Let’s delve deeper into the case of Anthony to better understand his circumstances and challenges. Anthony is a 10-year-old boy who has been struggling with obesity. He comes from a low-income family, and his parents are concerned about his health. Anthony’s parents have sought your help to understand the factors contributing to his condition and to receive guidance on improving his nutrition.
Anthony’s Daily Routine
Anthony’s daily routine provides valuable insights into his lifestyle and habits:
Anthony wakes up at 7:00 AM and quickly gets ready for school.
He usually skips breakfast due to time constraints and heads to the bus stop at 7:30 AM.
School starts at 8:00 AM, and he has a packed lunch from home, typically consisting of a sandwich, chips, and a sugary juice box.
After school, he returns home at 3:30 PM and often spends his free time watching television or playing video games.
Anthony’s family frequently orders fast food or opts for inexpensive, calorie-dense meals for dinner, as cooking fresh and nutritious meals is challenging given their financial constraints.
Bedtime is around 9:00 PM.
Case Study Questions
What are the key factors contributing to childhood obesity, and how do they relate to Anthony’s case, considering his family’s socioeconomic status and his daily routine?
What are the short-term and long-term health consequences of childhood obesity, particularly in relation to nutrition, and how might these impact Anthony’s future given his daily routine?
Given Anthony’s family’s financial constraints and his daily routine, what practical and affordable dietary modifications can they implement to support him in achieving a healthier weight
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There are many factors that influence obesity. Read the articles on each of four factors that we will be discussing in this module.
Genetics
is an in depth peer-reviewed journal article that refences the (1990-2003 – project mapped the human genome) and looks at genes that have the highest risk of the obesity phenotype. Phenotype is a set of visible characteristics of a person that results from the interaction of its genotype and environment. Genotype is the genetic makeup of a person. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) have been ongoing since 2007 to help link gene variations and diseases.
Socioeconomic Status
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey (2005-2008). for more details on their key findings*:
Low income children and adolescents are more likely to be obese than their higher income counterparts, but the relationship is not consistent across race and ethnicity groups.
Most obese children and adolescents are not low income (below 130% of the poverty level).
Children and adolescents living in households where the head of household has a college degree are less likely to be obese compared with those living in households where the household head has less education, but the relationship is not consistent across race and ethnicity groups.
Between 1988-1994 and 2007-2008 the prevalence of childhood obesity increased at all income and education levels.
*information from This article summarizes findings of research done in Europe from 2011-2021. Do you see any differences? similarities?
Environment
Environmental factors play a significant role in the the development of children. The school is a significant environment for children as they spend a lot of their developing time there. The food that is consumed at school, whether from school lunches, food packed from home, or food traded at school influences taste preferences and dietary choices as an adult. In our next module, we will be discussing nutrition, USDA School Meal Guidelines and the importance of these guidelines in promoting healthier choices.
Behavior
The effects of any different aspects of behavior affect childhood obesity. In the fourth module, we will be focusing on examining the effects of physical activity (and lack of physical activity) on childhood obesity. Some of the causes of decreased physical activity include increased screen time and increased sedentary behavior. We will also be examining the “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans” form the U.S Department of Health and Human Services.
READING:
Factors Affecting Childhood Obesity
There are many factors that influence obesity. Read the articles on each of four factors that we will be discussing in this module.
Genetics
is an in depth peer-reviewed journal article that refences the (1990-2003 – project mapped the human genome) and looks at genes that have the highest risk of the obesity phenotype. Phenotype is a set of visible characteristics of a person that results from the interaction of its genotype and environment. Genotype is the genetic makeup of a person. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) have been ongoing since 2007 to help link gene variations and diseases.
Socioeconomic Status
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey (2005-2008).
for more details on their key findings*:
Low income children and adolescents are more likely to be obese than their higher income counterparts, but the relationship is not consistent across race and ethnicity groups.
Most obese children and adolescents are not low income (below 130% of the poverty level).
Children and adolescents living in households where the head of household has a college degree are less likely to be obese compared with those living in households where the household head has less education, but the relationship is not consistent across race and ethnicity groups.
Between 1988-1994 and 2007-2008 the prevalence of childhood obesity increased at all income and education levels.
*information from
This article summarizes findings of research done in Europe from 2011-2021. Do you see any differences? similarities?