Summary: Stop Childhood Obesity Project

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Problem Statement
Globally childhood obesity poses a serious challenge to public health. According to the World Health Organization (n.d), reported 42 million children under age 10 were overweight in 2015. This issue is not different in the United States. The CDC (2016) reported 12.7 million children and adolescents were overweight and obese in 2014. This figure indicates the growing problem of obesity among children. Moreover, evidence shows that childhood obesity is a predictor of adult obesity and other related health issues (Kelsey et. al, 2014). Children with obesity also risk other health issues such diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, in environments that does do not support healthy habits, it becomes difficult for both parents and children to make healthy dietary choices and engage in some form of physical activity. How communities are designed, availability and affordability of healthy food options, marketing and promotion of processed foods and more …show more content…

Stop Childhood Obesity Project (SCOP) is a capacity-building program that promotes understanding and prevent childhood obesity at the community level. SCOP aims to reduce childhood obesity through a behavioral change where children are supported and mentored to adopt healthy lifestyles – eating healthy and physical activity – in the Middlesex County, Massachusetts. SCOP targets children aged 6 to 18 years and their families by helping them to understand the impacts of obesity and encouraging them to adopt good eating habits balanced with physical activity. SCOP is based on EPODE’s (Ensemble Prevenons l’Obesité Des Enfants/Together Let’s Prevent Childhood Obesity) method. EPODE was developed in France between 1992 and 2004 within two cities to prevent childhood obesity (EPODE European Network, n.d). Evidence shows that it reduced childhood obesity in the cities involved (Romon et. al,

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