Occupational Therapists Tackling Childhood Obesity with School Wide Programs

ABSTRACT Children in the United States face higher rates of childhood obesity than in other developed countries. A literature review examined eight different articles to discover why these statistics are so high and how occupational therapists can address this issue to reduce rates of childhood obesity. From the age of five, children spend almost 30 hours a week in school systems for 13 years. However, research concluded that United States school systems are lacking in physical activity time and are not being held liable to teach health education to students. Studies also verified that parents must be educated as well as students and staff, in order for children to obtain the most benefits from childhood obesity interventions. These findings attest to the need for occupational therapists to implement school wide programs to intervene with teachers, staff, students, and parents to reduce childhood obesity.