{"id":331199,"date":"2020-10-08T06:03:04","date_gmt":"2020-10-07T20:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=331199"},"modified":"2020-10-08T06:03:04","modified_gmt":"2020-10-07T20:03:04","slug":"study-more-than-25-of-guam-kids-obese-or-overweight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/study-more-than-25-of-guam-kids-obese-or-overweight\/","title":{"rendered":"Study: More than 25% of Guam kids obese or overweight"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
University of Guam extension associate Clarissa Barcinas brings \u201cFood Friends,\u201d one of the many activities of the Children\u2019s Healthy Living Program, to local elementary school students to promote healthy eating.\u00a0
(Photos by UNIVERSITY OF GUAM)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than 27% of children in Guam between the ages of 2 and 8 were found to be obese or overweight, according to a study from the University of Guam\u2019s Children\u2019s Healthy Living Program. The findings were published on Aug. 20 in the journal Nutrients.<\/p>\n

Guam\u2019s statistic sits just above the national average, based on reports from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe big\u2014and concerning\u2014take home message is the unhealthy habits and behavioral patterns we found likely contributing to this high rate: too much screen time, the processed and sugary foods and beverages, and, most surprisingly, poor sleeping habits,\u201d said co-author and program lead Rachael T. Leon Guerrero, a registered dietitian who holds a doctorate in human nutrition. \u201cIt\u2019s a dangerous territory to be in since childhood weight issues can lead to obesity in adulthood, which only increases their risk for health problems like cardiovascular disease and cancer among others.\u201d<\/p>\n

The study surveyed 860 children and their caregivers and found that 99% of children did not consume the recommended daily fruit and vegetable intake (1 to 1.5 cups per day), while 40% did not meet the recommended daily hours of sleep (between eight and 11 hours). Obese or overweight children are statistically more likely to suffer from sleep disturbances.<\/p>\n

Nearly 85% of children exceeded the two-hour recommended screen time. The average was five hours per day, which is comparable to figures in the states. Among the group, 83% consumed sugary and sweet beverages. The recommended consumption is zero.<\/p>\n

Those who considered themselves part of the Westernized lifestyle (80%)\u2014which contains processed, high fat, and sugary foods\u2014were twice as likely to be overweight or obese. More than half of the children (58%) also came from families living below the poverty line, and more than 80% were receiving some form of food assistance.<\/p>\n

The data helps fill a longstanding gap in health data collection in the United States, which has historically omitted Pacific Islanders from many national surveys and studies often used to inform prevention strategies and programs designed to reduce obesity rates.<\/p>\n

In Guam, the program\u2014officially known as the Children\u2019s Healthy Living Program for Remote Underserved Minority Populations in the Pacific Region\u2014is a partnership among the University of Guam, the government, and schools that tracks children\u2019s weight rates on Guam and throughout the region and implements interventions to help improve them.<\/p>\n

Most recently, researchers collected data in March 2020 to analyze the effectiveness of those interventions. Those results are expected in 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to better understand these types of disparities so we can help our communities and their children maximize their health and well-being,\u201d Leon Guerrero said.<\/p>\n

Besides Leon Guerrero, researchers also included L. Robert Barber, Tanisha F. Aflague, Yvette C. Paulino, Margaret P. Hattori-Uchima, and Mark Acosta from the University of Guam, Lynne R. Wilkens from the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, and Rachel Novotny from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.\u00a0The study was supported with grants from U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.<\/p>\n

The complete research article can be read at\u00a0https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/12\/9\/2527.\u00a0\u00a0(PR)<\/p>\n