Childhood Obesity Essay

Childhood obesity is a widespread concern that is very manageable, reversible, and absolutely avoidable if the correct steps are put in place. Adequate teaching and sufficient knowledge by parents and health care providers alike can attribute immeasurable results in the defense against obesity in children. “Poor dietary habits and insufficient physical activity are among the most important modifiable lifestyle factors causing a substantial chronic disease burden worldwide including obesity” (Nyberg et al., 2015).

Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the United States in the past three decades. In 2012, roughly 17% or 12.5 million children and adolescents are overweight or obese” (“Childhood Obesity Facts,” 2014). According to the Centers of Disease Control and

Childhood onset overweight and obesity and its’ associated health consequences are quickly becoming major significant public health issues facing America today. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define overweight as a body mass index (BMI) between the 85th and 95th percentile while obese is defined as BMI above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex . The prevalence of overweight children, defined based on 2009 CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics data, has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Between 1980 and 2006, the incidence of overweight among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% to 17.0% while overweight levels for adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 17.6% .

Obesity is a big problem in our world today. From the beginnings of 1970’s, America is known for the country on the fast track for being overweight. Obesity can cause health related issues among the people. From the early childhood onwards kids got attacked by the type II diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and some other lifelong diseases.

The origin of obesity is a very important question that has caused some controversy between doctors, scientists, and writers. The origins are thought to stem from

Childhood obesity is a huge problem facing America today. It’s like an epidemic, spreading across America at alarming rates. Just in the past 30 years, childhood obesity rates have more than doubled among children and quadrupled among adolescents. Today, it has been estimated that one in every six children or adolescents is obese ("Childhood Obesity Facts”). And if things don’t change soon, those numbers will just keep rising. This isn’t a problem that we can leave up to children to deal with themselves. Parents and adults need to take responsibilities for children’s health and futures. Children or adolescents who have a body mass index of over 30 are considered to be obese. Too much body fat can lead to many negative

Since 1980 the rates of child obesity have more than tripled which has caused a growing pandemic of childhood obesity in the United States. Out of all the young children and adolescents within the age group of two through nineteen about 12.7 million are obese. That is the equivalent of about 17% of America’s population that is suffering from childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is too prevalent in all American households. Childhood obesity is detrimental on a national scale, since it has been growing at a steady rate in the United States of children not reaching the daily-recommended physical activity, the absence of a balanced diet with overconsumption of eating, and more critically the increase of type 2 diabetes.

Childhood obesity is an epidemic affecting children and adolescents from different races and backgrounds. The childhood obesity prevalence in America has been considered a national health crisis. It is postulated that one out of every three children of ages (3-17) are either overweight or obese. It continues to be an issue even after the advancement of the many efforts towards ensuring the health of the children in our society. There is an increase in the rates of childhood obesity despite the spread of awareness about the risk of excess weight (Kamath, Celia et al 4619). The life threatening repercussions of this epidemic has turned out to create a compelling call for the National Health Administration to take stunt

With the recently documented increases in prevalence’s dating as late back as to 1980, pediatric obesity now represents one of the most pressing nutritional problems facing children in the United States today. International population studies report comparable rates of increase, so that if current trends remain unchecked, childhood obesity is likely to challenge worldwide public health. Substantial consequences to physical and mental health, both short and long term, must be anticipated.

In the United States childhood obesity is the 21st century epidemic and will be for a long time. In the past 3 decades childhood obesity has been on the rise, and currently one and three children is obese. Only 2 percent of the children in the U.S have a healthy diet. Moreover, obesity rates are much higher in children than in adults, and it is the production and promotion of unhealthy foods as well as lack of physical activity that account for this disparity. It is one of the top health concerns facing children and parents in the U.S. Children that are obese face possible health concerns in the future. “The United States, Brazil, China, Russia and other countries have seen the rise of obesity in children more than adults.”20 The United Nations has 48 least developing countries that are still fighting childhood hunger; however, with globalization it has made the world more productive, wealthier, and with that body fat, weight, health and wealth are linked together.

Dalton revisits the controversial issue of whether obesity should be declared a disease or not. In the author's opinion, obesity is not a disease. With that in mind, this book will offer a sound basis for my assertion that obesity cannot be regarded a disease but a contributing factor to ill health.

Although many individuals are uncertain about the increasing statistics associated with obesity, more than seventy percent of men and virtually sixty-two percent of women within the United States adult population are overweight or obese (Wilmore, Costill, & Kenney). Obesity refers to the condition of having an excessive amount of body fat. If an individual’s amount of body fat becomes too excessive, he/she is at a much greater risk of developing life-altering diseases such as heart failure, hypertension, type II diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, etc. (Wilmore, et al., 2008).

One in three children are obese or overweight. One study found that, “Among 17 developed nations, the United States had the highest rates of childhood obesity among children ages 15-19.” (National Academy of Science, 2013)

Childhood obesity has doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 20 years. Children aged 6-11 in the U.S who were obese increased from 7 % in 1980’s to nearly 18% in 2012 and adolescents aged 12-19 years of age increased from 5 % to nearly 12 % in the same time period.

Childhood obesity may not seem like a serious problem, but it is a serious medical condition that can have major effects on a child. Although genetics play a role in determining a child’s weight, it is usually due to a child’s amount of exercise and the consumption of healthy meals. Doctors are concerned with the issue, as we all should be, and they are creating new programs that are geared toward helping children learn how to follow a healthier lifestyle. There are some promising outlooks with these programs, and most doctors agree that parents should help their children create a more active and healthy lifestyle. They also agree that the government should provide more attention to the issue as well. Since the growing problem of childhood