By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.
We've all read about the current explosion in childhood obesity rates. Many blame it on fast food and hormone-laced milk, while others blame obesity on video games. There is no doubt that a sedentary lifestyle coupled with poor eating habits leads to overweight.
According to the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics and their 2007 report, America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, during 2003-2004, 18 percent of children ages 6-17 were overweight. Black non-Hispanic girls had the highest rate, with 25 percent being overweight. In other groups, the rates were slightly lower. For example, 16 percent of young white non-Hispanic girls were overweight and 17 percent of Mexican American girls.
What is the story behind the statistics? We live in a society of single mothers and dual income couples, who work three or four jobs just to try to keep up with fuel costs and adjustable rate mortgages. Children entertain themselves and they consume chips, candy and soft drinks as they do so.
Social Isolation and Social Networking
The story is one of social isolation, except for the world of social networking and multiplayer role-playing games, WoW (World of Warcraft) and many others. It is a story of children becoming conditioned to feel comfortable with the Internet, computers, and mobile devices (phones, iTouch, etc.).
Eating Disorders: Pro-Ana and Ana-Mia Sites
Female adolescents are under enormous pressure to maintain an appearance that conforms with the popular images of the day.
Socialization occurs via the Internet, and images of Beyonce, Rihanna, the Olsen Twins, Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana), Britney Spears (pre-breakdown), are widely circulated as the ideal of female beauty. How many of the celebrities are anorexic or bulimic? How many of the celebrities openly discuss taking classes via the Internet?
Colleges and trade schools offering online courses have their work cut out for them. While the upcoming generations of potential e-learners are familiar with the Internet, and regularly use it to communicate, share information, set up networks, and shop, they are not necessarily using it to prepare themselves for a future.
In fact, unless a few prominent celebrities champion e-learning in favor of induced vomiting and self-starvation, it's likely that more young teenaged girls will try a new diet and hair style before they try a new set of YouTube videos on how to solve Algebra problems, or immerse themselves in a Second Life Japanese language-learning world (or island).
Asthma and America's Youth: 20 percent with Asthma in Some Populations?
It is a bit shocking to look at statistics on asthma. Asthma has been rising dramatically. In fact, according to the 2007 federal report, America's Children, as many as 20 percent of children of Puerto Rican descent suffer from asthma.
The child who suffers from asthma is not only a special-needs child. If she does not receive ongoing medical support, she will have developmental problems and could even die.
In 2005, 13 percent of black, non-Hispanic children under age 18 were reported to currently have asthma, compared with 8 percent of white, non-Hispanic and 9 percent of Hispanic children under age 18. Within the Hispanic population, there are differences, with 20 percent of Puerto Rican children and 7 percent of children of Mexican origin reported to currently have asthma. (America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being)
Asthma is expensive. It will drain the resources of families with asthmatic parents or children. It also makes certain outdoor activities difficult. Long commutes and bus rides are scary for the child who suffers from asthma. Very often, parents miss work as they take their children to the emergency room. As a result, parents who can do so often homeschool their child.
However, homeschooling is not always an option in a single-parent household, especially in a low or middle income situation. Nevertheless, many parents of children who suffer from asthma tend to encourage their children to spend time working on the computer, which helps develop confidence.
Young asthma sufferers, if they have the proper infrastructure and hardware (wireless laptops, mobile devices, high-speed connection), may benefit in a disproportionately positive way from online learning.
Today's Real-Life Online Behaviors and Health Challenges; Tomorrow's E-Learners
What all groups of youth have in common is the fact that they are, when presented with the opportunity, using computers. However, they are not necessarily using them for educational purposes, but instead, are using them to share video, audio, text, and images. They network, create social communities, and shop.
Today's youth in America do not necessarily gravitate toward education when they use the Internet. Nevertheless, comfort and familiarity with the Internet and with mobile devices (smartphones, players that play downloaded materials), means that introducing individuals to e-learning does not constitute a huge barrier to overcome.
The analysis above is based on findings are described in detail in America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007, http://www.childstats.gov/pubs.asp . America's Children is the U.S. government's annual report that monitors the well-being of the nation's children and youth. The report is a compendium of the most recently released federal statistics on the nation's children, and is issued by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics.
Key Informational Sources:
Child Stats
National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Health Statistics