Proposal Draft

A Proposal to Decrease the Prevalence of Childhood Obesity
For:
The School District of Oconee County
414 S Pine St
Walhalla, SC 29691

Submitted by:
Shakeeta Feaster
Department of English
Clemson University

October 19, 2009


















Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………….……………..1
II. Why is it a Problem…………………………………………………………………………………………….………………2
III. What We Hope to Do/Possible Solutions…………………………………………………………………………..3
IV. Action Plan……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3-4
V. References…………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………….…4

Executive Summary
We are writing to propose new ways of decreasing the prevalence of childhood obesity in our society. Over the past 50 years, childhood obesity has been steadily on the incline with no signs of slowing. Childhood obesity can lead to a number of health issues now and when they become older adults. We have identified several solutions to this epidemic including increasing the amount of physical activity children get at school, offering healthier food options at school, and educating children about the effects, positive and negative, of the foods they eat. If these solutions were to be implemented in elementary schools, the prevalence of childhood obesity and its related health effects would significantly decrease.

Childhood Obesity is a Severe Problem
For the youngest generation in our country, 9 million of them will be considered overweight or obese by age 6 (Ad Council, 2009). In South Carolina, 14% of high school students were obese in 2007 and that number is on the incline (1). The short term effects of childhood obesity include elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, a decreased energy level, and the possibility of having a negative well-being from being picked on by other students or from having a negative self-image. Childhood obesity also has many long-term effects, the most sever being a shorter life span. Research finds that 300,000 deaths a year are associated with obesity. Children who are obese have a seventy percent chance of being obese adults and this can lead to the onset of several chronic diseases including Type II Diabetes.



Possible Solutions
1. Require Physical Education classes in daily/weekly curriculum
2. Encourage physical activity outside of school
3. Incorporate healthier food/drink choices in school lunches and vending machines
a. Increase cost of “unhealthy” food choices
4. Incorporate nutrition education in school curriculum
a. Send information home to parents also so that families can be fully aware of food’s impact
b. Children would be more likely to adopt a healthier style of living if they were aware of the truly negative impacts that their diet has on their life (short- and long-term)

Action Plan
What Has Been Done So Far

Because this is such a problem in our society, not much has been done but there are several health initiatives in place that are trying to combat the issue. On the national scale, there is the “Play 60 campaign”, a NFL-sponsored program that uses NFL players to encourage kids to be physical active for at least 60 minutes a day. Here in South Carolina, there is the “Eat Smart, Move More” Initiative, whose vision is to “have a South Carolina in which healthy eating and active living are the pillars of healthy lifestyles in healthy communities” (Eat More, April 2009)

What We Hope to Do
On A basic level, we would encourage the students to be a part of the “Play 60” Initiative and get the recommended 60 minutes of play a day. On a policy level, we will encourage schools to contract with companies that serve healthy food so that it can replace “junk food” in the cafeteria and vending machines. Also, we would hope that the schools to hire a nutritionist and a wellness coach to help the schools more easily adapt to a healthier lifestyle and to draft the materials that would be sent home to the families so that they could adopt a healthy lifestyle also. We would also get the parents involved by having them offer their opinions during PTA and school board meetings about how we could make these programs a success.



References

Ad Council Childhood Obesity: Accessed online at www.adcouncil.gov

Figure 1. Accessed Online at http://eatsmartmovemoresc.org/sc-facts/

NFL Play 60: Accessed online at http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80b4a489&template=with-video&confirm=true