Dietary Factors That Affect Obesity Essay

Childhood obesity is a health problem that is becoming increasingly prevalent in society’s youth. For a number of years, children across the nation have become accustomed to occasionally participating in physical activities and regularly snacking on sugary treats. In result of these tendencies, approximately one third of American children are currently overweight or obese (Goodwin). These grim statistics effectively represent all the lack of adult interference, in regards to health, has done to the youth of America. The habits of over consuming foods and under participating in physical activities are all too common in the children of today. Children cannot solve this issue alone, though. These young people need to essentially be given the

Childhood obesity in America is a growing disease that has become an epidemic problem that has lasting psychological effects, because of advertisement of fast food, lack of physical activities, and parental control; which has made food become a major health issue in many young teenager's lives today. Childhood obesity is something that most kids inherit from his or her own parent. When it comes to child obesity, there is a great deal of understanding of the causes and consequences of this kind of problem. There are important necessary steps to take in order to take preventative action.

One of the major causes of obesity to be addressed is eating excess calories from energy rich foods. Eating a variety of healthy foods is necessary for optimal growth and development, Protects against disease and provides energy to play, explore and learn. This is also accompanied by inadequate exercising or working out. This results in fats accumulating in the body. Parents should monitor their children’s feeding habits and take them for regular check-up. There are many ways that parents can help their children on a healthier path. Start early to establish healthy eating practices at home; be a role model, kids love to follow if lead by example. Plan healthier snacks that meet the nutritional needs and kids enjoy eating as well. To determine whether a child is obese or not, his or her

Unlike other illnesses, obesity in children is a direct result of eating too much food, eating the wrong kinds of food, and a more sedentary lifestyle. The typical diet for children today is oriented towards highly refined flours and sugars, sugary sodas and energy drinks, and snack foods that may be quick but have little nutritional value in the long run. When this is combined with a lack of exercise due to playing

Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that is affecting children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height and can result in serious medical conditions. The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased significantly over the past ten years. Childhood diabetes has been on the rise since the early 90’s and continues to rise. In the article, “Don’t Blame the Eater” David Zinczenko, shows that “ Before 1994… only about 5 percent of childhood cases were obesity-related, or Type 2, diabetes. Today...Type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 30 percent of new childhood cases of diabetes in this country” (463). Type 2

Within the last 30 years, there has been an increase in childhood obesity that is alarming for parents, health care professionals, and children advocates. This epidemic is a result of children not participating in regular exercise and eating high caloric, fast food. We can combat this epidemic by increasing the education to the family and encourage more physical activity and nutritious foods.

Different factors are responsible for obesity in children and adolescents. The cause of obesity was widely agreed, that eating too much and exercising too little. Food is energy, unless you use that energy; however, it will be store as fat. Nevertheless, once someone becomes obese, it is often not as easy as simply eating less and moving more will resolve the situation. From genetic to behavioral, and environmental, the imbalance of calories intake, calories have been use for the purpose of growth, development, metabolism and physical actives. Children usually consume their calories by means of food or beverages. When those foods are not utilize, for energy activities, it leads to obesity. Obesity could be consider, has been

With this rise in pediatric obesity, recent literature has focused on the associated cardiovascular and metabolic complications.

The increase in childhood obesity is a new phenomenon in the United States, childhood obesity is the result of a sustained energy imbalance. According to (Moore, Wilke, & Desrochers, 2017) only one in five youth (21 %) eat the required daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Another 40 % of the calories children consume are empty calories due to solid fats and added sugars, about half of the six popular foods-soda, fruit

Today, about one in every three children, in America, are obese or overweight. Child obesity is a health issue where a child is obese for their body mass index (BMI). A child has to be in between the eighty-fifth and ninety-fifth percentile to be considered overweight. According to (heart.org), ”The prevalence of obesity in children more than tripled from 1971 to 2011.. With good reason, childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking.” (heart.org) Child Obesity is an increasing problem in the United States due to poor nutritional habits, lack of physical exercise and an increase in availability of fast food. Child obesity also leads to long term physical and mental health problems. Although, there are many negative effects of child obesity, there are slight changes that can be made to slow or stop childhood obesity. Prevention can be managed by keeping a balanced diet and staying active.

According to Cummings, Welch, Mason, Burbage, Kwon, and Kuo (2014) the food environment is the most important factor in combating childhood obesity. For children and adolescents the school nutrition programs are major parts of the food environment (Cummings et al., n.d.). “Adequate energy and nutrients are required for young children’s growth and development, but excess energy over the long term can lead to overweight and obesity” (Briefel et al., 2013 P.269). There are many different factors that contribute to the continuing growth of childhood obesity.

Obesity has been a major health issue in the community for the past three decades, and has recently become a spreading concern for children (Black & Hager, 2013). Childhood obesity leads to many health and financial burdens in the future, and has become a public health priority. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016), childhood obesity has doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Black and Hager (2013) state that pediatric obesity is a major public health problem that effects a child’s mental and physical health. Having childhood obesity also increases the risk of developing adult obesity and many other chronic illnesses. Childhood obesity will be further explored in the following sections and will include: background, current surveillance methods, epidemiology analysis, screening and diagnosis, and the plan of action.

Obesity is a burgeoning and threatening epidemic that is becoming more pervasive in the United States and around the world as time goes on. While life expectancy in the United States continues to rise, the incidences of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and cancer are rising alarmingly fast as well. Children are among the hardest hit as they are some of the more vulnerable members of society due to their inability to care for themselves in many ways, their parents are often oblivious and/or uninformed as it relates to proper diet for the parents themselves or their kids and social pressures exerted on obese children in social situations such as school.

When speaking of her 8-year old daughter's obesity, a prideful mother replies "Oh it's no big deal, she just still has her baby fat." Unfortunately, chances are that the daughter's obesity is not caused by her baby fat, but can be contributed to a combination of diet, genetics, and a sedentary lifestyle. Studies show that obesity among children 6-17 years of age, has increased by 50% in the last 20 years, with the most dramatic increase seen in children ages 6-11 (Axmaker, 1). This obvious epidemic has raised great concern in the medical community because widespread childhood obesity has increased the prevalence of the once rare juvenile diabetes and pediatric hypertension (Bastin, 45). This concern has prompted intense investigation

We are conditioned at a young age to believe the only way to be normal is to be