(02-08-07) Annemarie Estess: Meditation can help address childhood obesity

It is no longer a small issue. Obesity among U.S. children has become of the most pressing health concerns for Americans current and future well-being. Santa Cruz County, unfortunately, is not exempt from the disease despite its notorious natural playground and appreciation for organic living. Uniting Americans in this epidemic is chronic stress, a risk factor that is enhancing our understanding of obesity and its potential treatments. Clinical respect is developing for the view that "stress is a risk factor for chronic illnesses such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension ... exhibiting greater weight, BMI and abdominal circumference," all of which are conditions that plague the U.S. population.
Luckily, our largely stressed-out heavyweight American society does not have to accept doom as its fate. Easily adaptable stress-reduction techniques, such as breathing and meditation, have been shown to reduce the activation of chronically high glucocorticoid levels - chemicals released in the brain during persistent stress that are shown to motivate ingestion of "comfort food" Acknowledging impacts of childhood stress, along with diet and exercise habits, on larger health outcomes begs a complex question: How will we halt this disturbing trend?
One program led by the Arkansas surgeon general identifies the need for a successful anti-obesity campaign as "holistic" and inclusive of all students regardless of their existing lifestyle habits. While he calls for valuable collaboration between home and school, exercise and food intake, his program does not address stress as a dangerous contributor to childhood obesity. To stamp out the disease from all environmental versus genetic trajectories, I propose an anti-obesity campaign in Santa Cruz County that additionally requires stress-management programming within the elementary system.
Santa Cruz County, with its diverse socioeconomic and cultural population, naturalist roots, and let's face it, flare for the weird, could be a groundbreaking leader in establishing such a unique intervention. Under this framework of healthy lifestyle promotion, children would spend 15 minutes of a recess period participating in fun breathing exercises and meditation. Organized exercise options would also be provided during play time to promote activity, along with nutritious provisions in the cafeteria and vending machines. Parents should be well-integrated into their children's new programming to reinforce the information at home via educational, culturally sensitive styles.
At first glance, this may not ruffle many feathers, but controversy sparks with the issue of already limited funds and prioritized spending in U.S. schools. Government dipping its hand at this level will inevitably turn heads, especially if incorporating alternative health practices such as meditation. But the underlying purpose of such a unique, holistic intervention is to enhance the mental, physical and emotional well-being of our youth generation - a priority that rightfully overrides our uncertainties.
While scrunched faces and head-scratching often accompany the mention of "meditation," its techniques have proven to be one of the most effective non-pharmacological interventions for various ailments. Recent studies credit meditation with large improvements in mood and emotion, both of which are linked to more extreme eating and exercise habits. A study by the Duke University Department of Psychiatry found that "even brief instruction in a simple meditation technique can improve negative mood and perceived stress in healthy adults, which could yield long-term health benefits. ... Those most likely to experience negative emotions may benefit the most from the intervention" Children would presumably show an even greater result since the technique could be utilized at a preventative rather than a curative level of care. Also, currently obese children - widely reported as experiencing low self-esteem and self concept - could make major strides in enhancing their overall health by improving mood and emotion. This is a highly efficient means of stress reduction, with relatively low costs to train teachers in guiding simple meditation and priceless improvements in children's overall well-being.
But, of course, there is still some money being reallocated under this program. Many schools do struggle for funding and turn to cheap, high calorie foods as a way to reduce spending. This trade-off holds robust ethical implications, forcing us to consider whether the money saved by providing low-nutrient, high-calorie food is worth the promotion of health-diminishing habits among millions of children. Phrased in such a way, the choice becomes much simpler.
As counterintuitive as it may seem in this context, doing nothing at times can do a whole lot of something. Of course, a balance of physical and mindful techniques must coexist for optimum health results. By applying this understanding to our school systems and family environments, the game of "not it" with childhood obesity comes to an end. Instead, we can encourage kids to take some deep breaths, get fit and look forward to lifelong health.

Source: Annemarie Estess is a graduate of Aptos High and a student at Stanford University.

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