Obesity and Florida Students

What is the problem?

The 2009 Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicates that among high school students:

 Obesity

•10% were obese (students who were > 95th percentile for body mass index, by age and sex, based on reference data).

Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors

•78% ate fruits and vegetables less than five times per day during the 7 days before the survey. (1)

•67% ate fruit or drank 100% fruit juices less than two times per day during the 7 days before the survey.

•87% ate vegetables less than three times per day during the 7 days before the survey. (2)

•29% drank a can, bottle, or glass of soda or pop at least one time per day during the 7 days before the survey. (3)

Physical Inactivity

•19% did not participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on any day during the 7 days before the survey. (4)

•75% were physically active at least 60 minutes per day on less than 7 days during the 7 days before the survey. (4)

•56% did not attend physical education (PE) classes in an average week when they were in school.

•73% did not attend PE classes daily when they were in school.

•38% watched television 3 or more hours per day on an average school day.

•31% used computers 3 or more hours per day on an average school day. (5)

What are the solutions?

Better health education • More PE and physical activity programs • Healthier school environments

What is the status?

The 2010 Florida School Health Profiles indicates that among high schools:

Health Education ·         15% required students to take 2 or more health education courses. ·         68% had a health education curriculum that addresses all 8 national standards for health education. ·         74% taught 14 key nutrition and dietary behavior topics in a required course. ·         78% taught 12 key physical activity topics in a required course. ·         PE and Physical Activity ·         16% did not allow students to be exempted from taking a required PE course for certain reasons. (6) ·         73% offered opportunities for all students to participate in intramural activities or physical activity clubs.

School Environment ·         14% did not sell less nutritious foods and beverages anywhere outside the school food service program. ·         43% did not sell soda pop or fruit drinks that are not 100% juice from vending machines or at the school store, canteen, or snack bar. ·         29% always offered fruits or non-fried vegetables in vending machines and school stores, canteens, or snack bars, and during celebrations when foods and beverages are offered. ·         38% prohibited all forms of advertising and promotion of candy, fast food restaurants, or soft drinks in all locations. (7) ·         37% used the School Health Index or a similar self-assessment tool to assess their policies, activities, and programs in nutrition and physical activity.

1.         100% fruit juice, fruit, green salad, potatoes (excluding French fries, fried potatoes, or potato chips), carrots, or other vegetables.

2.         Green salad, potatoes (excluding French fries, fried potatoes, or potato chips), carrots, or other vegetables.

3.         Not including diet soda or diet pop.

4.         Doing any kind of physical activty that increased their heart rate and made them breathe hard some of the time.

5.         Played video or computer games or used a computer for something that was not school work.

6.         Enrollment in other courses, participation in school sports, participation in other school activities, participation in community sports activities, high physical fitness competency test score, participation in vocational training, and participation in community service activities.

7.         In school buildings; on school grounds, including on the outside of the school building, on playing fields, or other areas of the campus; on school buses or other vehicles used to transport students; and in school publications.

McDonald’s Shareholders Vote Against Childhood Obesity Report

By - Briana Rognlin

McDonald‘s has long been critiqued for contributing to obesity and chronic health problems, but this year the company’s shareholders themselves are battling over whether the company should publicly ‘fess up to their impact–specifically on child obesity. Shareholders voted on a resolution for better transparency with regards to the company’s health impact during their annual meeting, held yesterday in Oakbrook, Illinois. It’s the second year in a row that the resolution was voted down, but on the plus side: at least some are pushing for better corporate responsibility.

The resolution would have required the company to assess “the company’s policy responses to growing evidence of linkages between fast food and childhood obesity, diet-related diseases and other impacts on children’s health,” within reasonable cost and excluding proprietary information.

It’s easy to see why the proposal was shot down, but from a long-term perspective, many feel that such a report could actually do more to help the company than hurt it. As consumers continue to hold McDonald's in lower esteem–at least in part because of its lack of healthy options–it could end up boosting the brand’s image and sales to get a head start on addressing how their menu could be improved for the sake of customers’ health.

As Dr. Andrew Bremer, a pediatric endocrinologist and professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University, said in a statement on behalf of shareholder John Harrington:

McDonald’s can no longer ignore the spiraling costs of its business practices on our children’s health and on our health-care system.

And in an appeal to business-minded shareholders, he explained that refusing to adjust their menu and marketing, shareholders are exposing themselves to further risk; more likely to hurt the brand than boost it.

The proposal was shot down, with only 6.4% voting in its favor–but the proposal still sets a groundbreaking example for other companies.

Outgoing CEO Jim Skinner said that McDonald’s advertises responsibly to kids, and that he believes McDonald’s has done more than anyone else in fast food to offer healthy food options. We hope that his replacement has a more progressive attitude.

You can reach this post's author, Briana Rognlin, on twitter or via e-mail at briana@blisstree.com.