Childhood Obesity Is A Serious Epidemic

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.

Childhood obesity is not just an issue in United States- it is an growing epidemic. Obesity epidemic in kids has increased by alarming rate just in last few decades. Nearly one in every five child is obese in the United States. If the pattern of obesity continued on most of America’s children will be living with diabetes, heart disease, and dying young due to obesity. The American Heart Association reported this year that childhood obesity is the top health concern among parents in the United States, beating out smoking and drug abuse. My own younger siblings suffer with child obesity. Their craving for fast food and very limited physical activity has made them overweight and currently they suffer from health problems. Is this the future of our young generation? How much contribution should a parent have in their child’s diet? Fast food has taken over American diet and it has lead to poor nutritional diet among American youth. Fast food companies spend billion of dollars every year on commercials, convincing youth to love and eat their product. It’s just not our eating habits that has lead our young generation into obesity, lack of physical workout has also played a major role in obesity epidemic. TV, computer, video games and other technology entertainment has contributed to children getting no exercise. Obesity in children can put them in high risks of developing chronic and serious illness. Unhealthy weight leads to having weaker lungs, poor blood quality, heart

Under this criteria,33% of children account for the 85th percentile and above. 1 out of every 3 children is considered overweight.

Childhood obesity is more than a major issue in the United States: it is an epidemic. The number of overweight and obese children in America has increased at an alarming rate over the past years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years [1]. American Heart Association stated, “Today one in three American kids and teens are overweight or obese; nearly triple the rate in 1963” [5]. Unfortunately, this affects our children physically, mentally, and long-term.

Childhood obesity is an epidemic in U.S. In the year of 2012, about “one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.” Also, percentages of childhood obesity have increased by over ten percent in the last thirty years in children and adolescents (Childhood Obesity Facts 2015). These statistics are shocking, and many people are concerned for the health of their children. This medical condition, as defined by Mayo Clinic, leads to serious health conditions in the future in the children’s adult lives, which can only be treated with pricey medication, treatments, and surgeries (Mayo Clinic Staff 2015); some can also lead to a very short life, ending their lives in between the ages 40 and 60. Due to many studies and research, 1childhood obesity can be easy prevented early on from infancy by analyzing the causes, studying the effects and finding the solutions to the problem.

In the United States, childhood obesity is an epidemic and in the past 30 years, childhood obesity have had nearly tripled. There are 31 % of American children and adolescents are either overweight or obese. And according to the numbers, more than 23 million of American children are either overweight or obese and more than 12 million are obese (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2013).

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

Presentation is important to how a person receives the information because it can determine how they perceive it and what they will do with it. The point is that obesity has been viewed by many as simply an epidemic that has been caused by eating too many unhealthy foods. Although both children and adults should acknowledge the fact of how obesity is developed and hold strong to changing those habits, is the real solution held within our mentalities or physicalities? Our decisions result in the foods and the amount of exercise that we have. Therefore, our mentalities seem to outweigh our physical, but it is because of our physical well-being that we make certain decisions which brings a balance between both aspects. The idea athletic

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic across the world, and has become a rapidly increasing problem in the US. In the past thirty years, the obesity rate for children aged 12-19 has quadrupled, and it has doubled in children aged 6-11 (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2015). When compared to the lifestyle of an average 13 year old thirty years ago, today’s lifestyle is one that seems to stack the cards against them. Thirty years ago, kids participated in recess and gym class daily, today those programs are being cut in order to allow for academics. Children thirty years ago enjoyed fast food only on occasional and typically ate a home cooked meal, with a wide range of food groups and smaller portions (Let 's Move!, 2010). Kids no longer walk to school for a multitude of reasons, and they often opt to come home from school and play their favorite video game or watch their favorite show instead of playing a game outside like children who grew up 30 years ago did. There are also factors that contribute to obesity that may be out of the children’s control. Often times children aren’t in charge of what they eat or what activities they participate in (Haelle, 2013). Socioeconomic factors may also contribute to childhood obesity (Wang, 2001) yet another factor that the children themselves cannot control. While there may be many reasons why we see a spike in childhood obesity, there are also things that we can do to fix the problem.

More and more children are suffering from the chronic condition of obesity (Serrano). Children become overweight when they consume more calories than they burn while partaking in physical activity (“A Growing Problem”). Of the six most vulnerable times in life for the development of obesity, five affect children and teens (Berg 34). Educating the people of America about acknowledging the presence of a weight problem, the history of this problem, and the physical and emotional effects of childhood obesity could potentially minimize this issue and improve children’s lives.

The United States has seen childhood obesity rates double in children and increase four times in adolescents since the 1980’s.1 The Center for Disease Control reports that in 2012, over one third of children and adolescents were considered obese or overweight.1 There is an urgent need to address the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, as obesity has been shown to have deteriorating immediate health effects and increase the risk of chronic disease such as diabetes, osteoarthritis and cancer in adulthood.1 Although there are many influential factors in a child’s weight, nutrition is one of the main ones to consider, as a complete and balanced diet also promotes healthy growth and development.2 Research indicates that school encompasses a significant portion of a child’s time, cognitive, physical and social development, and as such, has the responsibility to promote a healthy lifestyle for children.3 Because of the nationwide concern surrounding childhood obesity, recent federal wellness policy for public schools mandate that nutrition education, physical activity and other wellness promoting programs must be part of the school environment.4 The purpose of this review of literature is to evaluate if school nutrition is one of the major contributors to childhood obesity and how policy changes have affected the problem.

Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Two-thirds of adults and nearly one in three children are overweight or obese. The prevalence of obesity in the U.S. more than doubled from 15% to 34% among adults and more than tripled from 5% to 18% among children and adolescents from 1980 to now. (Brunilda Nazario). These facts should startle you and quite frankly shock and scare you! It is estimated by the year 2020 obesity will be the single biggest killer on the planet. (World Health Organization) Obesity has become a dangerous epidemic facing our country. As children, teen and adult obesity rates have risen dramatically, so has the number of diet, exercise and health programs. The question is which diets and exercise programs work, and which ones don’t. Educating our country about how to become healthier through different programs and lifestyles is an important step in fixing this serious problem.

Recent statistics have shown that childhood obesity has reached global epidemic status. In the United States alone, approximately 34% of adolescents and young adults are considered obese or overweight (Pbert et al, 2013). The rates are equally concerning across the world and appear to have rates that are disproportionate among minorities and low-income families. The root causes include factors that are genetic, environmental, societal and developmental, but it is largely caused by controllable factors such as unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity. The condition is fraught with significant risk factors such as depression, low-esteem and a further increased risk of becoming obese adults. Furthermore, there is an increased risk of adult-onset diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (Pbert et al, 2014).

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.

In discussion of child obesity, the parents have stated that fast food is the main contributor of this issue. On the other hand, there are tons of people who blame it on the parents. Some people have also said that the children should be responsible for their own weight, and that they need to make their own choices. Others even maintain that the government should interfere. The reality is that child obesity is a world’s problem that is taking away years of life of young adults. This is a serious, complex problem that can affect someone’s life drastically. These children are not able to get involved in a sports club. It has been said that these children have a lower self-esteem compare to a child with a normal weigh status. Not only that,