Childhood obesity in the United States of America with a special focus on Native American reservation dwelling youths: The problem, the treatments, and how psychology can help

Abstract

Childhood obesity has become a significant public health problem in the United States over the last several decades. Obese children are at increased risk of chronic physical health problems, mental disorders, and social stigmatization. Several factors affect the development and maintenance of childhood obesity, including poor diet, lack of exercise, biological elements, emotional factors, social and cultural influences, and socioeconomic status. Several treatments have been employed to treat and prevent childhood obesity. These include: inpatient and outpatient programs, school-based interventions, summer camps, medication regimes, and surgery. Professionals assert that programs that involve the parents in the treatment offer the greatest levels of success. Childhood obesity also has a significant impact on an often overlooked segment of the United States population, Native American reservation dwelling youths. Rates of obesity and health related consequences, such as diabetes, in these communities far outnumber those of the Euro-American population. However, treatment options for Native American youths are sorely lacking and sometimes inappropriate. This dissertation reviews the available literature on childhood obesity in the United States, including definitions of obesity, prevalence rates, physical, emotional and social consequences of the problem, contributing factors, and available treatments for childhood obesity. The author then reviews the history of Native American tribes and the development of reservation communities. Next, present-day status of Native American communities is discussed including a review of the problem of childhood obesity in these communities, which covers onset and maintenance, beliefs about wellness, and problems with health care delivery. Current treatment options and success rates are then discussed. In the final section the author makes treatment recommendations and makes recommendations for how social psychologists, health psychologists, community psychologists, and school psychologists can aid in community treatment and prevention efforts. The author emphasizes that interventions must maintain cultural congruency to be effective and that providers must be willing to attempt interventions outside the cultural confines of their discipline. Native American health professionals critiqued the treatment recommendation section. A synthesis of their feedback was incorporated and commented on by the author. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).