Human evolution plays part in child obesity epidemic.

Byline: BIRTH TO THREE By Jimmy Unger For The Register-Guard

The childhood obesity epidemic of the last three to four decades has left many parents, as well as researchers, asking: `How did we get here?' and, `What can we do about it?' In this, the first of a two-part article, I will attempt to answer that first question. The severity of the problem and the urgency of the need for action do not allow us the luxury of a slow or methodical approach to answer these questions. We have some, but not all, of the entire set of answers.

One major part of the explanation removes blame from individuals and has its roots in human evolution. Throughout most of human history, during times of food scarcity, our ancestors who possessed a type of metabolism that was efficient at storing fat were the most likely to survive. Similarly, those who preferred sweet, fatty and high-calorie foods also possessed a clear survival advantage over, for example, devotees of fruits and vegetables. For that matter, families who by virtue of their feeding style were adept at packing calories into their kids also stood a greater chance of `making it.'

Fast-forward tens of thousands of years to 21st century America, where our `hunt' consists of getting into our car and buying a tasty two-dollar, 2,000-calorie meal from a drive-through window. Now that we no longer depend on an occasional bison kill or a successful harvest of roots and berries, the very same traits that once guaranteed our survival now hurt us and, you could argue, are killing us.

Experts describe the present-day environment as `toxic' or `obesogenic' (causing obesity). What kinds of changes have made our environment `toxic'?

Examples of this kind of unhealthful shift in lifestyles include: reduction or elimination of family meals; increase in the kinds of passive entertainment available to children; reduction of PE time in school; decreases in biking and walking to school; diminishing access to healthful nutrition in low-income neighborhoods; reduction of informal neighborhood recreation and sports; and increased consumption of soda and fast food.

It is clear to public health experts on this topic that the environment has changed rapidly, and that qualities such as willpower, laziness and gluttony have not - in the last couple of generations - suddenly changed.

This era of food surplus in developed countries has created some challenges for the food and restaurant industries. Americans now spend 40 percent of their food budget on meals outside the home. The food and restaurant industry are now competing to try to sell products of which there is an overabundance. They cleverly have perceived the need to try to attract lifelong customers. The result: The creation of brand loyalty through intense direct marketing campaigns aimed directly at children - at a cost of $10 billion annually.

The average child is exposed to an estimated 20,000 commercials every year. Among the most heavily promoted items are candy, sugary cereals, soda and fast food. It is no wonder that parents who try to send a message to their child to `eat more vegetables' may feel that the message is falling on ears already inundated with messages of `eat more Happy Meals.'

The advertising professionals' message as delivered by the likes of Shrek and Ronald McDonald seems to capture children's attention and imagination more successfully than sound nutrition advice from parents.

In the face of these seemingly unstoppable changes in the environment and the potent forces promoting unhealthful lifestyles for children, parents can, and should, play powerful roles in reversing this epidemic. There are plentiful opportunities for them to take action that will `immunize' their children against this epidemic in much the same way that measles shots will protect them from that dreaded disease. The best time to begin these efforts is during pregnancy. Next month, I will attempt to explain how parents influence their children's eating behavior: from conception to adolescence.

Jimmy Unger is a pediatrician practicing with PeaceHealth Medical Group in Eugene. In 2004, he helped initiate Lane Coalition for Healthy Active Youth, a childhood obesity prevention group, and now serves as board chairman. The opinions expressed in this column are those of the writer. Birth To Three is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening families through parent support and education. For more information about Birth To Three, call 484-5316.