The incidence rates for six cancers related to obesity are increasing in young people. Identify them
While the fight against cancer has progressed recently, a worrying pattern can be noticed among young people. Young people are now at a higher risk of developing obesity-related cancers. These cancers are associated with excess body weight and obesity that expose the youth to the adverse metabolic effects of cancer for longer. Studies show that incidence rates of six cancers related to obesity among young people aged 25-49 are high. The cancers include pancreatic, kidney, gallbladder, uterine, colorectal, and multiple myeloma (Sung et al., 2019). The sharpest increase is notable in progressively younger people. Compared to older people aged 50 years and above, young people are two-five times more likely to suffer from these cancers (Sung et al., 2019). Studies demonstrate that the period from 1995 to 2014 had 14,672,409 incidences of 30 types of cancers but the six types of cancers related to obesity among young people had higher incidences.
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For instance, the annual incidence of pancreatic cancer among the youth within this period was 4.3% while the incidence of uterine doubled compared to incidences of those aged 50 years and above. The annual incidence of gallbladder cancer was 3.7% while kidney cancer increased by 6.2% per year (Sung et al., 2019). The incidence of colorectal cancer increased by 2.67% for the period 2012-2016 with an expected increase of 124% by the year 2030. Research also shows that obesity accounts for 11% of multiple myelomas, 17% of pancreatic cancer, 33% of kidney cancer, and 36% of gallbladder cancer since 2014 (Sung et al., 2019). While obesity may not be the major cause of these cancers, its rapid increase in the United States greatly influences the diseases. For instance, the prevalence of obesity increased by over 100% among young people under 20 years and by 60% among those aged 20 years and above (Sung et al., 2019).
What is the prevalence rate of obesity in people younger than 18 in your state? Which children are at a higher risk of obesity in your state?
Studies show that obesity affects about 18% of young people aged 10-17 in Maryland. The rate is 15.6% for those aged 2-4 years. Additionally, high school students have an incidence rate of 12.8% (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2010). Children of color are at a higher risk for obesity since only 4% of white children have obesity compared to 15.3% of Hispanic children and 10.9% of Black children (Pollak, 2020). Children living in lower-income households are also at a higher risk for obesity compared to children living in high-income households. Specifically, 21.5% of children in households earning less than the federal poverty level suffer from obesity compared to 8.8% of children in households earning 400% of the poverty level (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2010).
Are there any prevention programs in your state that address this issue?
Several prevention programs in Maryland address the issue of obesity. For instance, the Healthy Futures Program focuses on reducing the risks of childhood obesity in lower-income households. The program mainly operates in Prince George’s County and its objectives include enabling the target group to receive prenatal and postpartum care and offering social services to low-income households through collaborating with private and public actors. It also collaborates with Prince George’s County School system (the University of Maryland, n.d.).
Another program, the Padres program, encourage fathers to participate in parenting to deal with behaviors related to youth energy. Common behavior entails sedentary behavior, physical activity, breakfast consumption, vegetable and fruit consumption, and beverages sweetened with sugar. It mainly targets Latino fathers with children aged 10-14 years and utilizes phone, online, and in-person techniques to organize meetings and deliver educational content (ASPPH, 2018).
The Healthiest Maryland Schools is also another program that focuses on using evidence-based techniques in elementary schools to prevent childhood obesity. The program involves the collaboration of caregivers and parents to offer after-school programs targeting low-income households in urban centers. Its goal is to increase opportunities for active living and healthy eating among children in the fifth grade. The program uses a multi-professional team encompassing Dentists, Nurses, and Physicians in addition to graduate schools to deliver proven interventions to young people enrolled in the programs. Lesson content entails children preparing healthy snacks, physical activity, and nutrition/health education. The program also offers health fairs, healthy active/eating opportunities, and family health and fitness nights at schools (University of Maryland School of Medicine, n.d.). The state government also has a Diabetes Action Plan program through the department of health that aims to prevent obesity through expanding nutrition programs throughout the state (Maryland Department of Health, n.d.).
Are they effective? Has your state passed and enacted any laws designed to decrease obesity?
The programs are effective because they are mostly school-based. Studies show that obesity prevention programs targeting school decrease obesity among young people aged six-ten years offer positive outcomes and influence eating habits at home (Marcus et al., 2009). The interventions usually lead to the reduction of the risk associated with obesity, which in turn significantly decreases the risk of obesity during adolescent. Programs concerning diet are the most effective at preventing obesity while those emphasizing physical activity are most effective at reducing the possibility of suffering from severe overweight issues (Coffield et al., 2011). Thus, obesity prevention programs implemented in care, education, and health systems with a focus on young people aged 6-12 years have positive outcomes.
Strong state laws contribute significantly to increasing physical activity and enhancing access to healthy foods through promoting a healthy weight. The state of Maryland has formulated several legislations aimed at preventing obesity and enhancing healthy lives. For example, the State requires licensed Early Childhood Education programs to offer snacks and meals that comply with the United States Department of Agriculture standards. Other regulations also require these programs to set aside time for children to engage in physical activities besides requiring them to ban screen time or setting limits for children aged 2 years and below (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2010).
References
ASPPH. (2018, January 19). ASPPH | Maryland Obesity Initiatives . Www.aspph.org. https://www.aspph.org/maryland-obesity-initiatives/
Coffield, J. E., Metos, J. M., Utz, R. L., & Waitzman, N. J. (2011). A Multivariate Analysis of Federally Mandated School Wellness Policies on Adolescent Obesity. Journal of Adolescent Health , 49 (4), 363–370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.01.010
Marcus, C., Nyberg, G., Nordenfelt, A., Karpmyr, M., Kowalski, J., & Ekelund, U. (2009). A 4-year, cluster-randomized, controlled childhood obesity prevention study: STOPP. International Journal of Obesity , 33 (4), 408–417. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2009.38
Maryland Department of Health. (n.d.). Diabetes Action Plan . Phpa.health.maryland.gov. Retrieved March 5, 2021, from https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/CCDPC/Pages/diabetes-action-plan.aspx
Pollak, S. (2020, October 30). Maryland Has 10th Highest Childhood Obesity Rate in U.S. Montgomery Community Media. https://www.mymcmedia.org/maryland-has-10th-highest-childhood-obesity-rate-in-u-s/
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2010). State Briefs:Maryland . The State of Childhood Obesity. https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/states/md/
Sung, H., Siegel, R. L., Rosenberg, P. S., & Jemal, A. (2019). Emerging cancer trends among young adults in the USA: analysis of a population-based cancer registry. The Lancet Public Health , 4 (3), e137–e147. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30267-6
University of Maryland. (n.d.). Healthy Futures Program | UMD School of Public Health . Sph.umd.edu. Retrieved March 5, 2021, from https://sph.umd.edu/community-partnerships/healthy-futures-program
University of Maryland School of Medicine. (n.d.). Maryland School Wellness . Www.marylandschoolwellness.org. Retrieved March 5, 2021, from http://www.marylandschoolwellness.org/
