Combating Child Obesity with State of the Art Playground Equipment - Essay Example

? Combating Child Obesity with of the Art Playground Equipment A Proposal prepared by The Parent-Teacher Association for the Board of Directorsof Romar Academy Student’s name Professor’s name Course Title Date Transmittal Page This proposal has been prepared by the members of the Parent-Teacher Association for the Board of Directors of Romar Academy concerning the construction of a preschool playground which is believed to be a vital part of the school. With the growing concerns of childhood obesity, playgrounds are becoming a commonly used intervention strategy in its reduction or prevention. In view of this, the PTA recommends to the board a new state of the art playground for Romar Academy. Not only will it address the prevention of childhood obesity, but will also highly benefit the children’s emotional, psychological and social states as well. The PTA committee has acquired the architecture firm of Marshal and Peterson to help in the research of the potential resources needed. Mrs. Peterson child attends Romar Academy and is extending their services pro bono. The Marshal and Peterson firm have presented the PTA committee with a design for the construction of Romar Academy preschool playground. They have recommended the use of Pebble Flex surfacing system as the flooring material for the playground. Pebble Flex is number one in playground safety material. This advanced material provides superior safety, durability, longevity and effortless maintenance. This research-based proposal justifies the need for a new and improved playground facility for the children. It is fervently hoped that the Board of Directors of Romar Academy take careful consideration of this proposal and arrive at the best decision for the welfare of the children. Table of Contents Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………3 Introduction………………………………………………………………………….4 Problem Statement…………………………………………………………………..4 Method Used…………………………………………………………………………4 Findings from Research……………………………………………………………...5 Analysis………………………………………………………………………………8 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………8 References…………………………………………………………………………….9 Figures: Figure 1: Obesity Cycle……………………………………………………………….5 Figure 2: Places in the community where children are physically active……………7 Executive Summary As a proposal for the Board of Directors of Romar Academy, this paper discusses the risks that childhood obesity presents to children in the early childhood years. The main causes identified through research is the unhealthy diets available to children which include high fat/ high caloric junk food and drinks with low or no nutritional value, coupled with the lack of physical activity to burn off calories. The lack of physical activity is attributed to adopting a sedentary lifestyle encouraged by technological gadgets such as game consoles, television, computers, the internet, and many others. These engage children in passive activities. In addition, the environmental progress of eradicating some parks and natural play grounds for children to build buildings for industry and residences. Although this may be considered progress, it may not benefit the physical health of children due to the fact that they have less access to locations where they can release their excess physical energy. Obesity in children puts them at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, orthopedic problems, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease and other debilitating diseases, not to mention being a target for teasing, bullying and other negative treatment from peers. Such conditions leave the obese child with a negative sense of self making him further prone to psychological and social discrimination. These consequences can be prevented with early and sensible interventions such as the provision of more nutritious, less-sugar, less-fat, fiber-rich diet that does not include junk food and drinks that provide empty calories. Another intervention is to get children more physically through daily physical exercise. To encourage children to go outdoors and play actively, parks and playgrounds are recommended venues for them to expend their energies. A suitable, developmentally-appropriate playground is highly recommended. Such playground needs to be well-designed and well-planned with children’s safety in mind. One safety feature that is worth considering in the design of the playground is the installation of Pebble Flex material that is effective in cushioning falls and preventing injury. Studies have shown that children who have easy access to playgrounds on a regular basis develop more friendships, have less likelihood to be obese and are more healthy than children who are unable do not. It is believed that allowing children to freely play in such playground under the close supervision of adept adults, will ensure that children’s physical development is enhanced, thereby preventing the onset of childhood obesity. Introduction Childhood Obesity has been on the rise in recent years as a consequence of consuming high-fat, high-caloric foods easily accessible to children as well as the prevalent decrease in physical activity. Some parents usually regard their “cute and chubby” children as hearty eaters and find satisfaction in seeing their children eat with so much pleasure. However, they may be unaware that the excess weight their children are gaining may bring them negative outcomes which not only threaten their health but also their social and emotional development. Hence, children should not only be given more healthy alternatives to eat but also be encouraged to engage more in physical exercise to keep them fit and healthy and to prevent obesity from creeping in. Since play is naturally enjoyable for children, it can be used as a motivator for them to get up and move around with their peers as a form of physical activity. Parks and playgrounds are natural venues where children get to run around, chase one another, climb on the play equipment, push themselves to swing, hang on monkey bars and test their own physical balance and motor coordination. Not only do these places provide entertainment to children, but also engage them in various activities to enhance their learning, growth and development. Problem Statement The problem addressed in this paper is the growing childhood obesity in young children. Obesity exists when the weight exceeds 120% of the median weight for its height. There is an abnormally large amount of fat stored in the body of obese people. Obesity levels among American children have tripled over the last two decades. A recent study has shown that obesity affects 11% of preschoolers in the age group of 2 to 5. Georgia has an over-all childhood obesity rate of 37.7%. Overweight preschoolers have strong tendencies to grow into overweight adolescents who have a 70% chance of being an overweight adult. Chances may increase to 10% if one or more parent is overweight. One out of five, 4-year-olds is considered obese in America. Seven percent of 15 years old children are consider clinical obese (childobesitycause.info). Childhood obesity has two main effects: poor health and emotional pain. Being an obese child can cause serious health problems like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, liver disease and sleep disorders which usually carry over into adulthood. The emotional and psychological effects that obesity has on a child can impact their school work and social devolvement in a negative way. A child may develop low self esteem from dealing with social discrimination. Social discrimination due to obesity can cause bullying. Behavior and learning problems has been linked to obesity. It is also known to cause stress, depression and anxiety which often lead to substance abuse (childobesitycause.info). Method Used Thorough research on Childhood Obesity has been undertaken for this paper. Literature review was done to find out about the causes, effects and possible solutions to the problem of obesity in young children. One effective solution is to encourage children to play outdoors to exercise their large motor muscles in running, biking, climbing, swinging and sliding on playground equipment. Findings from Research As of 2010, it was estimated by the World Health Organization (2011)that more than 43 million children worldwide under the age of five were diagnosed as overweight. This staggering number is alarming because if nothing is done for these overweight children to significantly reduce their weight, they have a greater probability to be obese later in life. Obesity is defined as excess body fat measured by an estimate of the body mass index (BMI) (Wadden et al., 2002). A BMI over 25 kg/m2 is classified as overweight while a BMI ?30 kg/m2 is classified as obese. Obesity in children puts them at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, orthopedic problems, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease and other debilitating diseases (Snorof et al., 2004). Being obese makes a child become a target for teasing, negative reactions and even bullying, leaving the child prone to psychological and social discrimination. Usually when an obese child becomes victimized of such negative behaviors from others, it sets off negative feelings and develops low self-esteem and even depression (Holmes, 1998) (See Figure 1). Such outcomes may prove detrimental to the children’s growth and development, hence the obesity issue needs to be dealt with as soon as possible or else their obesity continues on to adulthood, and their health problems begin to escalate (Barnes, 2011). In order to address the issue of obesity by finding solutions and strategies for it, its causes should be evaluated. Experts agree that the combination of the availability of energy-dense processed foods and lack of physical activity may be the culprit of obesity. Furedi explains the cause of obesity to be consumption of too much food eaten throughout the day coupled with a lack of activity to burn the calories ingested. Reducing these behaviors and encouraging routine activity is an important strategy in reducing childhood obesity (Sallies & Glanz, 2006). Fig.1 Obesity Cycle (from http://www.bigboysintraining.com/obesity-prevention.php) Media and technological advances also play a huge role in the current proliferation of childhood obesity because it is one major cause of the decrease in children’s physical activity. Technological gadgets such as computers, game consoles, videos, the internet, etc. makes it more attractive for children to just stay home and lead a sedentary lifestyle. They are already adequately entertained with the multitude of choices within their reach. That is why they find less need to play outside because there are a lot of available conveniences and entertainment indoors for them. Hence, playing games, running around, climbing trees, bicycling, etc. are slowly becoming things of the past. Physical exercise for these children is not given much priority anymore. Still another factor that contributes to childhood obesity is the environmental progress of eradicating some parks and natural play grounds for children to build buildings for industry and residences. Although this may be considered progress, it may not benefit the physical health of children due to the fact that they have less access to locations where they can release their excess physical energy (Schmidt, 2003). In 2005, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) worked on a brief on childhood obesity, proving that most experts identified physical activity and the use of best practices as the key to successful health program interventions. They cited school-based and community based strategies to prevent children from being obese. A concrete evidence is the United States of America’s campaign for a concerted effort among schools, parents, government agencies and various institutions to encourage children to be more physically active, eat more nutritious foods and use of best practices for successful health promotion programs for children. These are detailed in a paper presented to Congressional requesters in 2005. It provides information on program strategies and elements experts have identified as likely to contribute to success in addressing childhood obesity. Cynthia Bascetta, director of Health Care wrote, “The term “program strategy” refers to the issue to be addressed by the program, such as improving nutrition choices and eating habits or increasing physical activity. Components of the program that can affect its success are referred to as “program elements.” For example, conducting a needs assessment prior to implementation, using best practice or evidence-based programs, and conducting program evaluation are all considered program elements” (GAO, 2005). Successful health promotion programs consider all aspects of a child’s development which includes physical, mental, social, emotional, societal and also environmental (Ewles & Simnett, 2004). Parents and educators should advocate for more nutritious diets for children. Engaging in sports, dance and other exercise programs on a regular basis will definitely be advantageous for young children to balance the sedentary, academic activities they have in school. It builds their muscular strength and endurance and provides a cardiovascular workout. It also helps children build character as they learn to persist in a skill and to deal with competition and cooperation with others. It helps children to be more rounded individuals who may be equipped with the necessary skills to survive in a tough world. Parents should be well-educated on the advantages of physical exercise in their children and should be more vigilant in encouraging them to take part regularly in exercise. The most economical way for children to engage in physical activity is playing outdoors in a playground. Active Living Research (2011) define a playground as “a small, publicly owned, outdoor area that features play equipment and provides recreational physical activity for younger children” (p. 2). Grow et al. (2008) found that neighborhoods which were very supportive of children’s physical development have more playgorunds, and these neighborhoods were generally connected, had less traffic, crime rate is low and were more aesthetically pleasing than neighborhoods without playgrounds.Potwarka et al. (2008) concluded from their study that children who lived near playgrounds are likely to have healthier weights than those who did not have easy access to playgrounds. Figure 2. Places in the community where children are physically active (from: Active Living Research, 2011). Playgrounds should be designed with children’s safety as the topmost priority, hence materials and equipment should be carefully selected. Risk of injuries are prevented or reduced with planning age- and developmentally-appropriate play areas supported by soft surfaces, proper maintenance and adequate adult supervision (Purvis & Hisch, 2003). Playgrounds should comply the standards set by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission which has provided guidelines that represent credible information on playground design, recommended materials and equipment which support children’s safety during active play. One example is the use of Pebble Flex material for surfacing purposes (Landscape Structures, 2012). This material utilizes an advanced bond-in-place technology where millions of pebbles bond together to create unparalleled surfaces that stand up to the demands of weather extremes and active use. They are seamless, resilient surfaces designed for endless play (Landscape Structures, 2012, para. 2). Pressley et al. (2005) emphasize the need for the identification of potential safety risks in playgrounds as well as the utilization of community coalitions in fostering playground safety. In achieving these, long-term improvements in play environments are ensured. Thus, involvement of parents, children and working with playground construction experts in the building and maintenance of playgrounds and supervision of children’s play in them keep children safe and even extend the durability and life of the play equipment. Analysis Young children are naturally active and curious. They move around to explore the world around them often learning a thing or two about the environment they live in. During play, children get to enhance their over-all development – physically, as they exercise their small and large muscles while in motion; cognitively, as they think up of creative solutions to certain problems at play or think up of games with others; socially as they learn to get along well with their peers with various personalities; and emotionally, as they master their own emotions while dealing with various play situations. Being so, play should be regarded as a central element that contributes to children’s learning, growth and development. A well-equipped playground for children becomes a necessity especially in preschools where children experience being with other children for the first time. Not only does it address the holistic development of children, but more importantly, it encourages children’s health and fitness by allowing them to engage in physically active play. The literature suggests that playgrounds help prevent obesity in young children. It is a good attraction for children to venture outdoors instead of being cooped up at home with a sedentary lifestyle with technological gadgets, or engaging in physically passive activities. Playgrounds should be kept safe and this is ensured with good planning, consistent maintenance and supervision of adults during children’s play. Conclusion In order to prevent or reduce the likelihood of childhood obesity especially in the early years, adults should be responsible in feeding young children with highly nutritious food and avoid giving them junk food. Increasing physical activity to exercise children’s growing body muscles will not only improve their body coordination and balance but keep them physically fit and healthy. Another recommendation is to bring them regularly to parks or play grounds which are inherently attractive to children and easily motivate them to engage in active play. References Active Living Research, (2011) The Potential of Safe, Secure and Accessible Playgrounds to Increase Children’s Physical Activity, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, San Diego State University. Barnes, J. (2011) Childhood Obesity: Statistics and Trends. Retrieved on February 28, 2012 from http://www.stop-childhood-obesity.com/childhood-obesity-statistics.html Ewles, L. & Simnett, I. (2004) Promoting Health - A Practical Guide.5th Edition. BailliereTindall, London Grow H.M., Saelens B.E., Kerr J., et al.(2008) Where are Youth Active? Roles of Proximity, Active Transport, and Built Environment, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 40(12): 2071-2079 Holmes, B. (1998). Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in America: What's a parent to do? University of Wyoming, Cooperative Extension Service B-I066, 1-12. Landscape Structures (2012) Breakthrough Surfacing, Retrieved on February 28, 2012 from http://www.pebbleflex.com/surfacing.html Sallies, J. & Glanz, K. (2006) The role of built environments in physical activity, eating, and obesity in childhood. The Future of Children.Vol 16, No.1 Schmidt, C.W. (2003) Obesity: A Weighty Issue for Children, Environmental Health Perspectives. Vol. 111 No. 13 Potwarka, L.R., Kaczynski, A.T. and Flack, A.L. (2008) Places to Play: Association of Park Space and Facilities with Healthy Weight Status among Children, Journal of Community Health, 33(5): 344-350 Pressley, J.C., Barlow, B., Durkin, M., et al. (2005) A National Program for Injury Prevention in Children and Adolescents: The Injury Free Coalition for Kids, Journal of Urban Health, 82(3): 389-402 Public Playground Safety Handbook (2008) Washington: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Purvis, J.M. and Hirsch, S.A. (2003) Playground Injury Prevention, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, (409): 11-19 United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) (2005) “Childhood Obesity: Most Experts Identified Physical Activity and the Use of Best Practices as Key to Successful Programs” Briefing for Staff of Congressional Requesters, September 8, 2005 Wadden, T. A,, Brownell, K. D. & Foster, G. D. (2002) Obesity: Responding to the global epidemic. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Vol.70, pp. 510-525. Figures: Obesity cycle picture taken from: http://www.bigboysintraining.com/obesity-prevention.php Places in the community where children are physically active taken from: activelivingresearch.org Read More