The Issue Of Teenage Obesity

Sadly, childhood obesity has more damaging effects than just what is visible on the exterior. When children become overweight they put themselves at great risk for certain conditions that were once thought to be rare in children, these conditions include type 2 diabetes, asthma, and hypertension. Other conditions include orthopedic damage, like stress on the joints caused by excess weight and skin damage like heat rashes and monilial dermatitis. As well, children and adolescents who are obese put themselves at risk of becoming obese adults. Overweight adults are at an even greater risk to suffer from potentially life threatening conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and certain forms of cancer. Overweight adults are also at risk for type 2 diabetes.

Since the 1980’s obesity rates have soared. Between 1980 and 2000, obesity rates doubled between adults and children. Twelve years later in 2012, the Center of Disease Control and Prevention estimated more than one third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. Being overweight is defined as having excess body weight from a combination of height, fat, and muscle. On the other hand, Obesity is simply having too much excess body fat. Being overweight and obese are the result of caloric imbalance. Society tends to consume more calories than calories expended. Obesity can lead to more serious medical issues such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and even cancer. I believe that there are many causes of obesity, but there are just as much solutions for a healthier life.

In America childhood obesity statistics show that almost 60 percent of children are obese. This statistic continues to grow at an alarming rate. 70 percent of obese adolescence become obese adults. This means when these children grow into adults they will have more health problems than they already do and their quality of life will decrease. The amount of children who are obese between ages 6-11 years old has risen from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 19.6 percent, in 2008. In adolescents ages 12-19 years old the obesity rates risen from 5.0 percent in 1960 to 18.1 percent in 2008. Last year the United States government stated that obesity and type 2 diabetes have become a national epidemic.

Childhood obesity can affect a child’s physical, emotional, and social well being. Physically, childhood obesity can cause type two diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, sleep disorders, and fatty liver disease. (CDC) Socially and emotionally, child obesity can cause low self-esteem, bullying issues, behavior problems, learning problems, depression, and anxiety. (healthychildren.org) These are all very

There are short and long term impacts of childhood obesity. One short term impact is having a low self-esteem. A child that is obese is likely to be bullied and teased by peers. These children are then likely to isolate themselves from others. This then leads to them think negative about themselves.

Childhood obesity has been a constant debate topic in the United States for several decades. Obesity is defined as a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent it may have an adverse effect on health and reduce life expectancy (WHO, 2011). About 1 in every 6 American children is considered overweight or obese. Under current obesity guidelines by using the body mass index measurement (BMI) for age percentile, a BMI of below 18.5 is considered underweight, normal weight (BMI of 18.5 to 24.9), overweight (BMI of 25.0 to 29.9) and obese is a BMI that is higher than 30 for children of the same age and sex. Some experts believe that parents should be held liable and prosecuted if their children become morbidly obese. Others argue that this is not the best action to take against parents because other factors affect childhood obesity.

Can you imagine your child having a shorter lifespan than you because of what you feed them? This may happen if parents continue to feed their children unhealthy foods, later leading to obesity. Obesity is a disorder involving excessive body fat that increases the risk of health problems. “Obesity is among the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat. Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year.” Teen obesity is a serious issue since we have high statistics of obesity in the US, increasing health issues among teens and causes are becoming more complex.

The definition of obesity is having too much body fat. “Generally, a child is not considered obese until the weight is at least 10 percent higher than what is recommended for their height and body type. Obesity most commonly begins between the ages of 5 and 6, or during adolescence. Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult” (Obesity in Children and Teens). This has become an immense issue not only for American children, but also for people all around the world. Because of the lack of responsibility children take about their health, they are at risk for various health problems. Not only does obesity affect their body, but, it can also affect them mentally as well.

States many facts that have occurred in our time related to childhood obesity. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 20% in 2008. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period. In 2008, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. The CDC defines being overweightas having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle,

Childhood obesity has now reached an epidemic in several parts of the United States. As a result, children now have a higher risk to have numerous chronic and acute medical problems. Several of the long-lasting medical problems a child might face as a result of obesity could eventually result in death. In addition to chronic medical problems, childhood obesity has severe psychosocial effects on an individual such as low self-esteem and depression. Childhood obesity is a serious problem that is caused by a numerous amount of factors that can eventually lead to severe health complications.

A child's learning ability and overall health can be affected by them being overweight. Some of the obese and overweight "...children are developing conditions and diseases that normally would be associated with adults, such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, ...type 2 diabetes...occurrence of certain cancers, including colon cancer..." (Andrews 2). Along with these conditions and diseases many children are also faced with "...social discrimination" from their peers and the people around them (2). In schools "...overweight students showed 0.4 lower GPA and 11% lower national percentile reading scores... also [they] had significantly more detentions, poorer school attendance,

Childhood obesity is characterized by excess body fat, while overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height and age, which ultimately carries significant health issues for the future. A high amount of body fat can lead to many health issues, both immediate and long-term health effects. Immediate side effects include an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease, like high cholesterol and high blood pressure, prediabetes, and increased risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and psychological issues (CDC, 2016). Long-term effects include:

Obesity is a growing problem among U.S. children. In 1994, one in five children between the ages of 6 and 17 was overweight. This is double the rate of 30 years ago (National Center for Health Statistics, 1999). This adverse trend has potentially profound effects on children's health, including their long-term health. The terms "obese" and "overweight" often are used interchangeably. Technically, "obesity" is the upper end of "overweight." Obesity is clinically diagnosed as: greater than 90th percentile for weight for height; or greater than or equal to the 95th percentile Body Mass Index (BMI), age and sex specific. The gold standard is becoming the BMI, since this is also used

“Children and adolescents who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults, putting them more at risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, types of cancers, osteoarthritis, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, increases risk for many types of cancer including breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate” (“Childhood Obesity Facts”). A person can increase the risk of getting several diseases if having bad eating habits, exercise

Teen obesity is a major issue in the world that is rapidly increasing especially in the United States. It has now become one of the most serious health challenges of the 21st century according to unitypoint.org. In the last 3 decades, teen obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled among adolescents. Why you might ask. Well, children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors. Only in rare cases is being overweight caused by a medical condition such as a hormonal problem says webmd.com.