Cause And Effect Essay On Childhood Obesity

Have you ever wondered what are the major causes of obesity? The CDC (2017) states that one out of every five children in the U.S. are overweight or obese, and this number is continuing to rise. Wilson (2016) states that many children who are obese develop health complications, such as joint, gallbladder, and sleeping problems. The majority of children who are obese as kids tend to be obese as adults. Reason being, many children develop bad eating habits by learning from their surroundings. When it comes to such an important topic as obesity there 's not only one cause, but several causes of why obesity is such a huge problem in America. Childhood obesity has greatly increased over the years and there are three main causes that have caused

Unluckily, some kids are unsurprisingly predisposed to obesity. Eating a large amount of high calorie foods, like baked goods, and vending machine snacks and fast foods surely contributes to weight increase. Lack of financial resources can lead to childhood obesity as well. Financial and time pressures force many families to minimize food costs and meal preparation time, resulting in increased consumption of prepackaged convenience foods that are high in calories and fat. Many urban neighborhoods do not have supermarkets, outdoor produce stands, or other healthy alternatives to convenience stores and fast food outlets, making it harder for residents to purchase fresh and inexpensive

A tool known as BMI (body mass index) is used by medical providers to calculate an individual 's body mass index. It calculated by measuring a child’s weight and height and the found value is then compared to percentiles relative to other children of the same age and sex. For example, if a child aged anywhere from 2-19 is “more than 85% and less than 95%” they are considered overweight. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). This tool is not a method used to diagnosis childhood obesity but it 's a valuable way to measure the prevalence of obesity worldwide.

Childhood Obesity is a condition where a child is overweight for his or her age and height. When unhealthy, fatty or sugary foods are consumed along with deficient amounts of exercise, obesity is usually the outcome. The main causes of obesity are lack of exercise and poor nutrition. Obesity may also occur when a child goes through dramatic events, like a family member passing away. National surveys show that 32% of Texas children are obese or overweight. According to research on the past 30 years, “obesity has doubled and tripled”. In 1980, the obesity rate of 6-11 year olds was 6.5%, in 2008 it had tripled to 19.6%. For toddlers and preschoolers aged 2-5, the obesity levels have risen from 5% to 12.4% in the same amount

Childhood obesity is an epidemic that goes on throughout the United States. Studies have shown how obesity in children may start, and how it affects each and every child in America. Childhood obesity has been getting attention in the media from famous celebrities all the way to the First Lady of the United States. There are many things that cause childhood obesity and very few ways to stop it. However, there are people out there who are trying to help by getting children active, eating healthy and getting back on track to having a healthy and long life.

The risk factors for obesity in children include: poor diet, lack of exercise, while the main contributing factors for childhood obesity are lack of healthy options in schools, lack of physical education, lack of open space for safe recreation activities, lack of parental knowledge and low rates of breastfeeding, fatty food industry marketing due to social and cultural factors, and availability of low price beverages (CDC, 2014).

Childhood obesity continues to increase substantially each generation, especially here in the United States. Today, children have become more lazy while eating unhealthy and in excess. This trend ultimately results in increased healthcare problems throughout their life. Childhood obesity has increased because children eat in excess, they are allowed to eat food which is unhealthy, they lack the exercise needed to maintain a healthy weight, and are permitted by family to become and remain obese.

Childhood obesity has now reached an epidemic in several parts of the United States. As a result, children now have a higher risk to have numerous chronic and acute medical problems. Several of the long-lasting medical problems a child might face as a result of obesity could eventually result in death. In addition to chronic medical problems, childhood obesity has severe psychosocial effects on an individual such as low self-esteem and depression. Childhood obesity is a serious problem that is caused by a numerous amount of factors that can eventually lead to severe health complications.

The CDC estimated that around one out of three children are obese and the numbers are on the rise. Obesity affects around seventeen percent of children in the United States. There are many other factors that can cause children to be obese like no exercise, eating junk food, being lazy, also the child’s surrounding can affect them. Some people may argue that the lifestyle changes are bigger contributions to the rising number of childhood obesity. There are many serious diseases that can a result from being obese.

Childhood obesity is not just a hefty problem this country is facing, it’s an epidemic. This occurs when the child is overweight in comparison to their age and height. There are many causes which leads to this wide-range issue, factors such as eating patterns, outdoor activities, and psychological factors can lead to childhood obesity.

“At present approximately 9 million children over 6 years of age are considered obese” (Mahshid Dehghan). Childhood obesity continues to increase every year. Childhood obesity has a lot of causes centering on an imbalance of energy taken in and the amount of energy used. Factors of childhood obesity include children having obese parents; low energy expenditure which is a low amount of physical activity is a factor and too much television which is a cause for low physical activity time. Another factor that influences childhood obesity is heredity. Infants born to overweight mothers are found to be less active than other infants. Parents are the primary contributors of childhood obesity based on statistics, obesity risks, and government

The childhood obesity epidemic is the result of many factors.1 The childhood obesity is becoming a major concern in the United States because this leads to chronic disease conditions into adulthood.

First and foremost, the most common causes of childhood obesity are genetic factors, overeating, and not exercising enough. Although obesity may run in a family, it does not determine whether a child will be obese or not (“Obesity in Children”). If a child who comes from a family of obesity, happens to become overweight like them, the likely cause is due to bad eating and activity habits. Many children today spend more time inside the house eating and watching television, rather than being active outdoors (“Obesity in Children”). This is due to the recent popularity of having electronics such as television, games, and phones serve as entertainment. Another reason for the excessive eating is because parents are often too busy to cook healthy foods on a regular basis, leaving children to rely on fast food or

In order to impede the epidemic of childhood obesity, the actual causes of the problem need to be evaluated and dissected. Obesity in children is becoming a huge problem in American society. In the past three decades, the rate of overweight children has increased by 300%. This is an alarming rate that is only climbing higher. Every member in society should take steps to becoming healthier. This would help the present generations as well as future generations to come. The lifestyle of Americans keeps us too busy to be a healthy society.

Childhood obesity is a complicated topic and is complicated to pinpoint what the exact cause is, some of the major factors that contribute to childhood obesity are lack of exercise in their daily lives, poor nutrition, and eating habits; and lack of education among parents to safely help their children live a healthier life.