The rise in obesity and related disorders in children between the ages of 12-19 years-of-age has increased twofold since 1974 and threefold in children between the ages of six-11 years-of-age (Layden, 2004). Overall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 15% of all children in the six-19 age-range suffer from obesity as of 2000, (Layden, 2004). Due to a more sedentary lifestyle, increasing popularity of fast food, and other social phenomena, experts predict that ôObesity is soon going to overwhelm all other health issues in this country,ö (Layden, 2004, p. 83). Despite this trend, an increase in energy expenditure and a decrease in caloric intake make obesity one of the most preventable of all health issues.
Tim LaydenÆs (2004) article entitled Get Out and Play discusses various social phenomena that have contributed to increasing obesity among children between the ages of six-19. Layden (2004) provides an account of a variety of creatively designed efforts by health professionals, nutritionists, physical education experts and parents to combat these social phenomenon through increased physical exercise for children in this age range. The popularity of video games and parental fears that children are unsafe outdoors has tended to create a sedentary lifestyle among children. Likewise, the increase in popularity of high-caloric fast foods has also contributed to the obesity epidemic, including ôfat role modelsö portrayed in the media like Queen Latifah, Rosie OÆDonnell, and John Goodman, (Layden, 2004, p. 84). Many schools have initiated creative means of getting obese children to participate in exercise by allowing them to determine which activities in which they engage, as well as creating incentives that encourage obese children to be more motivated to participate in exercise. Such programs like Paw Pals have had the impact of helping children be more motivated to
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