Childhood Obesity in the United States : Legislators and Facilitators

Childhood Obesity in the United States: Legislators and Facilitators examines barriers to childhood obesity legislation and public policy in the U.S., with a focus on competing value priorities and how they can create conflict in the legislative process. Childhood obesity advocates need to incorporate value narratives and conflicting value priorities into their research and future childhood obesity proposals. Value priorities are an essential, often overlooked, element in the legislative decision-making process, whether for their intrinsic value or for some tangible benefit such as reelection or appeasing special interests. However, childhood obesity is not the only public issue legislators aim to address, and other external policy actors play a part in what is a priority on the agenda.

John Charles Volpe argues that childhood obesity and the legislative process are too complex to overcome current barriers to childhood obesity legislation and policy anytime soon. A significant shift in cultural and behavioral norms is necessary in the U.S., but achieving this will be challenging without adequate governmental support. Advocacy efforts should shift focus onto industry practices such as marketing and campaign contributions, a modified educational system, mandating minimums, emphasizing measurement and evaluation, and incorporating game playing into the physical education curriculum.