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Childhood Obesity:
A Food and Nutrition Resource List for Educators and Researchers

June, 2000

Introduction

This publication is a compilation of resources about childhood obesity for educators and researchers. It is comprised primarily of articles from professional journals (published in 1997 or later), but includes some information available on the World Wide Web, as well as a small number of consumer educational materials.

Educational materials which are part of the collection of the National Agricultural Library (NAL) have a call number (CALL NO). Lending information is provided at the end of this document. If you are not eligible for direct borrowing privileges, check with your local library on how to borrow materials through interlibrary loan with the NAL. If you have any questions concerning eligibility or borrowing items, please call (301)504-5755 for assistance.

Most items in this list have a public health emphasis rather than a clinical one. While there is extensive literature of a clinical nature about pediatric obesity, it is not the goal of this publication to cover it. For purposes of this publication, each item has been placed in one of the following categories though many items contain information that covers more than one topic:
    A. Prevalence
    B. Outcomes, Predictors, and Factors Associated with Child Obesity
    C. Prevention and Intervention Approaches
    D. Educational Materials
    E. Additional Contacts
 
 
 

A. Prevalence
"Increasing prevalence of overweight among US low-income preschool children: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance, 1983 to 1995." Zuguo Mei, et al. Pediatrics, 101:e12. 1998. (Electronic article) Available at http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/101/1/e12
"Overweight school children in New York City: Prevalence estimates and characteristics." T.A. Melnik, et al. International Journal of Obesity, 22:7-13. 1998.
"Secular increases in relative weight and adiposity among children over two decades: The Bogalusa Heart Study." David S. Freedman, et al. Pediatrics, 99:420-426. 1997.
"Update: Prevalence of overweight among children, adolescents, and adults - United States, 1988-1994." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 46:199-202. 1997. Also available at http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00046647.htm
B. Outcomes, Predictors, and Factors Associated with Child Obesity
"Changes in children's total fat intakes and their food group sources of fat, 1989-91 versus 1994-95: Implications for diet quality." Joan F. Morton and Joanne F. Guthrie. Family Economics and Nutrition Review, 11:44-57. 1998. Also available at http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/FENR%20V11N3/fenrv11n3p44.PDF
"Changing eating patterns of American children: A view from 1996." Eileen Kennedy and Renee Powell. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 16:524-529. 1997.
"Childhood obesity associated with the excessive consumption of soft drinks and fruit juices." Barbara Levine. Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 13:69-73. 1997.
"Childhood obesity and self-esteem." Richard S. Strauss. Pediatrics, 105:e15. 2000. (Electronic article) Available at http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/reprint/105/1/e15.pdf
"Childhood weight affects adult morbidity and mortality." William H. Dietz. Journal of Nutrition, 128:411S-414S. 1998.
"Development of eating behaviors among children and adolescents." Leann L. Birch and Jennifer O. Fisher. Pediatrics, 101:539-549. 1998.
"Excess fruit juice consumption by preschool-aged children is associated with short stature and obesity." B.A. Dennison, et al. Pediatrics, 99:15-22. 1997.
"Fruit juice intake is not related to children's growth." Jean D. Skinner, et al. Pediatrics 103:58-64. 1999.
"Health consequences of obesity in youth: Childhood predictors of adult disease". William H. Dietz. Pediatrics, 101:518-525. 1998.
"Influence of diet, physical activity and parents' obesity on children's adiposity: A four-year longitudinal study." C. Maffeis, et al. International Journal of Obesity, 22:758-764. 1998.
"Influence of the home environment on the development of obesity in children." Richard S. Strauss and Judith Knight. Pediatrics, 103:e85. 1999. (Electronic article) Available at http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/reprint/103/6/e85.pdf
"Longitudinal changes in fatness in white children: No effect of childhood energy expenditures." Michael I. Goran, et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67:309-316. 1998.
"Overweight children and adolescents: Description, epidemiology, and demographics." Richard P. Troiano and Katherine M. Flegal. Pediatrics, 101:497-504. 1998.
"Predicting obesity in children." Theodore B. VanItallie. Nutrition Reviews, 56:154-155. 1998.
"Predictors of overweight and overfatness in a multiethnic pediatric population." Johanna T. Dwyer, et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67:602-610. 1998.
"Profile of overweight children." Rajen S. Anand, et al. Nutrition Insights, No.13, May 1999. Available at http://www.nal.usda.gov:8001/Training/overwt-k.pdf
C. Prevention and Intervention Approaches
"The Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH)." Russell V. Luepker,  et al. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 9:525-534. 1998.
"Childhood obesity: Causes and prevention." Proceedings of a symposium sponsored by the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, USDA, October 27, 1998. Available at http://www.nal.usda.gov:8001/Training/obesity.pdf
"The childhood obesity epidemic: How school nutrition operators can teach students to fight fat." Connie Evers. School Foodservice & Nutrition, 53:21-22. 1998.
"Development and implementation of a school-based nutrition and fitness promotion program for ethnically diverse middle-school girls." Joanne Leslie, et al. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 99:967-970. 1999.
"Dietary and exercise interventions for juvenile obesity: Long-term effect of behavioral and public health models." William G. Johnson, et al. Obesity Research, 5:257-261. 1997.
"Effects of an obesity prevention program on the eating behavior of African American mothers and daughters." Melinda R. Stolley and Marion L. Fitzgibbon. Health Education and Behavior, 24:152-164. 1997.
"Halting the obesity epidemic: A public health policy approach." Marion Nestle and Michael F. Jacobson. Public Health Reports, 115:12-24. 2000.
"Healthy Start: A comprehensive health education program for preschool children." C. L. Williams, et al. Preventive Medicine, 27:216-223. 1998.
"Impact of a school-based interdisciplinary intervention on diet and physical activity among urban primary school children." Steven L. Gortmaker, et al. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 153:975-983. 1999. Also available at http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/issues/v153n9/full/pnu8463.html
"Pathways: A culturally appropriate obesity-prevention program for American Indian schoolchildren." Sally M. Davis, et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,  69(suppl):796S-802S. 1999.
"Pathways family intervention for third-grade American Indian children." Nicolette I. Teufel, et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69(suppl):803S-809S. 1999.
"Pathways: A school-based program for the primary prevention of obesity in American Indian children." Benjamin Caballero, et al. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 9:535-543. 1998.
"Process evaluation in a multisite, primary obesity-prevention trial in American Indian schoolchildren." Deborah L. Helitzer, et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69(suppl):816S-824S. 1999.
"Reducing children's television viewing to prevent obesity." Thomas N. Robinson. Journal of the American Medical Association, 282:1561-1567. 1999. Also available at http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v282n16/full/joc90434.html
"Reducing obesity via a school-based interdisciplinary intervention among youth: Planet Health." Steven L. Gortmaker, et al. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 153:409-418. 1999. Also available at http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/issues/v153n4/full/pnu8334.html
"School-based approaches for preventing and treating obesity." M. Story. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 23(suppl 2):S43-S51. 1999.
"School-based interventions improve heart health in children with multiple cardiovascular risk factors." Joanne S. Harrell, et al. Pediatrics, 102:371-380. 1998.
"Systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions used in the management of obesity." S. O'Meara, et al. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 11:203-206. 1998.
"Three-year maintenance of improved diet and physical activity: The CATCH Cohort." Philip R. Nader, et al. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 153:695-704. 1999. Also available at http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/issues/v153n7/full/poa8356.html

D. Educational Materials

Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in America: What's a Parent to Do?

Betty Holmes

Booklet, 12p.

Wyoming: Cooperative Extension Services, College of Agriculture, University of Wyoming, 1998

Web site: http://www.nal.usda.gov:8001/Training/c&aobe.pdf

Children and Weight: What Families Can Do, Los Ninos Y El Peso: Que Pueden Hacer las Familias.

Flip Chart in English and Spanish

California: County of Riverside Health Services Agency, Department of Public Health, Child Health and Disability Prevention Program, 1998.

CALL NO: RJ206.C45-1998

Helping Your Child Lose Weight the Healthy Way

Judith Levine and Linda Bine

Book, 305p.

Secaucaus, NJ: Carol Publishing Group, 1996.

CALL NO: RJ399.C6L385-1996

Helping Your Overweight Child

Booklet, 15p.

Bethesda MD: Weight Control Information network, 1997.

Phone: (301) 984-7378 or 1-800-WIN-8098

Web site: http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/pubs/helpchld.htm

If My Child is Overweight, What Should I Do About It?

Joanne Ikeda

Booklet, 20p.

Oakland CA: Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, 1998.

Phone: 800-994-8849

Web site: http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/merchant.ihtml?pid=491&step=4

If Your Child Is Overweight: A Guide for Parents

Sharon M. Kosharek

Booklet 32p.

Chicago, IL: American Dietetic Association, 1993.

Phone: 800-877-1600 ext. 5000

Web site: http://www.eatright.org/catalog/consumer/child.html

Shapedown Weight Management Program for Child and Adolescents

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine

1323 San Anselmo Ave.

San Anselmo, CA 94960

Phone: 415-453-8886

Web site: http://www.shapedown.com/

Take 10 - Health Enhancement Program for 5th Grade Students (materials for grades K-4 are being developed)

Center for Health Promotion

International Life Sciences Institute

2295 Parklake Drive, Suite 450

Atlanta, GA 30345

Phone: 770-934-1010

Web site: http://www.ilsi.org/

CALL NO: in process

YourSELF Middle School Nutrition Education Kit

1 videocassette, 2 posters, 1 set reproducible masters, 1 teacher's guide, 30 magazines, 30 student activity guides.

Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 1998.

CALL NO: Kit no. 512.

Also available in full text at web site: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/yourself.html

Also available from the National Food Service Management Institute (Item no. EX 33-99)

Phone: 800-321-3054

Web site: http://www.nfsmi.org/

E. Additional Contacts

American Obesity Association

1250 24th Street, NW, Suite 300

Washington, DC 20037

Phone: 800-98-OBESE

Web site: http://www.obesity.org/

Center for Health Promotion

International Life Sciences Institute

2295 Parklake Drive, Suite 450

Atlanta, GA 30345

Phone: 770-934-1010

Web site: http://www.ilsi.org/

Child Nutrition and Health Campaign

American Dietetic Association

216 West Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, IL 60606

Phone: 800-877-1600 or 312-899-0040

Web site: http://www.eatright.org/child/

Division of Adolescent and School Health

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS/K-29

Atlanta, GA 30341-3717

Phone: (770) 488-3258

Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/index.htm

Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity,

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS/K-24

Atlanta, GA 30341-3717

Phone: (770) 488-5820

Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa

The Healthy School Meals Resource System

A partnership of USDA/Food and Nutrition Service

and USDA/Food and Nutrition Information Center

Web site: http://schoolmeals.nal.usda.gov:8001/

Weight Control Information network

1 Win Way

Bethesda, MD 20892-3665

Phone: (301) 984-7378 or 1-800-WIN-8098

Web site: http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/win.htm

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