Childhood Obesity : A Growing, Public Health Disorder

In United States of America (USA), the prevalence of obesity was 10% among children 2 to 5 years of age and 15% among adolescents. When children at risk for obesity (overweight) were included, the values increased to 20% and 30%, respectively. Therefore, > 1 of every 4 patients examined by pediatricians either is obese or is considered to be at high risk for developing this challenging health problem (Ogden et al.,

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. More than one third of children are overweight. This figure is increasing rapidly. This epidemic puts children at risk for various health problems such as type two diabetes and heart problems. Although they are several risk factors for obesity, parents play a significant role in this issue. This paper will look into how parents are influential to their children, how they contribute to this problem and how they may help fight the fight against obesity. Obesity is a very serious problem and there are solutions that parents can apply to help their children lead a healthy lifestyle. Obesity does not only affect a person physically, but mentally and psychologically as well.

There have been studies conducted to find out what has caused or what the leading factors to obesity are. Researchers are currently still doing research to find out what causes or what may be the lead to obesity. Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition which considers a child to be obese if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. (Rendall., Weden, Lau, Brownell, Nazarov & Fernandes, 2014). Obesity is on a rise in the Unites States and all over the world and can lead or result to other health complications later in life. The crucial breakdown serves as an implication of outlining childhood obesity, collaborating problems of the disease and resolutions, as well as applying critical thinking to give a complete approach to deliver information on childhood obesity. This will be done through citation of scholarly articles, samples and other modes of supporting details.

Childhood obesity has placed the health of an entire generation at risk. Obesity in America is a big problem that has been growing over the years. “An estimated 12.5 million children between the ages of 2 and 19 are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” (Loop 2015). As the number of children being affected keeps growing, parents or guardians do not change the habits that lead their children to become obese. “Among children today, obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously weren’t seen until adulthood” (American Heart Association, 2014). Not only is obesity causing health problems more than before, but it also causing a big problem in America. More and more children every year become obese and it keeps growing. Even though some people believe the lifestyle of a person is not to blame for the childhood obesity problem in America, the technology, the parenting style , and the media of the outside world are huge factors that contribute to childhood obesity.

Would you like to super-size this meal for an extra $.39? That is a question far too many Americans hear everyday. People in this country are getting fatter and fatter. "In a study conducted by the independent Institute of Medicine (IOM), the prevalence of obese children age 6 to 11 is three times as high as 30 years ago," (Arnst and Kiley, 2004). Additionally, 31% of the total U.S. population is classified as obese (Tiplady, 2005). As obese kids move through adolescence and into adulthood, their risk for health problems such as hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes increases greatly (surgeongeneral.gov, n.d.). To tackle this

Childhood obesity is one of the largest public health epidemics in the united states. I personally have dealt with it and have realized how obesity can affect your wellbeing. Childhood obesity is more existing now than in my grandparents’ generation.

Children are our future, and therefore, everyone should protect the young community. Childhood obesity is an epidemic that should be prevented. Children have the right to live a long, healthy life. However, the rise of obesity is affecting the young community. Childhood obesity attains negative repercussions. Yes, doctors have found many ways to combat obesity. As a matter of fact, they emphasize how important one’s health is. It is crucial to acknowledge that obesity alters a child’s health. Obesity has the power to affect a child mentally, emotionally, and physically.

In the past fat children were considered to be healthy. It was believed that they would have the nourishment they would need to fight off infections, malnourishment, and any dieses that a child could face (Ebbeling, Pawlak, & Ludwig, 2002). However, past generations were more active including walking to and from school, playing at recess outside, and had gym classes along with extra-curricular actives. With gym classes being shortened or cut from children’s daily schedules and the availability of buses as transportation to school, there has been a drop in activity in early childhood. While “overweight” and “obesity” can have a variety of definitions, making it hard to compare different studies, it is still very obvious that childhood obesity rates have been on the rise since at least the 1970’s according to Ebbeling et al. (2002) and Farley & Dowell (2014). According to Ebbeling et al. (2002) the highest rates of early childhood obesity are found in Egypt, England, and the United States ranked

Obesity is becoming an increasing problem with children in America. The obesity rate among children and adolescents have been greatly increasing in the last thirty years. “In 1976, about 7% of children and 5% of adolescents were obese, with a body mass index (BMI) in the 95th percentile; in 2000, over 15% of both groups had become obese.” Nearly one third of American children were obese by 2000.

If current adolescent obesity rates continue, predictions say by 2035 there will be more than 100,000 additional cases of heart disease linked to obesity (Collins 1). Childhood obesity has become more of an epidemic over the last few years. Although there are debates of childhood obesity being a problem, several factors contribute to childhood obesity such as parental feeding styles and fast food, nonetheless, which can all be prevented.

Throughout the world, the obesity epidemic is growing with dramatic magnitude. Childhood obesity is no different. In the United States, 36.5% of adults are overweight or obese, 17.0% among U.S. youth.1 Childhood obesity rates have continued to soar over the recent years, along with the health problems resulting from obesity. While there is no question about the rapid increase in overweight or obese children in the United States, the causes and solutions are less transparent. Children are more susceptible to the obesity epidemic, they have fewer tools to deal with the increasing and overwhelming number of factors that contribute to the epidemic.3 Some of which include the limited access to healthy affordable foods in low-income areas, increased portion sizes, and greater available of sugar-sweetened foods and beverages.1 There are a plethora of health problems that are caused by obesity. To name a few, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems such as asthma, fatty liver disease, low self-esteem and low quality of living, and impaired social, physical, and emotional function.1 Additionally, childhood obesity leads to premature mortality in adulthood as well as physical morbidity. The effects of childhood obesity do not end when a child outgrows an age, it continues with them and has impacts for the rest of their lives.2

Childhood obesity has become a major challenge for public health in the 21st century. Since the 1970s, obesity in teens have triple and today, the country lead the nation with one out of six children being obese. Obesity is a major contributor to chronic diseases such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes (Frieden, Dietz, and Collins, 2015). According to one study, 70 percent of obese youth have at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor and 40 percent have two or more (Frieden, Dietz, and Collins, 2015).

In the course of recent centuries, the rate of obesity in young children has dramatically increased and multiplied in teenagers. More than 300 million cases are reported every year (Center for Disease Control, n.d.). “The problem seems to come from a variety of food options available to children both at home and at schools. Access to cheap foods are not high quality and can contribute to a significant increase in childhood obesity” (C. Llinas, mentor interview, October 16, 2015). About $190 billion dollars was spent in 2005 to help treat obese children, with childhood health care prices quickly increasing that number (Economic Costs, n.d.). Childhood obesity is a rising epidemic in the United States. It affects more than 30 percent of kids, making it the most common prolonged illness. Their obesity is found in their Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI percentiles are commonly used to measure how much fat a child may have. Overall, children in the United States has a BMI percentile of 95 percent. They are at risk of getting diabetes, sleep apnea, and even cancer. The main causes to this epidemic are: deficiency of physical movement, environment, inheritance, household, socioeconomic rank, and diet. Only in uncommon cases, being overweight can become a hormonal issue.

Childhood obesity is a growing problem that needs to be resolved. Many people may say it is the Child’s fault, he is weak willed. This is just a common misconception; there are hundreds of different reasons for childhood obesity. I will just be scratching the surface of this paper. By the same token childhood obesity is a growing problem that needs to be resolved. We can achieve this by understanding some common misconceptions, understanding health problems, and understanding fitness.

Ever since the 1980’s, the prevalence of obesity in U.S. children has tripled; meaning about 1 in 6 children today are obese. Obesity is defined as a body mass index greater than the 95 percentile for the sex and age. As obesity rates are growing, adults are dying everyday due to the complications of obesity, so it is important to be educated on the risks and factors. People believe there are many different factors contributing to this dramatic increase, such as parental guidance, family stressors, and socioeconomic status. I will discuss the methods and results of three different studies that deal with child obesity and