Preventing Chilhood Obesity : Parenting Programme For Early Years

Childhood obesity is becoming epidemic in the developed world, and is a condition in which excess body fat negatively affects a child's health. There are a number of effects this has on children, so many that it has become a public health concern that has reached national proportions

Obesity is a health crisis amongst children and young people, which arises when there is a shortage in energy outflow and greater consumption of energy from food and drink; thus a build-up of excess fat is a result of this which indicates a risk to health (WHO,2015). Contributing factors increase in childhood obesity such as the availability of cheaper higher calorific food and physical inactivity (Marmot 2010). In addition the correlation between poor diet and obesity is evident from the figures released by the National Child measurement programme, which states that 22% children in year one in primary school are overweight or obese (Nutrition and Food Science 2011). Moreover, plummeting obesity in children is fundamental, as overweight or obese children are more likely to become obese adults (Bhadoria et al 2015) (Marmot,

The obesity epidemic holds the responsibility to annihilate many of the health benefits that have contributed to the increased durability recognised in the world today. In 2014, approximately 41 million children under 5 years of age were affected by overweight or obesity. Today, progress in extinguishing childhood obesity has been gradual and conflicting. A greater number of children are, even from before birth, on the brink to developing obesity. Children who are not yet at the bodymass-index (BMI)-for-age verge for the early staged of childhood obesity or overweight are at an all high of developing obesity.

A person is considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25-29.9 and obese if there BMI reaches 30 or greater (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2010). Furthermore, when calculating the BMI in children and adolescents, age and sex are also taken into consideration (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2010). Soft drinks and junk food, that are high in sugars, saturated fats, and low in nutritional value, have been linked to the increase in overweight children and adolescents. Unhealthy eating habits developed in childhood often lead to a similar pattern in adulthood, which can have significantly negative effects on a person physically, mentally, and emotionally (A. 1182, 2012).

If a child is obese, it may cause severe problems to their physical, emotional and social health and wellbeing. These problems can include: stress on the bones and joints, fatty liver, high blood pressure, type two diabetes, snoring and sleep apnea, behavioral problems, stigmatization and low self-esteem. (Dieticians Assoc. Aus., 2010.) The most recent Australian Health Survey between 2011-12 shows the increase in proportion of overweight and obese children in Australia since 1985. It has also been estimated that one third of Australian children will be overweight or obese by 2025 (figure 1).

Childhood obesity is an epidemic that is rapidly affecting multiple families across the world. Firstly Obesity can simply be defined as the condition where excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that individual’s health may be adversely affected. Body Mass Index (BMI) is the most commonly used method to measure obesity on a population level for both adults and children. There are four widely accepted weight categories; underweight (BMI less than 18.5), normal weight (18.5 to 25), overweight (25 to 30) and obese (over 30) (WHO 2000). For children aged 2 to 18 years however, there needs consideration to changes to the body during development, which is why an internationally recognised set of age and gender specific BMI thresholds are

A child is defined as affected by obesity if their body mass index (BMI) for their age percentile is greater than 95% and a child is defined as overweight if their BMI for their age percentile is greater than 85% and less than 95%, this is identified on the BMI for age percentile chart (Raj & Kumar, 2012). The World Health Organization (WHO) regards childhood obesity as one of the most serious global public health challenge for the 21st century (WHO, 2016). Globally, in 2013 the number of obese children under 5 years of age was estimated to be over 42 million, nearly 31 million of these are living in developing countries (WHO, 2016). Obese children and adolescents are at an increased risk of developing various health problems and have a higher risk of becoming obese adults (Public Health England, 2016). Prevention of childhood obesity needs to be high priority, these obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood therefore are at risk of developing non-communicable

The incidence of obesity in children between the ages of two and nineteen was 17% (CDC, 2014). There were several racial, cultural, gender, and social influences that were contributing factors to an increased

Childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic. The obesity rate among children has doubled over the past few years. The incline in the obesity rate is due to poor eating habit, media influence, lack of financial means to pay for healthier food

In general, obesity is a condition that is characterized by excessive body fat accumulation, to the extent that health can be impaired (International Journal of Epidemiology, 2010). Among children, it is defined as being higher than the 95th percentile for the given sex and age group on a smooth curve BMI chart (Puhl & Schwartz, 2003).

Childhood obesity is becoming a major public health crisis in both children and adults. The American Heritage dictionary simply defines obesity as a condition of increased body weight that is due to excessive build up of fat in the body. The CDC (Center for Disease Control), use the BMI (Basal Metabolic Index) and CDC growth charts to determine obesity and overweight in adolescents and children. The BMI-for-age percentile is determined by plotting the BMI value. Using this chart, obesity is defined as a BMI value that is at or above the 95th percentile for children who are of the same sex and age. Overweight is described as a BMI value at or above the 85th percentile but lower than the 95th percentile. Between the year 2003 and 2006, a National Health and Nutrition study indicated that at least 31.9 percent of both children and adolescents were overweight, and 16.3 percent were obese (Lossing, 2010). The number of obesity has increased significantly over the years causing it to be designated as a global epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1998(Jadavji 2006). Cases of childhood obesity are highest in developed countries. However, there is a steady increase in its prevalence in developing countries also. Interestingly, there are proportionately more overweight girls than boys, especially among adolescents. Childhood obesity has significant consequences on both the psychological and physical health of a child. These consequences include; abnormal

In recent years, the world’s prevalence of obesity in children has increased alarmingly in most of the countries. It is estimated that 170 million of children under 18 years old are overweight, in the US there is a 30% prevalence of obesity, similarly 27% of children in Mexico are obese (OCDE, 2014; Gutiérrez et al., 2012). In some countries like East Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Canada the prevalence of overweight children had risen by one percentage point each year (Wang & Lobestein, 2006). According to an OCDE report obesity rates have grown more rapidly with low socioeconomic and education (OCDE, 2014).

Childhood obesity has been slowly on the rise in the recent decade yet it has not been given much attention until now seeing the effects of childhood obesity; it has gained a lot of controversial attention in recent times. Parental action on childhood obesity is required and should be considered as an issue that requires immediate attention. About 155 million children and adolescents over 5 years of age are obese or overweight and aside from that fact, 20 million children under 5 are also obese or overweight which goes to show for the amount of junk foods and other fatty foods that are ingested and thus affecting the children population (Marshall et al., 2007, p.165). Although no significant steps have been taken nor any new major

31% of children aged between 2 and 19, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), are overweight. Half of this population is considered to be obese. The rates of obesity, however, vary by age. 8 percent of children between 2 and 5 are obese. Among those between 6 and 11, 18 percent of these children are obese (Segal, Rayburn, & Alejandra, 2016). Finally, 21 percent of those 12 and 19 years are obese. As mentioned before, obesity among children between 2 and 5 are decreasing. But those among age groups 11 and 19 are increasing. This may explain the constant rate of obesity among children.

Over the past years obesity has become of a great concern for pediatricians across America. Obesity, once known as a sign of a disorder that afflicted a very small population, is one of today’s top ranking diseases. It does not discriminate affecting people of all ethnics, genders, socio-economic status and ages. Obese children have to make difficult decisions in terms of what they should or should not eat. They don’t understand why having a scoop of ice cream is unhealthy when they see the other children enjoying it. Why has childhood obesity incidence increase over the past years? Why is it beginning at such an early stage of life? Obesity is known to have a genetic etiology but this is not the only cause for the disease. Children are more commonly affected by this disease due to the early introduction of solid foods during infancy, the use of formula milk vs. breast milk, or the introduction of sugary drinks to the infant’s diet.