SCIENCE
NEWS
ScienceDaily (Dec. 12, 2008) — California's
low-income teenagers have a lot in common: Sugary soda.
Fast-food restaurants. Too much television. Not enough
exercise. The result: Low-income teenagers are almost
three times more likely to be obese than teens from
more affluent households, according to new research
from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
In California, 21 percent of teenagers living in low-income
families are obese, according to the new policy brief, "Low-Income
Adolescents Face More Barriers to Healthy Weight." Low-income
is defined as having income of less than $19,971 for a
family of four or $12,755 for a family of two, according
to federal poverty guidelines. In contrast, only 8 percent
of teenagers living in families making more than $59,913
(family of four) or $38,265 (family of two) are obese.
California is home to about 480,000 obese adolescents
from all income levels. But the high rate of obesity among
low-income teens suggests that barriers to healthy behaviors,
healthy foods and physical activity not only continue to
exist but have grown even larger. Those barriers include
high numbers of neighborhood fast-food restaurants and
low numbers of parks and other opportunities for physical
activity.
"Our neighborhoods are literally making us fat," said
Susan H. Babey, one of the policy brief's authors. "We
need better strategies and more thoughtful urban planning
if we are going to make our towns and cities livable, not
just places where we live."
Among other recommendations to combat
teen obesity, the policy brief's authors urge city planners
to consider zoning ordinances to regulate the number of
fast-food restaurants while providing incentives to attract
grocery stores and other outlets that stock fresh fruits
and vegetables. The Los Angeles City Council recently used
data from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research to
support such a moratorium on new fast-food restaurants
in South Los Angeles. The policy brief's authors also called
for greater opportunities for physical activity and education,
as well as campaigns to promote family dinners and discourage
excessive television viewing.
"The disparity in teen obesity prevalence among low-income
and more affluent communities should serve as a wake-up
call to policymakers," said Dr. Robert K. Ross, president
and chief executive officer of The California Endowment,
which funded the policy brief. "Where we live plays
a critical role in shaping our health status. Elected officials
can help improve the environmental factors that contribute
to the poor health of Californians through local ordinances
and statewide policy."
Among the findings of the policy brief:
•More sugary soda: 67 to 71 percent of low-income teens reported having
at least one glass or can of soda on the previous day, compared with 55 percent
of more affluent teens.
- More fast food: 46 to 49 percent of low-income teens
reported eating fast food on the previous day, compared
with 37 percent of more affluent teens.
- Fewer family meals: Up to 11 percent of low-income
teens reported that they had never eaten dinner with
a parent or guardian during the previous week. The rate
is twice that of more affluent teens.
- Fewer opportunities for organized sports: 36 to 37
percent of low-income teens were on a school sports team
in the previous year, compared with 49 percent of more
affluent teens.
- Less physical activity: Nearly one in five, or 18
percent, of low-income teens did not get at least 60
minutes of physical activity in a week — the
minimum amount of physical activity recommended by the
2005 federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
- More television: 56 percent of low-income teens watch
more than two hours of television per day, compared with
46 percent of more affluent teens.
The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research is of the
nation's leading health policy research centers and the
premier source of health-related information on Californians.
The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), is the
nation's largest state health survey and one of the largest
health surveys in the United States.
University of California - Los Angeles (2008, December 12).
Obesity Among California's Low-income Teens Nearly Triple
That Of More Affluent Peers. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December
10, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081210131042.htm |
