How does the environment influence obesity? Given that obesity has reached epidemic proportions, what could be done to help obese youth lose weight? What are the features of effective weight loss programs?

What will be an ideal response?

A good answer will include the following key points:
+ Environmental influences:
- Sedentary lifestyle: children are more prone to obesity when they are physically inactive, such as watching television instead of playing outdoors.
- Parents may emphasize external, rather than internal, eating signals by urging their children to "clean their plates" even when they are no longer hungry.
- Too little sleep: children and adolescents who do not sleep enough tend to gain weight, perhaps because being awake longer affords them more opportunities to eat by increasing their feelings of hunger or by making them too tired to exercise.
+ Weight loss programs should have the following features in common:
- The focus should be to change children's eating habits, encourage them to become more active, and discourage sedentary behavior.
- Children should learn to monitor their eating, exercise, and sedentary behavior. Goals are established in each area, and rewards are earned when goals are met.
- Parents are trained to help children set realistic goals and to use behavioral principles to help children meet these goals.