Introduction
The issue of obesity in school-age children in the United States becomes an increasingly significant health concern as approximately a third of children are obese or overweight (DeVries, 2016). At the same time, they are at an increased risk of high blood pressure and diabetes caused by the excessive weight. Since obesity is largely associated with eating habits, it is of great importance to pay attention to school nutrition and its impact on obesity in children and reveal any opportunities to enhance the current situation for better.
The purpose of the research is to study the recent scholarly literature in an attempt to understand how school nutritional patterns affect the fact that children gain excessive weight. Based on the thorough literature analysis, it is expected to reveal the existing tendencies and gaps as well as focus on strategies that were already adopted to improve the situation. The paramount purpose is to contribute to the theory of the research and make the presentation of obesity problem more comprehensive.
The availability of too many calories along with the abundance of fast food and the advertisement of unhealthy foods changed the eating behavior of children. In addition, the majority of children does not perform the recommended daily exercises and lead sedentary lifestyles. Obviously, lifestyle changes have significantly affected childhood obesity over the past decades. For example, previously, children ate one sandwich for lunch at school, while now plenty of children have up to six unhealthy snacks per day (DeVries, 2016). The sizes of portions of food and drinks over the past years have also increased. The key problem is that the current school nutrition seems to contribute to obesity in children.
Literature Review Summary
In the United States, children are provided with food in schools and other public institutions through child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and other school feeding standards. Schools play a critical role in shaping healthy behaviors in children as they spend a significant share of their time in schools, where good and bad habits can develop. Pantea-Stoian, Chilianu, Stefanca, Elian, and Serafinceanu (2015) hold to opinion that teachers and school leaders should make considerable efforts to contribute to children’s health. The authors emphasize that schools are responsible for the role of students’ nutrition as well as for creating places where children can actively and profitably spend their time. It is necessary to properly organize school breaks and offer structured programs for sufficient physical activity of children.
The evidence shows that much attention is given to physical activities in schools. Consistent with Pantea-Stoian et al. (2015), DeVries (2016) states that therapeutic recreation (TR) should be implemented to increase children’s awareness of their health outcomes through providing educational sessions. Before conducting their research, the authors determined the goal of their reviewed intervention that was not completely achieved. Although 72.5 percent reported about the improvements in their physical activity instead of the expected 75 percent, it is still possible to consider that the study results are representative (DeVries, 2016, p. 319). Along with a nutritional factor, sedentary lifestyles promote obesity, as it was found in the study elaborated by Stephens, Black, Chapman, Velazquez, and Rojas (2016). In particular, they revealed that gender differences do not play an important role in student involvement, those of higher grades perceive engagement in school-organized physical activities more optimistically.
The review of the literature also allows discussing the perception of educators and teachers on how school nutrition and activities affect child obesity. In the research of Ahmed, Oshiro, Loharuka, and Novotny (2011), it is argued that school-based gardening is viewed by educators as a useful way to deal with child obesity in schools based on improved communication and dieting. The cooperative physical activity in school gardens is likely to integrate children and make them closer to each other. The above assumptions are also supported by the results of one more scholarly study conducted by Barnes, Skelton-Wilson, Cooper, Merlo, and Lee (2017), who focus on the State Public Health Actions to Prevent and Control Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity and Associated Risk Factors and Promote School Health (State Public Health Actions) program. Evaluating the early outcomes of the mentioned program, the authors conclude that it positively affected in the overall nutritional environment of the United States.
Another area of research refers to assessing the programs that were implanted to promote food and physical activity awareness. Vaudrin, Lloyd, Yedidia, Todd, and Ohri-Vachaspati (2018) consider the role of the 2010 US Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act on child participation in school breakfast and lunch. The authors specify that despite this Act allowed establishing school nutrition standards, it did not affect children involvement in food initiatives. In their turn, Stephens et al. (2016) state that food activities do not attract children as intended, which illustrates the need to introduce new policies and acts.
Gaps, Research Questions, and Proposed Theory
Speaking of the gaps existing in the contemporary literature, one should emphasize that the theme of school nutrition and obesity in children lacks data regarding positive and negative impacts as well as potentially effective ways to reduce and prevent the mentioned health concern. Specifically, the reviewed Acts reveal zero or insufficient positive impact on the current situation. The perceptions of children of different age, gender, and ethnicity need to be explored in detail to compose a foundation for further interventions. Since student engagement in food and physical activity remains low, it is essential to reveal strategies that would increase their interest in such initiatives as school gardening, cooperative active plays, and so on.
The research questions to be addressed in the research may be formulated as follows:
- How to engage children in physical activity exercises and healthy nutrition practices to decrease their obesity rates?
- What are the strategies educators should implement to assist children in combating excessive weight in schools?
- Why are the existing Acts in the identified field proved to be unsuccessful? What are their lacking elements, approaches, and principles?
Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy focusing on control experiences seems to be appropriate to be utilized in the research. The above theory shows that a reason for behavioral disorders may be the lack of faith in the effectiveness of personal actions. According to Bandura, there is no more substantial mechanism of subjectivity than beliefs in one’s own effectiveness. Since self-efficacy is an assessment of one’s ability to cope with certain specific tasks in a particular situation, it affects the choice of this or that strategy of action. The proposed theory is likely to be useful in determining challenges that impede obesity reduction and prevention in school-age children as well as in determining perspective strategies and policies to address this health problem.
References
Ahmed, A. T., Oshiro, C. E., Loharuka, S., & Novotny, R. (2011). Perceptions of middle school educators in Hawai‘i about school-based gardening and child health. Hawaii Medical Journal, 70(7), 11-15.
Barnes, S. P., Skelton-Wilson, S., Cooper, A., Merlo, C., & Lee, S. (2017). Early outcomes of state public health actions’ school nutrition strategies. Preventing Chronic Disease, 14(128), 1-7.
DeVries, D. (2016). Developing a physical activity and nutrition after-school program with youth at risk. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 50(4), 304-326.
Pantea-Stoian, A., Chilianu, S., Stefanca, F., Elian, V., & Serafinceanu, C. (2015). The impact of nutrition, sedentary behaviour and lifestyle on school-age children. Romanian Journal of Diabetes Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, 22(3), 241-249.
Stephens, T. A., Black, J. L., Chapman, G. E., Velazquez, C. E., & Rojas, A. (2016). Participation in school food and nutrition activities among grade 6-8 students in Vancouver. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 77(3), 148-153.
Vaudrin, N., Lloyd, K., Yedidia, M. J., Todd, M., & Ohri-Vachaspati, P. (2018). Impact of the 2010 US Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act on school breakfast and lunch participation rates between 2008 and 2015. American Journal of Public Health, 108(1), 84-86.