Childhood obesity has grown to become one of the nation’s most pressing health problems. We have already seen a tremendous surge in adult obesity in the last 30 years. That rise in obesity among the adult population is shortening life expectancy and creating a terrible amount of early disease and suffering, with conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression, sleep disturbance and degenerative bone and joint disease.

Today, at least 1/4 of American children are seriously overweight. That number is expected to rise in the future unless we can do something about it.

But how do we tackle such a difficult problem?

As with any complex multifactorial problem, the best solutions start with understanding the root causes of the problem. In the field of Public Health, we talk about the “upstream, downstream” theory. In the upstream, downstream theory we recognize that problems are usually identified at some point downstream where they have begun to cause symptoms or disturbances. Sometimes those problems (example: Heart attack) demand immediate solutions right there in the stream. However, a broader understanding and approach to a more comprehensive solution requires turning and looking upstream to the root causes of the problems (example: Smoking and obesity as causes of heart attacks). Only when we look upstream can we truly identify root causes of complex problems and begin to offer solutions.

So looking upstream at childhood obesity we see many causes.

• We see a tremendous rise in the dietary consumption of high calorie, high carbohydrate meals.
• We see portion sizes increasing in meals across the board.
• We see an influx of high calorie, high carbohydrate commercial foods being brought into the schools and displacing more traditional meals that are prepared on site with fresher ingredients.
• We see a rise in the consumption of high fructose corn syrup and sugared soft drinks.
• We see a tremendous sophisticated effort on the part of the commercial food industry to market and advertise directly to our children and promote consumption of high calorie, high carbohydrate unhealthy food.
• We even see government subsidies of corn crops, and effectively, high fructose corn syrup.
• We see falling, strained budgets for American schools and greater reliance on commercial purveyors of fast food and soft drinks to fund extracurricular activities in schools.
• We see increasing concern about outdoor safety and security for our children and less willingness to let them run loose in the streets or parks.
• We also see tremendous increase in the sophistication and appeal of video games, movies and computer entertainment, which involves very little physical exertion.
• We see a tremendous rise in the average weight of the parents of the at risk children.

Wow! That is a stunning and formidable list of root causes, and there are certainly more.

How might we tackle this problem or at least begin to make inroads?

Well, before I founded the Obesity Prevention Foundation, I grappled quite a bit with these very questions. And while certainly there are no simple solutions, the recognition of these root causes leads to some avenues for intervention that might help us turn the tide on this terrible epidemic of childhood obesity.

For one thing, we must engage as many people in our communities as possible to work collectively to fight this problem. The best solutions are going to come from many fronts and are going to include some policy changes at the levels of local and state governments, school boards and the U.S. Congress.

We are all stewards of our nation’s young people. It is in everyone’s interest that we raise a generation of healthy active kids. It helps no one to promote obesity among our young people, no matter what the short-term profits are for soft drinks or fast foods. Not even the most cynical business person would argue against the idea that our collective interests lie in raising a generation of healthier eaters and less overweight kids.

So solutions begin with raising awareness and promoting education among all of the stewards of the community. This includes business leaders who understand that an educated, productive work force comes from a healthier, normal-weight generation of kids. It comes from educating our teachers and school administrators because they play such a critical role in forming school policies and childhood education programs. It comes from engaging and educating parents who can serve as better role models and encourage healthier eating among kids. And it comes from educating legislators and political leaders who need guidance and direction about how to attack the problem most effectively.

1. Be an example to your kids. Be physically active. Promote healthy eating. Strive for and maintain a normal weight.

2. Write a letter to the editor. Let your voice be heard in your local paper or newsletter. Let people know this is one of the most serious and worsening health problems in the country affecting our young people.

3. Joint the Parent Teacher Organization of your local schools. Ask about healthy hot lunches, snacks and meals for all the school children.

4. Write your member of congress. While you are bringing out the pen and paper, send a personal letter to your congressional representative. Let them know what a devastating problem this is in your community and in the nation. Collectively we can do something about it, but it will take change from the highest levels of government. A sample of such a letter is available at www.obesitypreventionfoundation.org.

5. Get outside! Take the neighborhood children outside at least three times a week for some vigorous activity. Take a long walk but bring a Frisbee or a football with you so you can run and catch during the walk. Make it fun and interesting for the kids.

6. Bring it to the Club. The importance of childhood obesity must be brought to the consciousness of everyone. If you belong to Rotary or Elks or a country club, or just your own reading group, bring it up at the club and encourage everyone to get engaged.

7. Support local school extracurricular activities and sports. One of the reasons schools must turn to fast food and soft drink sponsors, is that no one else is stepping up to the plate. Attend the games, encourage your community to take an active interest in sports and extracurricular activities that are “active” for the kids in your area. Then find ways to support them financially.

8. Volunteer. Public school libraries, hospitals and clinics, boys and girls clubs, youth programs: all of these programs, organizations and centers need volunteers. Be a volunteer who also brings awareness about healthy eating and exercise. If you read to toddlers or school children, make it active; between books or chapters stand up, do jumping jacks, go outside, walk, emphasize the importance of physical activity and healthy eating whenever you get a chance.

9. Be a volunteer coach. Today more than ever, the sports and extracurricular activities for youth depend upon coaches and parents who are in short supply and lead busy lives. If you once played soccer or volleyball or anything else, you might make a perfect volunteer assistant coach at a local school. Who knows, you may get tapped to start a new team or a junior varsity or, in some other way, bring in more children into an athletic environment. You could change a life.

10. Join the Obesity Prevention Foundation community today. And tell two friends. This project, to prevent childhood obesity, will take all of us. And together we can make a very important difference in the lives of young people.