where they live – an approach that largely has failed.
Social determinants of health refer to the conditions where people live, learn, work, play and worship that affect health and quality of life. These determinants can promote health. For example, neighborhoods with access to safe parks and green spaces and healthy food retailers may support healthy eating and physical activity for families.
But social determinants can also facilitate or encourage unhealthy behaviors. Because of their underlying role in contributing to health outcomes like childhood obesity, social determinants have been described as the “causes of the causes.” In other words, if poor diet is one of the causes of childhood obesity, then the social determinants that shape a family’s food environment – such as lack of neighborhood grocery stores or limited income to purchase healthy foods – would be a cause of that poor diet.
When it comes to food, societies in the U.S. and around the world are producing and consuming more calorie-dense ultra-processed foods. But for working parents with long hours or those with limited incomes, these are often the easiest or affordable options for feeding their children.
And children’s lifestyles have changed drastically, replacing physical activity with sedentary habits, in large part due to social media and screen time. This is a significant and growing area of concern and research.
The field of public health prioritizes making the healthy choice the easy choice. Combating the childhood obesity epidemic means making healthy eating and moving more an easier choice for children and families. However, the reality is that much of the world’s population now lives in places that make it more difficult to choose healthy behaviors.
Policies and programs that address these determinants are a critical part of curbing the childhood obesity epidemic. These include investing in community resources like playgrounds and free programs that get kids outside.
Some U.S. cities have implemented “sin taxes” on sugar-sweetened beverages to discourage consumption. Other policy examples include tax incentives and programs that increase access to healthy foods and lower their cost.
In my view, every kid should be able to swim in a safe and accessible community pool rather than relying on their screens to escape the blistering summer heat, and they should be able to access fresh and affordable produce in their neighborhood. Childhood obesity is a preventable condition that communities can reduce most effectively by increasing access to resources that will allow them to live healthy lives.