Is Depression among Young Adults and Teenagers Related to Obesity?

The purpose of this study is to examine between obesity and how it causes depression on adolescent girls.

Depression is when an individual has feelings of hopelessness and has very little energy to accomplish tasks; many people have tremendous trouble sustaining an interest in life. In today’s culture, girls have become more depressed in adolescence compared to boys (Stice and Bearman). One of the major influences on why girls are frequently more depressed than boys, is that girls struggle to obtain the perfect body in their own eyes. Findings show that, compared to teen boys, teen girls have higher body shame. Fifty-three percent of adolescent girls reported being dissatisfied with their body after the study (Knauss). Low-self esteem, combined with depression, can potentially be very dangerous for young women.

Obesity is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Obesity often begin in childhood and is linked to many psychological problems such as asthma, diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors in childhood. Childhood obesity is related to increased mortality and morbidity in adulthood as many obese children grow up to become obese adults (Johnson, 2016). In the last 30 years, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents. In the United States, the percentage of children aged six to eleven years who were obese seven percent in 1980 has increased to eighteen percent in 2012. In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height, whereas obesity is having excess body fat. Childhood obesity can lead both immediate and long term effects on health and well-being. Obese children are likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. A population based sample of five to seventeen year old shows 70% obese children have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Obese children and adolescents are at risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as poor self-esteem and stigmatization. Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, stroke, type 2

There have been studies conducted to find out what has caused or what the leading factors to obesity are. Researchers are currently still doing research to find out what causes or what may be the lead to obesity. Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition which considers a child to be obese if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. (Rendall., Weden, Lau, Brownell, Nazarov & Fernandes, 2014). Obesity is on a rise in the Unites States and all over the world and can lead or result to other health complications later in life. The crucial breakdown serves as an implication of outlining childhood obesity, collaborating problems of the disease and resolutions, as well as applying critical thinking to give a complete approach to deliver information on childhood obesity. This will be done through citation of scholarly articles, samples and other modes of supporting details.

According to a study published in the European Journal of Public Health in August 2005, Effects of physical exercise on depression neuron doctrine stress hormones and physiological fitness in adolescent females with

Childhood onset overweight and obesity and its’ associated health consequences are quickly becoming major significant public health issues facing America today. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define overweight as a body mass index (BMI) between the 85th and 95th percentile while obese is defined as BMI above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex . The prevalence of overweight children, defined based on 2009 CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics data, has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Between 1980 and 2006, the incidence of overweight among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% to 17.0% while overweight levels for adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 17.6% .

Childhood obesity has both the immediate and the long-term health effects, for instance, a greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, asthma, and emotional and psychological problems such as bullying by peers, low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression (Saha et al., 2011, Black et al., 2013, Barton, 2012, Daniels et al., 2005). Moreover, children with overweight

Children with obesity may experience trouble sleeping, shortness of breath, early puberty, flat feet, and constipation (Knowlden & Sharma, 2013). Obesity is closely related to mental health as well. Negative perceptions of body image associated with obesity place children at a higher risk of low self-esteem, depression, and poor performance at school (Knowlden & Sharma, 2013). When obesity continues into adulthood, it is associated with several health concerns, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, pulmonary diseases, diabetes mellitus, and

A longitudinal study conducted by Rofey et al. (2009) assessed the relationship of childhood depression and anxiety to weight gain. The purpose of this study was to examine the "relationships between mood disorders and weight in children" (Rofey et al., 2009 p.524).

"As they get older, kids and teens who are overweight are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease." (Teens Health) Children were not seen experiencing these two illnesses before, they were mostly only seen in adults. This shows how obesity is causing health problems in children at an early age than before. Some other health complications that may occur as a result of obesity are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, blount disease, and many more. Obesity can also harm the mental health of a teen. An obese teen can suffer depression due to their unhealthy state of being and possible low self

Obesity can be a devastating problem from both an individual and a societal perspective. Obesity puts children at risk for a number of medical complications, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, asthma, and orthopedic problems (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2004, p.1). Researchers Hoppin and Taveras (2004) have noted that obesity is often associated with psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, and binge eating (Table 4).

Overweight and obesity in youth are known to have huge effect on both physical and mental wellbeing. Overweight and obese youngsters are probably going to remain hefty into adulthood and more inclined to create non-transferable illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a more youthful age. The instrument of heftiness improvement is not completely comprehended and it is accepted to be a disorder with multiple causes. Environmental factors, lifestyle preferences, and social condition assume vital parts in the rising commonness of obesity around the world. As a rule, overweight and obesity are thought to be the aftereffects of an expansion in caloric and fat intake. Then again, there are supporting proof that over the top sugar allow by soda pop, increased portion size, and enduring decrease in physical movement have been assuming significant parts in the rising rates of obesity all around the globe. Youth obesity can significantly influence kids' physical wellbeing, social, and emotional well-being, and self-esteem. It is likewise connected with poor academic execution and a lower personal satisfaction experienced by the

There is also continued increase in the proportion of children at risk of being overweight (Puhl & Latner, 2007). Childhood and adolescent obesity and overweight trend increased considerably between 1999 and 2004. However, the trend seemingly leveled between 2005 and 2006, and then surged in subsequent years. In 2008, the estimated obesity prevalence rate among children and adolescents of 2-19 years of age was 16.3 percent and overweight prevalence rate was 31.9 percent (Fleming et al., 2008). In 2010, it was estimated that 38 percent of children in the European Union and 50 percent of children in North America were overweight. This dramatic increase in childhood obesity is likely to have considerable long-term impact for economics and public health. If not reversed, the public health obesity toll is likely to continue rising as children and adolescents enter adulthood and start experiencing delayed and usually life threatening obesity complications (Fleming et al., 2008). In addition, there is increasing concerns regarding the vulnerability of many children to the adverse emotional and social obesity consequences. The effects of some of these consequences may be immediate with undesirable health outcomes and potentially lasting effects (Puhl & Latner, 2007). Childhood obesity is specifically problematic because it is not only linked to various comorbid physical and psychological problems but also adult obesity predictors and mortality risk factor (Werthmann et al.

This increased prevalence of childhood obesity has correlated with a rise in serious health concerns, once only seen in adults including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and asthma (Freedman, Srinivansan, Berenson, Dietz, 2007; Whitloc, Williams, Gold, Smith, Shipman, 2005; Han, Lawlor, Kimm, 2010). Additionally children who are overweight or obese are at increased risk for being bullied, experiencing psychological distress, mental disorders such as depression and anxiety and low self -esteem (Halfon, Larson, Slusser, 2013). Furthermore, obesity in childhood is a strong predictor of adulthood obesity and therefore a precursor to more serious health consequence throughout the lifespan (Halfon et. al, 2013).

“A new study of a national sample of adolescent boys, published in the January issue of JAMA Pediatrics, reveals that nearly 18 percent of boys are highly concerned about their weight and physique. They are also at increased risk for a variety of negative outcomes: Boys in the study who were extremely concerned about weight were more likely to be depressed, and