Mexican Childhood Obesity

The Hispanic cultures view on obesity or having a fuller and heavier child differs from an American’s perspective. Like many cultures around the world, hefty version of themselves is a sign of wealth and opulence. This belief is passed down to their children. Hispanic and Latino mothers believe a heavier child is a good idea and it shows healthy development. “Culture can influence the perception of risk associated with obesity. Studies of Latinos have found that many mothers of obese children believe their child to be healthy and are unconcerned about their child's weight, although these same parents are likely to believe that obese children in general should be taken to a nutritionist or physician for help with weight reduction.” (Caprio

Currently, the definition of obesity, determined by the Body Mass Index (BMI) scale, considers a child over the 95th percentile to be obese. Childhood obesity affects 17% of the children in the United States, and according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, 12.7 million American children will have the prevalence of obesity. Roberto Ferdman argues in his article in The Washington Post that “American kids are still far more likely to be overweight than kids in most other countries.” Some children are more likely to become obese based on their race or gender. “The prevalence of obesity among non-Hispanic Asian youth (8.6%) was lower than among non-Hispanic white (14.7%), non-Hispanic black (19.5%), and Hispanic

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.

In the past several decades and according to the State of Obesity “38.9 % of children ages 2-19 are obese in the Latino culture.” The rates of severe obesity are higher amongst these children compared to the White American children.

Childhood Obesity can lead to a wide variety of health problems that can be both immediate and/or long-term. Obesity is the condition of

Childhood obesity has increased dramatically during the past decade (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). Although the rise in obesity cuts across all of age groups, both genders, and all cultural and racial groups; statistics have demonstrated that Hispanic children are more likely to become obese than White or Black children in the United States. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (2011), childhood obesity is more prevalent among Hispanic children than in other ethnic groups, and the United States problem has been steadily increasing over the past decade. Lack of physical activity and poor nutritional habits could be the leading causes of the rise in obesity among this vulnerable population. The consequences of obesity are not trivial. Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, serious conditions such as type II diabetes mellitus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and psychosocial problems such as low self-esteem (Strauss, 2000). Early intervention is imperative to address the implications of childhood obesity in the United States.

The review paper “Factors Associated with Obesity in Latino Children: A Review of the Literature” by Melanie L. Kornides, Panagiota Kitsantas, and Antonia M. Villarruel discusses the collective findings of studies performed on the weight and lifestyles of Latino children from between the years 1998 and 2010. A range of influencing factors is covered, including acculturation, environment, diet, activity, and genetics. This article shows the flaws in some of the studies and proves that much work is left to be done in terms of researching root causes of obesity. Quite a few of the connections were deemed to be positive in one study, yet negative in another. There

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

The lack of nutritious food has many negative effects on the human brain, and body. In the United States, obesity rates amongst children under the age of 11 have been rapidly increasing. Obesity in children is likely to lead into adulthood, due to habitually poor eating patterns as well as the absence of resources to change poor habits. Adults with obesity are far more likely to experience a number of serious health conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. While the rise

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.

With the recently documented increases in prevalence’s dating as late back as to 1980, pediatric obesity now represents one of the most pressing nutritional problems facing children in the United States today. International population studies report comparable rates of increase, so that if current trends remain unchecked, childhood obesity is likely to challenge worldwide public health. Substantial consequences to physical and mental health, both short and long term, must be anticipated.

This incline has numerous negative effects on the young population of this country. The effects of childhood obesity can be both physical and psychosocial. Many different disorders, diseases and health problems occur in the form of “side effects” to obesity. A major concern outside of physical health is the self-perception problem that is likely occur with children and adolescents that are obese. (Moreno, Johnson-Shelton, & Boles, 2013).

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).

Many children are currently suffering from obesity all around the world (Zuraikat 2010). Often times if parents don’t have a good nutritional balance then their children will become obese as well. Adults might not care what others think of them, but most likely their children will be bullied in school. There is a lot of discrimination around the world till this day towards obese people (Zuraikat 2010). Believe it or not if two people go apply for the same job position often times the one that looks physically better will get the job. For this reason, it is significantly important to maintain a well-balanced nutritional diet starting at a young age. There are times when children are consuming high portions of fat