Childhood Obesity Is Affecting Children's Health

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 is a growing epidemic in our country, its called obesity. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity has doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, and in 2012 more than one third of children were overweight and obese. There are countless reasons as to why this epidemic has gained so much weight over the recent decades, often people say; it is an inherited tendency to put on pounds, lack of good nutrition and diets, or simply because we are too busy or too lazy to exercise. The truth is, physical activities and dietary behaviors of young Americans are influenced by many sectors of society. Including; the families and cultures we

Social Factors: Children of many various ethnicity have greater implications with obesity, however studies have shown that Hispanic American children (both genders) and African American female children are effected at higher rate than European Americans and Asians (Salinas, Leyao, & DeWan, 2016). Numerous studies including BMC genetics have directly associated low household income to higher likelihood children being obese or overweight. According to the CDC 2000 growth reference, adolescence ages 12-19 are obese or over-weight with the body mass index (BMI) ≥95th, that is one in six child in the United States (Diesel, Eckhardt, Day, Brooks, Arslanian, & Bodnar, 2015).

Childhood obesity is considered to be a serious issue among our youth. Obesity can cause many types of physical problems, which most are aware of, but it can also cause some undesirable internal feelings within children and adolescents who suffer from it. Self-esteem, or self-worth, is important as it helps develop personality and is a major ingredient to our mental health status (Wang, F. and Veugelers, P. J., 2008). Some have said obesity may even have a negative effect on cognitive development, as well. There have been studies performed to research the effects of obesity on children and adolescents, which I am going to review.

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic this this county. Did you know that one in six school aged children (ages 6-19) are obese? Based on studies obesity is more common among boys than girls’ ages 6-11 years old. Childhood obesity is a disease that continues to increase around the world. North America has managed to triple childhood obesity rates over the past four decades. North America also falls within one of the highest obesity rates in the World. Childhood obesity can lead to major consequences if not treated. The rising issue of childhood obesity can be decreased if society would take a stand and accurately evaluate the causes.

Obesity is a condition where someone is significantly overweight for their age and height. On a child, it can lead to life-threatening diseases and health problems in the future. This excessive amount of weight that a child bears can lead to future diseases and mental abuse from peers and even on rare occasion 's parents. Childhood obesity has become a national problem in the United States and continues to grow at a substantial rate. This growing health problem presented with children is affecting them negatively for the future. Is fast food really to blame, or is it the new lazy lifestyle that revolves around technology? With technology growing quickly, children seem to be less likely to play outside and live an active lifestyle than

Childhood obesity in America is an enormous problem that we face. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children in the past thirty years. The percentage of children aged 6-11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% to nearly 18% in 2012” (“Childhood”). According to Web M.D., “Children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors” (“Preventing”). Childhood obesity can lead to many other serious illnesses and problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatigue, depression, and low self-esteem.

Children who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of being diagnosed with diabetes, blood pressure problems, bad cholesterol, and depression. Children who are obese also have a high chance of becoming obese adults with multiple health problems that automatically reduce the quality of life. It is important to understand exactly what and who falls under the umbrella of ‘childhood obesity’ and identify the causes of the problem in order to pinpoint constructive solutions and interventions.

Despite recent declines in the prevalence among preschool-aged children, obesity among children is still too high. For children and adolescents aged 2-19 years, the prevalence of obesity has remained fairly stable at about 17% and affects about 12.7 million children and adolescents for the past decade (CDC). Childhood obesity does not only affect children, but also has many long term health effects on our children as they get older, including, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in both childhood and adulthood. (2). Researchers estimate that if obesity trends continue, obesity related medical costs, alone, could rise by $43 to $66 billion each year in the United States by 2030. (1) A major factor in childhood obesity is the inadequate amount of physical activity children are getting, as well as the school lunches that are being provided to the kids. The accessibility of competitive foods which includes things like vending machines, student stores and items a la carte in schools has been linked with negative dietary behaviors, including higher saturated fat intake, higher sweetened beverage intake, and less fruit and vegetable intake,(3) thus resulting in obesity among our children and adolescents. Research suggests that by making sure children are getting healthy school meals and getting enough physical activity in their day it will decrease their chances of having childhood obesity (3). The purpose of this review was to determine the role, school lunches and physical

Purpose of the Study: Childhood obesity is a growing, public health disorder that has actually been turned into a disease because it is so ordinary, now, in many Americans. When it comes to childhood obesity, most people ask why the parents are not doing something about it or why they did not interfere, earlier, before the disease came to be obesity. Traditionally, being a fat kid meant being a healthy and strong kid, a kid who was likely to survive the diligence of gaunt and viruses or infection.

Childhood obesity matters because there is indisputable link between weight and health. The vast majority of obese children have at least one risk fact for cardiovascular disease, and are more likely to be obese adults facing heart disease, diabetes, gall bladder problems, pancreatic difficulties, and even certain kinds of lymphomas (“Childhood Obesity Facts, 2014, n.p.). The children themselves have specifically higher risks for immediate asthma, breathing problem, sleep disorders, musculoskeletal issues, and interpersonal problems that can continue into adulthood (“Basics About Childhood

The United States, the busiest country on over the world, is being threatened by the obesity, especially children. Compare with the past 30 years, in 2012, the number of children are obese increases doubled (Childhood Obesity Facts). The major elements that lead to the childhood obesity not only come from the invisible factor are family’s gene, but also the environment grow them up as school and the influence of technology in the modern society. But if the parent and school have a positive behavior on children’s eating habit, and also control the time using the technology of children, they can contribute to preventing this situation.

than 1 billion overweight individuals and no less than 30% of those as corpulent. The

Access to fresh fruits, vegetables and nutritious meals is an important component in combating childhood obesity. Socioeconomic conditions can limit access to quality food for many children. Without the ability to consume nutritious, low calorie food portions children are at risk for developing health conditions.

Is it true that sugar causes or contributes to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? This is an important question that many parents, teachers and researchers are trying to answer. Sugar has long been suspected to be a cause behind ADHD symptoms. But research has yet to validate the connection. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the idea that refined sugar causes ADHD or makes symptoms worse is accepted, but more research disproves this theory than supports it. The Journal of Physiology is one of the first to discuss the negative consequence of a diet on learning and cognition (Agrawal & Gomez-Pinilla, 2012). The authors investigated the metabolic outcomes of a high glucose diet in combination with a