Essay about The Epidemic of Childhood Obesity in the United States

III.       Thesis:  Childhood obesity is a preventable disorder that could lead to other health effects,

In recent years, topics that relate to diet, nutrition, and obesity epidemic have been covered by experts in the United States. Different experts advocate various, and sometimes conflicting strategies for maintaining a healthy weight. One approach to this obesity epidemic is that being overweight is caused by the “obesity genes”. Yet some disagree on this approach and insist that parental influence play a bigger role in obesity. Obesity is a major global health condition that involves excessive body fat. Obesity is the main cause of some chronic illness. Following this further, childhood obesity can be linked with type-2 diabetes and studies also indicate it is associated with an increase in mortality in adulthood.

America is facing a rigorous obesity plague that is endangering the health of millions. Moreover, we are passing our bad practices down to our children. Obesity is a stipulation in which anomalous or excessive fat buildup in adipose tissue that damages health. Obesity is defined in adults as a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 30 (kg/m). Obesity is one of the most discernible, but until recently, most deserted public health problems. The present high pervasiveness of obesity and the brisk increase in pervasiveness in the last twenty years has been referred to as an endemic (Johnson SJ, Birch LL. 1994). Children all through the U.S. are getting fatter and less fit, through potentially treacherous enduring consequences. The figure of

Childhood obesity is a rapidly growing public health issue in the United States. Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, a sources of data on U.S. adult and childhood health and nutrition, indicated from the early 1970s to 2000 the prevalence of obesity doubled among boys and girls ages two to five and tripled among boys and girls ages six to 11 and 12 to 19 (Ogden, Carroll, & Flegal, 2003). The series of harmful concerns of being obese as a child or adolescent has led to research focused on understanding early life factors and prevention strategies early on in life. Majority of research have indicated rapid weight gain in the first year of life positively linked with an increased risk of obesity in childhood and

Child obesity is a growing problem in our society and has increased significantly in children and even more in teenagers in recent years. To help improve this issue I formed a hypothesis stating that causes of child obesity include genetic and environmental factors. The three questions I developed to support my hypothesis were, what are some of the genetic factors that affect child obesity and what causes them? What are some of the environmental factors that affect obesity and what causes them? Can we change and improve these factors and if so how? The goal of this investigation is to use the information about the causes of child obesity to form conclusions that will contribute to changing these causes and improve

Childhood obesity is a disease where excess body fat affects a child's health or wellbeing. With the number of children affected by the disease increasing, it is important to understand the consequences. Not only will obesity influence a child’s physical heath, but it can also affect their emotional and social health as well. Acknowledging that obesity is a preventable disease should help lower the number of children affected by it. It is not about dieting; it is a lifestyle change that should be adopted and practiced by the whole family. Being obese increases a child's risk of being an obese adult. I will argue that parent education regarding the physical and emotional effects of childhood obesity can protect the lives of children.

Women of child-bearing age need to know that their health may dramatically impact the health of their future, “…consideration must be focused on prevention of obesity in women of child-bearing age, excessive weight gain during pregnancy, and the role of breast-feeding in reducing later obesity in children and adults” (1). Most women are well aware of the negative affects drugs and alcohol may have on their developing fetus, but not as many women are conscious of the affects their BMI may have on their child. Along with the myriad of health problems associated with maternal obesity while pregnant, strong evidence also shows a connection between maternal obesity and childhood obesity. Thus, in order to decrease childhood obesity we must educate women prior to becoming pregnant and once they conceive on how to be in their possible health in order to give their future children the best start in life possible. One study states, “There is an independent effect of maternal pregravid weight and diabetes not only on birthweight but also on the adolescent risk of obesity” (2). If women hoping to get pregnant were aware of the implications of an obese pregnancy they may be motivated to alter their lifestyles prior to getting pregnant to ensure they are in the best health for their child. Making sacrifices for your children is a lifelong commitment and it should start as soon as possible, for some women hopefully that will

where the life expectancy of today’s generation is being threatened. Prevention of overweight and obesity is imperative. Parents, especially mothers play a major role in preventing overweight and obesity among the children. Their knowledge of nutrition, food selection and family meal structure has major impact on their children’s food habit. The preschool age is crucial for the children to learn and develop their lifelong habits. Education starts from home, where parents are the primary source of teaching their children about health, nutrition and food choices. They are the first liner in prevention of childhood obesity. When children start going to school, it is parents’ responsibility to continue maintaining the shape of healthful eating and physical activity in their children. The researchers have described how parenting can influence childhood obesity in various ways at different stages of their child’s development. Children are at a high risk of developing obesity genetically, if the mother suffers from diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes, and under or over nutrition during pregnancy. They need screening to prevent diabetes during pregnancy. During their child’s toddler years, parents need to expose them to healthy foods including fruits and vegetables to their children. They also need to focus on outdoor activities for their toddlers. Physical activity is more important at this age to burn off extra calories.

In this paper, I intend to discuss information on Childhood Obesity. I intend to first plainly explain a clear definition of what Childhood Obesity is. Next I plan on explaining some possible reasons why children develop obesity. I also want to give clear consequences and life struggles that may be associated with a child who is obese. I also want to discuss long term effects of this disease on the individual as well as society. Finally, I would like to discuss some possible treatments associated with curing obesity in children as well as in adults. The goal of this paper is not to judge nor is it to look down upon, but it is to simply bring light to a problem that is claiming many lives and stop it before it plagues the future of our youth.

The basis of research for this topic is the rising endemic of obesity in children in the United States. The fact that if parents do not recognize they are raising an overweight child means that it is unlikely that the child will ever receive any time of health attention or help. The purpose of this whole research is to offer the mothers of overweight children the knowledge to make a

In the journal entry Exploring Relationships Among Maternal BMI, Family Factors, and Concern for Childs Weight, experts with an extensive background in health and science Ethnic and environment are the notorious contributing factors in the risk of “heavily” overweight and obesity that is observed in early childhood stages. However, according to the authors, little research has compared these disparities United States by using those distinguished classifications. The study factors racial disparities in mean body mass index (BMI) and in the odds of obesity, or “heavyweight” in the United States. Sociodemographic, cultural and family routine factors are also assessed as possible contributions.

The purposes of the study were to (1) examine the relationship between acculturation and overweight/obese weight status and (2) determine the impact of acculturation on the changes in weight status among overweight/obese children 12 and 24 months after having participated in a weight management intervention.

         According to the American Heart Association, as of January of 2013, one in three children in America is overweight or obese. That is three times that of only fifty years ago. Although we all know some underlying causes for childhood obesity, I am focusing on three major causes. These are parents and the perpetuation of unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits, the over consumption of fast food, and lastly, children and their decreasing physical activity levels. These three main factors, lead to childhood obesity which in turn leads to further long term and immediate health risks as well as psychological problems. Some people argue that genetics plays the major role when discussing factors of childhood obesity however, my focus on the mentioned causes is because they are by far more manageable when compared to genetics.

Over the past 30 years, obesity has tripled among children ages 6-19 years in the United States (CDC, 2013). The definition of childhood health includes parameters of healthy and unhealthy weight ranges. Children defined as overweight have excess body weight for a particular height, while obese is having excess body fat. This paper is a set of recommendations based on research for practice change to improve the weight and health of

Childhood obesity has become an epidemic over the years nationally and internationally. The increasingly amount of children suffering from childhood obesity has grown over the years. One or more factors contribute to the development of childhood obesity. Such factors are genetics, behavioral (poor eating habits) and environmental (physical activity). Childhood obesity can cause physical, psychological, and social health problems (Karnik & Kaneka, 2012). On the other hand, the most recent strategy used is interventions to prevent and control childhood obesity (Karnik & Kaneka, 2012,). The purpose of the article is to discover the factors influencing childhood obesity as well as the use of various interventions and governmental actions addressing obesity while getting an understanding of the challenges for managing the epidemic.