Etiology of Pediatric Obesity

Child obesity is a condition characterized by the child having too much fat in the body to an extent of his or her health being in danger. In adults, it could be described as a state of having a body mass index of more than thirty (Paxon, 2006). Parents feeding them with too many calories bring about obesity in children. The excess calories are converted to fats that accumulate in the child’s body. This child will develop a big body because he or she will add weight and become quite fleshy. Obese children are at a risk of getting very adverse health effects, some of

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.

Eating a well balanced meal is crucial for someone in their early childhood stage. During this time period, between the ages of two and six, a well-nourished child can grow up to three inches and gain up to four and a half pounds per year (Berger, 2010). Children at this age also need fewer calories per pound of body weight than infants do. Since children need less food than they did before and many do not diminish the intake of their food consumed, obesity becomes a problem. The article “Child and adolescent obesity: a part of a bigger picture” states, “The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has risen substantially worldwide in less than one generation” (Lobstein, 2015). Obesity is a main factor that is present and can lead to other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. The article also states that, “The food industry has a special interest in targeting children. Not only can the companies influence children’s immediate dietary preferences, but they can also benefit from building taste preferences and brand loyalty early in life, which last into adulthood” (Lobstein, 2015). Once children are hooked on the foods they eat during their childhood, they tend to follow those habits as they grow up. Children in low-income families are vulnerable to obesity because they rely on cheap fast food.

Unluckily, some kids are unsurprisingly predisposed to obesity. Eating a large amount of high calorie foods, like baked goods, and vending machine snacks and fast foods surely contributes to weight increase. Lack of financial resources can lead to childhood obesity as well. Financial and time pressures force many families to minimize food costs and meal preparation time, resulting in increased consumption of prepackaged convenience foods that are high in calories and fat. Many urban neighborhoods do not have supermarkets, outdoor produce stands, or other healthy alternatives to convenience stores and fast food outlets, making it harder for residents to purchase fresh and inexpensive

Parents are one of the biggest role models to their children. If parents don't buy healthy food their children are going to have unhealthy diets from eating high-calorie food. How much the parents work also affects the children according to Patricia Anderson. Anderson states, “an increase in dual-career or single-parent working families, may also have increased demand for food away from home” (Anderson par. ). When parents work they don’t have time to prepare dinner. Instead, they go to fast food for a quick and easy meal for their family, but the meal is not healthy. The parents are contributing to their children's bad eating habits. Another factor can be genes or ethnicity, some children are at a higher risk for being obese. According to Michael J Wieting, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, genes and ethnicity can play a role in childhood obesity. Children who are of Native American, African American and Mexican descent are more likely to be overweight than youth who are white or of Asian descent (Wieting par. 9). Certain ethnic groups are at a higher risk due to the foods associated with the culture and other hereditary genes. Childhood obesity comes with multiple medical

Families across the nation are affected by this issue. Many parents have a lack of knowledge in regards to nutrition and activity, in hindsight the food industry impact families. The article The Childhood Obesity Epidemic discuss despite the government pushing for healthy food choice initiates, have to continue to maximize selling of their products that include junk food, therefore blame shifting towards the food industry (McHugh, 2016, p. 95).

Daniel Weintraub in the article, “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home” argues that parents not fast food companies are to blame for kids being obese. Weintraub supports his argument by providing evidence and research that mainly focus on “...The increasing consumption of fast food and soft drinks, ...” (prgh.8) The author’s main purpose of this article was to inform and aware parents/ guardians that they need to take their own responsibility rather than blaming others for something they have control over in the home. The author writes in an informal tone towards adults with children in their possession.

The cause of childhood obesity is widely debated. There are some who believe childhood obesity is caused by socioeconomic factors while others believe it is caused by media marketing junk food to children. As a response to this ongoing debate, food markers, mainly fast food, try to defend themselves by blaming childhood obesity on physical inactivity and the lack of parental influence on a healthy diet. Despite what many researchers may believe, childhood obesity is caused by a combination of key factors. According to a well-written article by Erica Roth, Childhood Obesity, she along with other doctors believes that obesity could be caused by many different factors. Some may include “family history, many psychological factors, and lifestyle” (Childhood Obesity). However, the causes of childhood obesity are not limited to these life threatening factors, childhood obesity is almost always

this diseases impact over the past few years. With the changing of lifestyles, the production of children who are not as healthy as they should be has increased. Due to these results, a widespread of children being obese has occurred. The Center for Disease Control, CDC, distinguishes between being overweight and being obese. Overweight simply means that the weight is high compared to others in the same height category. According to the CDC, obesity means “an excessively high amount of body fat . . . in relation to lean body mass” (CDC). There are so many factors of childhood obesity. Some might say it’s the parent and some might say that it’s from advertisements. Childhood obesity can be a combination of factors scientific, genetic, cultural, or even environmental. The debate over childhood obesity and its factors has been going on for decades.

A fourth and huge cause of childhood obesity comes from genetic heritage. Being overweight and being obese tend to run in the family. A child’s chances of become overweight or obese become greater if one or both of their parents are overweight or obese. Child tend to have the same habits as their parents. If their parents are never active or always eat junk food, the child will most likely be inactive and eat junk food.

A key factor of health in later life is childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is a medical condition where excess body fat negatively affects a child's health or well-being. Medical conditions are not the only factor which causes children to be obese it is the parental/family influences as well. Family influences on children are a huge factor because when children are younger they eat what the parent’s eats which can determine what the child ends up eating.

For my research project, I will be looking into the leading causes in childhood obesity. Obesity can be defined as when an individual is really overweight in which can affect their overall health. It has come to our concern that obesity among children has become a major problem, which needs to be confronted. Childhood obesity is continually expanding instead of decreasing, which is frustrating because it’s a difficult task for children to eat healthier in society with obesity hazards. Childhood obesity is a huge problem, which has negative consequences that leads to major obese in adulthood. It’s important to inform the audiences in what ways they can partake to help combat childhood obesity.

To begin with,obese children are being risked to mental illnesses and health problems that are critical. Such diseases are stated in the article , “Childhood Obesity Causes & Consequences”, which states, “ High blood pressure, high cholesterol, breathing problems, joint problems, fatty liver disease, psychological stress, low self-esteem and impaired social, physical, and emotional functioning” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) . Children at such a young age should not be worrying about being overweight or having to take medication. In addition ,all over America there is at least one child in a classroom who is not living a healthy lifestyle. If that does not concern anyone then that is an issue. Childhood obesity is a problem for

Everybody knows the child that can eat any type of food all day and never seem to gain weight. This occurrence has led researchers to investigate the role that genetics plays in childhood obesity. Not all children who are inactive or who eat poorly are obese, much in the same way that some obese children eat fairly healthy, and exercise moderately. Heredity has recently been shown to influence body fat percentage, regional fat storage, and the body?s response to overeating (Rush, 1). Children who have obese parents are 80% more likely to be obese than their lean parented counterparts (Buffington, 16). This familial correlation is contributed to genetics as well as the parents eating habits. Children with obese parents typically aren?t taught the correct way to choose when and what food to eat, leading to poor eating habits and eventually obesity. Many genetic defects can have a significant effect on obesity such as variable thyroid activity and pituitary defects. Abnormalities in any one of these regulators could be responsible for appetite abnormalities and weight gain. Furthermore, obesity leads to defects in appetite regulation, hormone production, and metabolic events (Oklahoma Cooperative, 4) that are responsible for further weight gain,

The fast food industry promotes childhood obesity by manipulating the young mind, putting them at risk for health complications such as hypertension and diabetes. The super-sizing of America is been a frequently talked about subject lately. Especially since it is seem to have negative effects on the health of children and adults alike through massive consumption of fast food. Health providers and other authority figures are now concerned about children’s obesity rates shown during the past 3-4 decades. They have now drawn a close connection between fast food and obesity and identified a childhood obesity epidemic with increased negative health factors. According to the American journal of public health, 2005 September issue, fast food