...“The Causes, Effects, and Prevention of Child Obesity” Jennifer Like ENG 122 English Compositions II Instructor: Jessica Hamman November 12, 2012 Obesity is more than a looking good concern. It does not just affect the way people look. It can change the development of our lives, and not for the better. It sets us on a fast track for health complications such as heart disease, type-two diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. In addition, it is not just a problem for adults, but it has also become a health concern among teens and children. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) A child who fights obesity and carry extra weight threatens their future and their quality of life. So what is obesity, what causes it, what effects can it have on an individual and is there any ways to prevent it? Obesity is the state of being well above one's normal weight. An individual that is twenty percent or more above their ideal weight is considered as being obese. The ideal weight consists of the height, age, sex, and build of an individual. Obesity defined by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) as a BMI of thirty and above. A BMI of thirty is about thirty pounds overweight. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) The BMI (body mass index), a key index for relating body weight to height, is a person's weight in kilograms divided by their height in meters squared. Since the BMI describes the body weight relative to height, it correlates strongly with the total...
Words: 1588 - Pages: 7
...Childhood Obesity in our Community Marco Rivera 02/10/2013 The statistics of childhood obesity are horrendous. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. The amount of children gaining weight is beginning to spin out of control. Obesity in general is based off of many statistics and definitions. Many trainers and health critics incorporate body mass index as their number one study when it comes to determining someone’s weight. “Overweight is defined as a BMI (body mass index) at above the 85th percentile and lower than the 95th percentile for child of the same age and sex.” (Barlow, S.E. and Expert Committee, 2007) Childhood obesity is caused by excessive eating and lack of physical activity. If children become severely obese, it can cause long term health issues. The most positive direction that we could guide each other in, would be that of a healthy lifestyle. Thanks to certain programs, society can come together to help prevent childhood obesity one step at a time. In order to change this community and world epidemic, we must simply be knowledgeable of the type of information needed in order to lead a child into the correct way of living a successful life. Childcare providers create a huge impact on teaching a healthy lifestyle to children. Engaging children by teaching with physical activities is one of the best ways to help them find the motivation to be healthy. Studies explain that teachers should educate...
Words: 1066 - Pages: 5
...Child Obesity Child obesity is a social epidemic presenting challenges to the Government, society and the American family today. It crosses a variety of ethnic, geographic, economic and social environments. Obesity is causing an increase strain on the healthcare system, contributing to the $150 billion annual cost of healthcare provided, which is a breakdown of almost 10 percent of the National medical budget. Obesity increases risks for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. (National center for the chronic disease prevention and health promotion, division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity, 2011, p. 1) “Approximately one in six children are obese in the United States today”. (National center for the chronic disease prevention and health promotion, division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity, 2011, p. 1) “80% of obese adolescents will be obese as adults”. ("Childhood Obesity Prevention," 2014, p. 2) According to a study released January 2014, only “1 in 4 teens are participating in one hour of moderate activity every day”. (Doheny, 2014, para. 1) “Obesity levels for American Indians and Alaska Natives are increasing. Obesity among children in these ethnic groups showed a rise of about a half percentage point each year from 2003 to 2008. For 2008, obesity was highest among American Indians and Alaska Natives, with 21.2 % being obese. Hispanics were second, with an obesity rate of 18.5%. Whites came in third, with 12.6%...
Words: 1634 - Pages: 7
... What are some effects of child obesity? Child obesity has become an epidemic problem that is affecting the whole world. In the U.S, obesity has caused children many health problems and conditions. Some of the health problems that obesity causes are diabetes, asthma and heart diseases. These complications can be caused by a series of factors that can be contributed by TV, computer games, lack of safe playgrounds and other factors that encourage children to be sedentary (Collins, 2002). From the factors mentioned before, the things that are attacking the kids of this generation are mainly the video and computer games. In addition to affecting the health of the kids it is also affecting the economy. Because the costs of health insurance premiums are going up, companies refuse to pay for such services. In addition child obesity is an issue that in most cases begins in the household. Justification: Studies show the impact that child obesity has caused in society. (CBS News, 2002) declared “A dramatic increase in diabetes and other diseases related to childhood obesity in the United States has added millions of dollars to health care cost”. From that article it is clear that child obesity is causing a tremendous problem to the economy, thus making it insufficient. The cost of medicine, treatments and operation is the reason why it is causing and contributing to the economical problems. Obesity has been a major cause for conditions...
Words: 1808 - Pages: 8
...Childhood Obesity Sharon Robinson The global growth of obesity throughout the world has developed poor health, social, and economic concerns for parents, physicians, and educators. This particular problem rate has not only increased with adults, but amongst children as well in the United States (Frerichs, Araz, & Huang, 2013 ). According to Devi (2008), there are approximately 15% of children and adolescents in the US who meet the principle standards required to be considered obese. There have been several research studies conducted to improve the understanding of dynamics for childhood obesity. These study results identified many attributes that contribute to children being overweight or obese. These factors consist of the inactivity of children, technology, genetics, peer pressure, parent values, attitudes or beliefs (Frerichs, Araz, & Huang. 2013). Research has also identified a combination of key techniques that parents, educators, and physicians can use toward effective intervention for childhood obesity. These factors include nutritional support and physical activity (Frerichs, Araz, & Huang. 2013). Research has also identified a combination of key steps that parents and educators can utilize toward creating an effective intervention for childhood obesity. These factors include proper nutritional planning support from details, physicians, and appropriate physical activity. ...
Words: 549 - Pages: 3
...Childhood Obesity Obesity has been called the "new American epidemic" by many doctors. It is estimated that fifty - eight million Americans living in the United States are obese, and that eight out of ten people who are over twenty-five are overweight. Obesity is, easily, America's fastest growing health concern. This condition, though, is not limited to American adults. Doctors have recently found that nearly thirteen percent of all American children suffer from this problem... and that statistic seems to rise each year. Understanding the jump in childhood obesity rates is directly linked to understanding obesity itself. The American Academy of Pediatricians defines childhood obesity as occurring in kids who have a BMI of more than 30. Other institutions, though, suggest that a child whose body weight is at least 20% higher than a child of a similar height is obese. No matter what the exact definition, obesity is, simply, excess body fat. Why, though, is obesity such a concern? I mean, hey, an extra Twinkie or two can't really harm a kid, can it? Actually, yes, it can. Obesity cannot only increase the risk of psychological problems in kids, such as eating disorders, depression, and anxiety problems, it can also put them at risk for all sorts of physiological problems including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. In fact, forty-five percent of all new cases of juvenile type-II diabetes are obesity linked. Childhood obesity increases the risk of orthopedic...
Words: 595 - Pages: 3
...Childhood Obesity In today's society childhood obesity is considered to be an epidemic. The increase in obesity is not caused by the change in the gene pool, but rather by the change in the environment. This causes vulnerable populations to express the obesity phenotype (Stune, 1999). One in seven children ages 6-17 are considered to be obese. Most nutritionists will say that this is do to the lack of parental guidance. A child's parents should teach their child proper eating habits so that they won't run across problems in the future (Tomlin, 1999). According to the article Facts about childhood Obesity and Overweightness, obese children are statistically not active, and their diets are high in fats and low in energy foods, like carbohydrates . Most doctors will calculate a child's body mass index (BMI), to figure out just how overweight a child is. If a child's BMI is over 30, they are considered obese. In order to calculate one's BMI, you would divide the your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters (Mokdad, 1999). What causes obesity? Weight gain among children is likely due to a combination of factors including: poor dietary habits, genetic makeup, family lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and a child's ethnicity. Obesity is more prevalent among Hispanic, African-American and American Indian children, particularly girls (Mayohealth.org 1997). Overweight children are not necessarily overeaters. Unfortunately, much of the food they...
Words: 2187 - Pages: 9
...Childhood obesity is best tackled at home through improved parental involvement, increased physical exercise, better diet and restraint from eating. - Bob Filner Childhood obesity is best tackled at home through improved parental involvement, increased physical exercise, better diet and restraint from eating. - Bob Filner References: American Heart Association. (2016), What is childhood obesity? Retrieved from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/WeightManagement/Obesity/Childhood-Obesity_UCM_304347_Article.jsp#.VuN7AY-cHIU Centers of disease control and prevention. (2016), Retrieved at http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html Help Cure Child Obesity. (2016), Child Obesity in America: Taking Care of Our Children Retrieved from http://www.helpcurechildobesity.com/ References: American Heart Association. (2016), What is childhood obesity? Retrieved from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/WeightManagement/Obesity/Childhood-Obesity_UCM_304347_Article.jsp#.VuN7AY-cHIU Centers of disease control and prevention. (2016), Retrieved at http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html Help Cure Child Obesity. (2016), Child Obesity in America: Taking Care of Our Children Retrieved from http://www.helpcurechildobesity.com/ Will You Out Live Your Parents Childhood obesity is a growing problem in our society. We are reaching a time that hasn’t been achieved since the American Revolution. Today, about one in three American kids and teens is overweight...
Words: 342 - Pages: 2
...4 4 5 5 6 6 7 Solving the Problem of Obesity – Not So Simple? Obesity is without a doubt a growing problem in Australia. Reported data shows that in 2001 an estimated 2.4 million Australian adults were obese—16% of men and 17% of women aged 18 years and over. A further 4.9 million Australian adults were estimated to be overweight but not obese—42% of men and 25% of women aged 18 years and over. (AIHW 2003). According to the World Health Organisation (2007) these rates are still rising. It is well known that there is a link between overweight and obesity and physical illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, sleep disorders and stroke. Obesity can also affect people psychologically affecting their self esteem, even their ability to socialise or work. Consequently this is a problem that should be addressed comprehensively as soon as possible. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that a thorough sociological approach to the problem of obesity is needed, rather than one-dimensional answers that do not address all the issues affecting the rise of obesity in Australia and throughout the rest of the world. The Biological Point of View Some interesting points of view were raised in a recent article in Sydney’s Sun Herald (Marriner, 2011). This article outlines different approaches to reducing obesity levels in Australia, in particular focusing on the cost to the tax payer due to the treatment of diseases related to obesity. The article does make mention that some...
Words: 2074 - Pages: 9
...Child obesity: Council to ban takeaways near schools Nowadays too many children are obese. The cause of the obesity comes from too many fast food restaurants, like McDonald and other places where you get food, very cheap and in a matter of no time. The problem is that most children and teenagers use their money on fast food, and skip the healthy meal, made from scratch at home. But in some homes parent don’t do anything to give their children a healthy meal, they are either too lazy or too busy. This results in the first place that the children get used to food from outside, and second obesity. Obesity in itself is very dangerous and can bring a lot of illnesses along with it, like heart diseases and diabetes. The council of Britain has come with a ban, which means, they want to restrict the opening times of the fast food restaurants and move them further away from schools, and they want to limit the number of fast food restaurants in shopping parades. But still nobody wants to tell people what they should and should not do. You can’t tell anybody that they may not eat at Burger King anymore or for that matter what they should eat at all. The good thing about the ban is: - The children and teenager will not be able to buy fast food after school, when there are no fast food restaurants. - The obesity rate will fall. - The government doesn’t have to pay so much for the many kinds of treatment for obese people. - People are now forced to make food at home, for when their...
Words: 588 - Pages: 3
...Tommy Griffiths Professor Robin Muse PSY-3320 October 1, 2012 Childhood Obesity Why has childhood obesity become such an epidemic in today’s society? What can we as society do to bring awareness to childhood obesity and help educate and turn around this epidemic among us? Twenty-five percent of children today are considered overweight and of those twenty-five percent eleven percent are considered obese. So that means one out of every four children today that we encounter are considered overweight. This has become a huge issue in more developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Being overweight has a huge impact on physical and psychological health for children. For instance, being overweight can be related to hypertension, abnormal glucose tolerance, and infertility. In addition to that being overweight can be attributed to psychological disorders such as depression that occurs frequently with obese children. As well as when these children get older and approach the age of forty and over they start to suffer health problems such as cardiovascular and digestive diseases and can die as compared with those who are leaner and healthier and their bodies have more of an ability to fight and overcome disease. What is the definition of childhood obesity? Although over the years the definition of this has changed the overall definition of childhood obesity is the excess of body fat. Children are considered fat if their percentage of body fat was at least...
Words: 1286 - Pages: 6
...Childhood Obesity When a child is above normal weight for his or her age, a child can be considered obese. According to The Center of Disease control one of seven children is obese (CDC, 2010). Children who have an obesity problem suffer from being rejected and teased at school by other children. Obesity contributes to physical and psychological issues in children; there are several causes leading to child hood obesity. One of the causes of childhood obesity is the lack of exercise. Children rather stay at home and play videogames instead of going outside and exercise. Because technology has advanced so much, T.V. has become a priority in a child’s life. Sports and outdoor games are not an option for children any more, when they can just stay home and watch their favorite show on T.V. show or even play video games that stimulate their mind. The use of electronic devices in children such as using the computer, watching T.V. and playing video games has influenced children to leave outdoor activities. Children are not thinking about their looks or staying healthy, they are becoming sedentary because all the technology that they can use to keep them occupied. Eating too much causes childhood obesity. Children who stay at home get bored and start snacking much more, most of the time these snacks are high in calories and sugar. Marketing has been in charge of advertising all the bad snacks and food that children want. Junk food targeting these children makes childhood obesity a bigger...
Words: 754 - Pages: 4
...Obesity Child Obesity Eng122 Hope Umansky January 23, 2012 Child Obesity There are many diseases that could attack our younger generation. Some of these diseases we can control and some we cannot. Child obesity has become a large issue in the United States. According to statistics, “between 5 to 25 percent of children and teenagers in the United States are obese” (Dietz, 1983, p. 676). More and more of our children are being faced with obesity every day. They are starting to call it a public health threat. “The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity through the United States has led policy makers to rank it a critical health threat for the 21st century.” (Koplan and Dietz, 1999; Modkdad et al., 1999, 2000; DHHS, 2001) We need to learn how to fight this disease. There are many ways that we can prevent this disease if we can accept the causes. Everyone has their own ideas of what the cause of this awful disease is but for me I think if adults of this world understood it there would be a mass deduction in child obesity. If we continue to let our children make their own health decision than our children will not only be obesity but they will start to have other health problems too. Just think about what would happen if we could control how children ate, exercised and understood their genetic. We can sit back and claim that the children are to blame for being obesity but they are not the one to hold all the blame. Children need to eat healthy meals every day. Adults are...
Words: 1539 - Pages: 7
...Child Obesity Marlene Tadros BSHS 361/Child Development April 12, 2012 Amber Hamilton Child Obesity The effect of obesity in children is becoming an immense issue in our communities today. The number of obese children continues to rise and in fact has more than tripled within the last 20 years. Today, there are up to 33% of children who are obese, if not more. Unfortunately, this affects our children physically, mentally, and long-term. Obesity is not specifically just being a few pounds overweight. A child is considered obese when his or her weight compared to height is abnormal by ten pounds. Obesity commonly begins in children between the ages of five and six. Unfortunately genetics can often be a factor in childhood obesity although other environmental factors come into play as well. If a child has poor eating habits, this may result in little or no energy for exercise, and emotional complications such as depression and anger, as well as medical conditions such as diabetes, and many others. It is inevitable that childhood obesity will have some health effects that can become very serious with time. A common condition found in morbidly obese children is metabolic syndrome which is many conditions that may lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and access abdominal fat. Although it may not seem common, heart disease seen children who are obese is not shockingly rare. When a child has poor eating habits and no exercise, it is common...
Words: 1015 - Pages: 5
...Meneely, Mikel Professor Michael Begnal ENG 104 March 16, 2016 Kids These Days Childhood obesity plagues more children in America than ever before, and it continues to grow in number year by year. In order to avoid letting childhood obesity numbers continue to grow, there needs to be changes in certain aspects of children’s lifestyles. This increase over the years can be attributed to many factors including unhealthy, calorie-filled school lunches and children not receiving enough exercise. Childhood obesity poses a very real threat to the health of younger generations and can lead to dangerous, life-threatening health issues later in life. In the rise of child obesity, children are at more risk of diabetes and other heart diseases that could not only affect them in the short and long term. In response to this issue, child obesity should be combated by offering healthier choices for school lunches, and allowing a full hour for recess. All of these could be accomplished by allowing more funding from the Department of Education, and this would allow more funding to state educational funds. Decreasing child obesity would be important for children in the long run because it would decrease their chance of developing type-two diabetes and early heart diseases. Obesity is the root cause of countless diseases, conditions, and illnesses, some of which are even life-threatening. Adulthood obesity has been linked to many deadly diseases. Some examples include heart disease, diabetes, and...
Words: 2169 - Pages: 9
