Childhood Obesity

The demographics of obesity are individualized to a person’s ideal weight for their height and body type. Obesity is categorized by having an excess of weight that is well outside of the medically accepted range based on height. There are varying degrees of obesity and being overweight is not the same as obesity. Obesity is categorized as being 20% or greater than the ideal weight for the individual (PAMF, 2011). The WHO's definitions of "overweight" and "obese" are based on an individual's body mass index (BMI), which measures weight relative to height. Overweight is marked by a BMI greater than or equal to 25 and obese is defined as having a BMI greater than or equal to 30 (World Health Organization, 2012). While it is widely accepted that Americans are one of the most overweight countries in the world, many other nations have seen steady increases in their rates of obesity. Epidemiological data has shown that countries all over the world have been steadily gaining weight in all genders, ethnic groups, ages and educational levels (World Health Organization, 2012). According to the national Institute of Health, 15.5% of teenagers were obese (2006). This means that a large

The terms overweight and obesity are compared on the website called The Center for Disease Control. The term overweight means that a person with a much higher weight being compared to other people that are his/her same height and to be technical has nothing to do with the specific persons body fat percentage. An example for this would be, an individual could possibly have a much higher body weight due to having an excessive amount of muscle mass. To put into examination, a source explains that it is more accurate to use the term overfat, when we are

In addition to these immediate health consequences, they are much more likely to develop weight-related problems as adults. Obese children often have risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes abnormal glucose tolerance, high cholesterol levels and elevated blood pressure (Bryan et al., 2013). In a sample of 5-to 17-year-olds, almost 60% of overweight children had at least one CVD risk factor and 25% of overweight children had two or more CVD risk factors (National Center for Health Statistics, 2011).

The rate of childhood obesity is growing at a rapid rate across the globe, creating concerns as obesity leads on to other serious illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, hyperinsulinaemia (an excessive amount of insulin in the blood), hyperlipidaemia (high number of lipoproteins in the blood) and hypertension (extremely high blood pressure) (Cole et al, 2000).

Childhood obesity is defined as having a age and sex specific Body Mass Index (BMI) at or above 95th percentile. The prevalence of childhood obesity has risen dramatically with the increase more than triple since the 1970 in the United States. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in five children from age six to nineteen are in obese. The consequences of childhood obesity include high blood pressure and high cholesterol, these are the risk factors for cardiovascular disease; type 2 diabetes mellitus, fatty liver disease, gallstone, and breathing problems such as asthma and obstructive sleep apnea. If children are obese will more likely to become adults with obesity, and their obesity and risk factors

Obesity and overweight involves disproportional calorie intake. In other words, it is eating too many calories and not expending it to balance it out. While obesity is

Childhood obesity is rising worldwide in an alarming rate. New Zealand Health Survey results in 2012/2013 showed that one out of nine children (2-14 years) was obese and it was 11 per cent of the total children population1. Obese children are more prone to have cardiovascular disease, psychological morbidity, asthma, Type 1 diabetes, and early mortality2 sooner or later in their life. Adverse effects of childhood obesity not only affect the current or later health status of children but also the country’s productivity and economy. Therefore it is very important to break the obesity viscous cycle in order to have a healthy nation.

Obesity is not the same as overweight, which means weighing too much (MedlinePlus, 2014). What those two terms have in common is that the child’s weight is greater than what is considered healthy for their height (MedlinePlus, 2014). Children who are overweight have a higher risk for becoming obese (MedlinePlus, 2014). Classification for obesity and overweight are by age and gender specific body mass index (BMI) (Nichols, 2016). The BMI is not a diag-nostic tool (Nichols, 2016). However, it is used to track weight status and serves as a screening tool for potential weight problems (Nichols, 2016). The BMI measure the body fat based on weight and height of an individual. Interpretations for children are relative to age and sex (Nich-ols, 2016).

The prevalence of obesity and being overweight in all ages, specifically children and teenagers is higher than ever in all age, sex and ethnic groups (Sothern). Obesity is when a person has a Body Mass Index, their BMI, which falls within the 95 percentile and above in their age group. For a person who is overweight, their BMI falls within the 85 percentile to the less than the 95 percentile. Also, people with a BMI of 30 and above are considered obese by the American Medical Association, while a person who is overweight can have a Body Mass Index from 25 to less than 30 (About BMI for Children and Teens). The CDC in About BMI for Children and Teens defines the Body Mass Index as the square of a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of a person’s height in meters. There is an age adjustment, and gender adjustment for people who are under 20 years old. On the CDC website, there is a link to an accurate BMI calculator for people under 20, and for people who are 20 and above.

Steven Orlon defines ‘overweight’ as the amount of body fat to body weight and height ratio (or BMI). It is used to determine whether someone is underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. The ratios can mean several things among different people. For someone, a BMI of

Obesity is a predictor of long-term negative health conditions and chronic diseases in children. The Body Mass Index changes correlate to the increasing co-morbidities in childhood leading through adulthood if not prevented or corrected (Shankaran et al, 2011). Obesity in children is linked to

Recently, body mass index (BMI) has become the medical standard utilized to calculate overweight and obesity. BMI utilizes a mathematical formula depending on a person's weight and height. BMI equals weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (BMI = kg/m2). Based on the particular values or range of BMI scale or measurements, a person can be individually yet easily identified as overweight, obese or of normal weight.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) formula is used to estimate the proportion of fat a person has based on their HEIGHT and WEIGHT. Adults with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 are considered to be at a normal or healthy weight, adults with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered to be overweight, and adults with a BMI of 30 or higher are considered obese.

The main causes of excess weight in the children are similar to those in adults. The individual 's behavior and genetics are usually affected. Behaviors include dietary patterns, physical activity, inactivity, medication use, and other exposures. Other contributing factors in the society we live in include the food and physical activity environment, education and skills, and food marketing promotion. Obese children are more likely prone to having cardiovascular disease, like high blood pressure and cholesterol. Young children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems, as well. If nothing is done to cure

Obesity refers to excess body fat while overweight refers to excess body weight in terms of excess fat, muscles, bone or water. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2009–2010), about 69% of the adult population in the U.S. is overweight or obese, with more than 78 million adults being obese. Consistent with the survey, at least 2 in 3 adults are overweight or obese and more than 1 in 3 adults are obese. In addition, more than 1 in 20 adults in the U.S. are said to have extreme obesity. The obesity and overweight ranges are calculated using body mass index (BMI). An overweight person has a BMI of 25 to 29.9 while an obese person has a BMI of 30 + (Flegal et al. 493).