Childhood Obesity Epidemic Essay

Obesity is a highly prevalent condition in America, affecting approximately one third of the adult American population. Obesity can be caused by a myriad of factors: genetics,

Genetics plays a role in obesity. For example, people who have an obese parent are more likely to become obese. There are also medical conditions that can lead to obesity, such as thyroid problems. However, a lack of exercise and poor diet are two of the main factors that have caused the drastic increase in the obesity epidemic in Canada.

Genes control almost every aspect of human life, and when it comes to weight there is no exception. Little is known, however, how much of an individual’s genes actually control the weight of certain individuals. Body fat can vary from person to person, yet some people have always carried more weight than others. Often times, when one person is overweight in the family, most of the other individuals in the same family are overweight as well. However, more than just genetics can go into being overweight, and a person’s genes are not the end all be all of obesity. Many times the environment surrounding people who are obese contributes to the overall weight of the individual, and when obesity promoting genes are mixed

Obesity has been linked to genetics. It has been researched and proven that children with parents who are obese, would have between 5-25% chance of likely inheriting genes that would eventually make them obese. However, genes is not an excuse for obesity because it does not work alone but must have the right factors present to manifest.

indicate that inherited genetic variation is an important risk factor for obesity. It was also pointed

The research shows that most of the people in this study believed that obesity causality of genetics, opposed to lack of exercise and healthy eating habits. The data shows that the standard errors was .064, which indicates that the research is accurate and have relatively no margins of errors in their analysis of the data.

According to Harvard Health Publications (11-12), the causes of obesity are interrelated. By understanding how these various factors interrelate and eventually how they cause obesity, we can be able to draw a conclusion whether the problem of being overweight is as a result of our own fault or it is a problem that people do not have control over. The factors that interact with one another and result in one person being overweight compared to another include; genetics and the person’s weight, influences from the external environment, physical inactivity and the behaviors that have been learned by a person.

Based on the article, being overweight and obese run in the family, “genes also may affect the amount of fat you store in your body and where on your body you carry the extra fat.” (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). Although genes may play a part as a cause, the article suggests that if the family were to pick up healthy eating and exercise habits then the probability of their children being obese decreases. Health conditions can also play a part in causing obesity, mainly hormone problems, such as, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), Cushing’s syndrome, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). (National Heart, Lung, and Blood

Experts have found that there are three contributing factors when studying the causes of obesity: biological factors, decreases in physical activity, and poverty. At its most basic the cause of obesity is the taking in more calories, or energy, than one uses. As people have strived to reach the American Dream – a life of abundance and ease – the biology of the body did not change. This makes it difficult for people to remain slim and healthy.

The topic that I have chosen to look at is obesity. The aim of this topic is to find out whether “the ignorance of genetics as a contra factor of obesity”. I have chosen to look at this topic because obesity is concerns me. Obesity has always been a bid debate for a long time now and I was intrigued to find out more about the topic and the cause of obesity. The fact that obesity has made deadlines news in recent years. There are a lot of misconceptions about obesity such as overweight is caused by a sow metabolism. There have been a lot of beliefs and myths about obesity in society today and he above myths is on of them. According to Donnellan (1998) ‘ ‘people who are overweight have told their doctors that they eat no more and

Overweight is often misinterpreted as obesity, but it has been proven that individuals such as bodybuilders and professional athletes can be overweight yet they do not suffer from obesity. Obesity refers to just excessive body fat whereas overweight refers to excessive body weight including water, bone, fat, and muscle. A certain amount of fat is needed to store energy, heat insulation, shock absorption, and other functions, but when men reach more than twenty-five percent body fat, and women reach more than thirty percent they are considered obese. A person’s body mass index (BMI) is measured by dividing body weight in kilograms by the square of body height in meters (Wilmore, et al., 2008).

Do you get enough exercise? Are you sure about that? Or how about this, are you overweight, do you even know? Today’s adolescents don’t. In fact today’s adolescents face serious risk from their lack of activity. Today’s children are obese because they have developed some very bad habits related to healthy living and as result can suffer serious physical and psychological damage.

Obesity is one of the most genetically predisposed traits (Walley, A et al 2006). Genetic studies have shown that heritability estimates for obesity are high (typically >70%), which parallels with other polygenic diseases like

Many factors contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle such as lack of physical activity, screen time, diet and gender plays major role in one’s lifestyle

This is the most important factor that inflicts the person with obesity, is the lifestyle of the person. Some of the genetic factors are also the important for the cause of obesity. If the parents or the previous generation was inflicted by obesity, then there are huge chances for the patient to be inflicted with obesity.