...Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY 1 America’s Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Why It’s The Parent’s Responsibility Brian Rodgers ENG 122 Professor Higgins December 18, 2012 CHILDHOOD OBESITY 2 America’s Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Why It’s The Parent’s Responsibility As kids, most of us can remember an elderly adult harmlessly coming up and pinching our cute, pudgy cheeks. For something that at one time was considered cute, this act now represents a national epidemic threatening the health of our country’s youth. As the number of overweight and obese children drastically increases, new arguments are forming as to where the responsibility falls. Several states have begun developing laws that are including poor nutritional and lifestyle choices by parents in the category of neglect and abuse. As new studies and research pour in showing that obesity has a direct relation to multiple severe health issues, it has become increasingly common knowledge. With this era being deemed the “technology age”, finding this information is easy and accessible to just about every person in the United States. This new found access to information and the amount of information available showing obesity causes health problems and even death; parents have become responsible for monitoring their child’s...
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...Childhood Obesity ENG122 Matthew Fox July 23, 2012 Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is a serious concern for youth today. Within the past 30 years childhood obesity has more than tripled. Four out of ten children are considered to be obese (Ogden CL 2010). Often when one sees overweight children, one will hear parents making excuses for why their child is overweight. For example one will hear a parent say “she is just big boned, or she will grow out of it, it’s just baby fat” these are nothing but excuses. Parents are in denial when it comes to their child being overweight or even obese. If parents today do not start taking this issue seriously, then that could be taken as a form of child abuse due to the long term health factors that childhood obesity can cause. A main claim that researches are finding is that parents are a cause of childhood obesity. In an article on ABC News by Alyssa Newcomb 2011 she followed a story about a 200 pound third grade boy that officials took from his mother and placed in foster care. Officials learned of the case after the mother took her son to the hospital for breathing trouble. What parents do not understand is that this condition can lead to serious health factors if not death in an obese child. Authorities are starting to become aware of the families and are charging the parents with abuse. Parents today have become fearful that their children will be taken from them if they are severely overweight. A three-decade...
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...Childhood Obesity ENG/215 May 5, 2014 Childhood Obesity Introduction Over the recent decades, obesity has grown into major health problem in the United States. Obesity rates have increased over the past thirty years. With over 31 percent of the population obese, the United States has become the fattest country with the highest rate of obesity in the world. Obesity is not only an adult problem, it has now become an epidemic among children and teenagers. One out of every three children in the United States is obese. Eating habits that children learn when they are young affects them in later in their life. Obese children are more likely to become obese adults than healthy weight children. Childhood obesity can lead to many health problems that include diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure to name a few. These health problems cause a rise in health care costs. There are factors that play a role in causing these health issues, but there are also simple solutions to solve this epidemic among the young. The Effects of Advertising and the Media One of the factors that contribute to childhood obesity is the media and their way of marketing and advertising, especially towards children. Children spend more time watching television and using a computer than previous generations. Children from the ages of eight to 18 use media every day, and spend on average 44.5 hours per week using a computer, playing video games, and watching television. "Most children...
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...How Can We Rid Childhood Obesity? Childhood obesity is a pandemic that has reached worldwide distribution. A problem as rampant as this is having a direct negative correlation with education and the way kids learn in America. “More than one third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). For the next generation to succeed and someday be responsible for many of the leadership roles that run this country, there needs to be immediate action. Childhood obesity has a negative effect on development on education, it’s time to start educating children on the many ways to make healthy decisions that will ultimately come back and benefit the education system and learning process itself. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention classifies childhood obesity as a disease and psychological disorder meaning that it directly affects brain function. A child being overweight is classified as a body mass index at or higher than the eighty-fifth percentile and lower than the ninety-fifth percentile for those among the same age and sex. For childhood obesity, it is classified as a body mass index at or higher than the ninety-fifth percentile among the same ages and sexes (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). One without any knowledge or background of public health can conclude that if obesity directly affects brain function, that it must also affect leaning in school. According to Juliette Kellow’s research, the performance of...
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...Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect Tommy Wilson Child Abuse and Neglect (CJ436) August 12,2010 Child Abuse and Neglect Child abuse and neglect is a growing problem in the United States. Child abuse and neglect may take place in many forms. It is important that we have a clear understanding of the reporter’s expression when reading news article. Many of these news articles provide detailed information concerning the growing problems and available programs concerning child abuse and neglect. After reading nine news articles related to child abuse and neglect, I was able to understand the reporter’s expressions and view points. Reporters often use various techniques to expresses themselves; words may be used to catch the reader’s attention. A majority of reporters provide their own view points of the people involved in the abuse, in many cases, the parents of the victimized child. Additionally, many news articles offer solutions to child abuse and neglect. The first news article I read was “A Tragedy That Is Ours to Stop”. This news article was writing by Colbert I. King and published by The Washington Post. The news article was centered on the death of a 5 month old infant. Once again the murderer is the mother of the infant. King opens the eyes of many readers by revealing that the death of the 5 month old infant is much deeper than the average child abuse case. The death took place when the 15 year old mother rolled over on...
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...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...
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...Abuse and neglect increases the likelihood of repressed social information processing, lower performance in school, and relationship problems in children. Child maltreatment or abuse is physical, sexual, or psychological mistreatment occurring to children under 18 years of age. Child maltreatment is a serious and pervasive health care problem in the US., with increasing costs to the individual and to society. Maltreatment is neglect of a child by a parent or caregiver., negligent treatment and the exploitation of children that results in actual or potential harm to a child’s health, survival, development or dignity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) website, consequences of child maltreatment include impaired lifelong physical and mental health. Lifelong consequences as results of child abuse/maltreatment are delayed motoric activity & social development. Difficulty relating to others, there is low trust, low self-esteem, fears, and phobias. Often times some victims exhibit shame which is the desire to hide the damaged self from others, due to childhood sexual abuse. If a child is being exposed to an abusive environment it could be considered maltreatment due to failure to provide the child with a safe and loving environment. Abuse can happen within families, like spousal abuse or...
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...a hard time deciding between drug trafficking in the United states and childhood obesity. I think that both of these topics are very important to everyone in many ways.I have chosen to go with childhood obesity because I think that people need to be more informed about this topic. I think that childhood obesity is often a form of child abuse. It is very sad. People need to be more informed of the current health problems and the potential future health problems that childhood obesity pose on the child. I plan to limit my topic by researching my topic on google and other such search engines. This way I can get a better understanding and more deeper look into what I want to base my paper on. There are so many angles that you could go on for childhood obesity; who's fault is it? whys does this happen? what are the statistics? is it a disease? I think that the main focus for my paper will be What causes childhood obesity, or who's fault is it. As well as the statistics, why has the number of obese children more than doubled in the last 20 years? I think that I have had a pretty easy time so far in limiting my topic. I am going to try and find more information to try and limit my topic better. So far tho I think that the web sites that I have found are giving me some good and accurate information. Some of the web sites that I found that I will use for further research are: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/ I am...
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...Child obesity is a condition where excess body fat negatively affects a child's health or wellbeing. The cause of childhood obesity are spread out, and certain factors to this epidemic include lack of physical activity and dietary patterns. Changing eating and physical activity in children with the use of nutritional guides, work out DVDs and proactive parents can assist in decreasing child obesity (Ryder, 2011). Child Obesity is determined through BMI, body mass index. Children over age 2, or teens whose BMI is less than the 5th percentile are considered underweight. A child that ranges in the 5th percentile and less than the 85th percentile are at a healthy weight. In the 85th percentile to less than the 95th percentile are considered overweight. Equal to, or greater than the 95th percentile are considered obese. Today, about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese, nearly triple the rate in 1963. One major contributor to a child’s diet that affects their weight is beverages that include soda and juice boxes. The consumption of soda by children has increased throughout the last 20 years by 300 percent. Scientific studies have documented a 60 percent increase risk of obesity for every regular soda consumed per day. With the growing use of computers, and watching TV this is a big contributing factor as well that contributes to child obesity. We find that these activities take away the physical activity that children need to stay healthy. Sedentary...
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...Children and Obesity Sharletta Guy-Pope SOC490: Social Science Capstone Raqota Berger June 18, 2012 Introduction Due to the growing concern and increase prevalence of childhood obesity around the world the population of children as it relates to childhood obesity indicates that these children will suffer even greater as adults. This increasing concern has become a public health issue and a social issue with children. Furthermore, research shows that the media plays an important role in the current epidemic of childhood obesity, which also has become a social issue with children. The increasing amounts of junk food and fast food advertisements, that target children and adolescents, have an effect on the outcome of their health and nutritional habits; these advertisements shift away from good nutritional practices. Food advertisements that advertise unhealthy foods such as foods high in saturated fats and cholesterol (junk foods) puts children at risk for high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol, both of which causes heart disease later on in life, which are precursors of cardiovascular disease resulting in childhood obesity. Sociocultural Factors Gender Society, culture, and the media send children powerful messages about body weight and shape ideals. For girls; ideas that are stressed in the media include the "thin ideal" and urging to diet and exercise, which can put pressure on girls to be thin, putting them...
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...Childhood Obesity Danielle Borde ENG122: English Composition II Instructor: Peter Kunze July 29, 2012 Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is an issue that has become more evident of a problem as the years have changed. I am interested in the facts as to how a child becomes obese and if there are any ways to either prevent it or overturn it. I want to prove that obesity weighs more heavily on nature rather than nurture. There are specific genes that some people have and some people don’t have that attribute to becoming obese. I know the schools are doing a lot to keep kids more fit and active these days. First Lady Michelle Obama has played a huge role in helping over turn childhood obesity. Her goals for her “Lets Move” campaign are, better school nutrition, better labeling of high calorie foods and drinks, growing support for farmers markets, and educating moms and dads to instill better eating habits (Christina, 2010). I believe this will be a very productive program. It has been said in the past that nurture was the main factor in becoming obese. This has become less of a factor since scientists have been looking more closely at the genes. Genes account for more than three quarters of the difference between children’s waistlines, with factors such as diet and exercise playing a much smaller role (MNT, 2008). A man named Nikhil Dhurandhar discovered a gene by the name of adenovirus-36(Ad-36), which causes fat cells to grow. Dhurandhar and his team...
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...PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT Psychological Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect Freddy Cabrera General Psychology 1012 4 April 2012 Florida National College Abstract Child abuse and neglect is a growing issue that threatens the health of its victims not only physically but psychologically as well. Some of these psychological effects include difficulties during infancy, poor mental and emotional health, cognitive difficulties, and social difficulties. Psychological Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect The year is 2012 and in this day in age, society is still faced with issues such as child abuse and neglect. “An estimated 905,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2006” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Child abuse and neglect is a growing dilemma not only in the United States but also worldwide. Child abuse and neglect is an issue that must be studied to see the significant effects it has on its victims. These effects can be great, the most prominent being physical, psychological, and societal consequences. The following will focus on the psychological effects, and these can be summarized with difficulties during infancy, poor mental and emotional health, cognitive difficulties, and social difficulties. When taking a look at child abuse and neglect one must start at the earliest point in which such can occur. This first point is infancy. During infancy, the child is most vulnerable due to its dependency on the mother...
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...Child Labour By: Renée McFarlane Many perspectives can be taken on the topic of child labour. Some may argue that child labour is a form of child abuse whereas others may say it helps them with developing skills that will help with concentration and discipline. Children are brought into labour facilities to help with supporting their large families financially. This is good in a sense because the children will have a sense of belonging and knowing that they are helpful to their family and this provides an opportunity for parents to be proud of their child. From a young age children will have a work ethic and understand nothing is gained without hard work. On the other hand children are meant to enjoy their childhood and play. Children learn through play and interaction, without this they are deprived of an education and this limits their potential. In these environments children are unsupervised and are often without their parents, exposing them to dangerous things and people. Child labour is not illegal but it doesn't conform to the legal rights of the child. Every child should have a minimum of one hour of exercise a day and if they are labouring, they are neglecting this need becoming subjects to obesity and other illnesses. One of the rights for children are, that children have to be in a safe working environment, they are stripped of these rights as they are confined to a single dorm with up to a dozen others and no fire exits. I feel as though child labour should...
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...victims of child abuse or neglect in 2006 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). While physical injuries may or may not be immediately visible, abuse and neglect can have consequences for children, families, and society that last lifetimes, if not generations. The impact of child abuse and neglect is often discussed in terms of physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences. In reality, however, it is impossible to separate them completely. Physical consequences, such as damage to a child's growing brain, can have psychological implications such as cognitive delays or emotional difficulties. Psychological problems often manifest as high-risk behaviors. Depression and anxiety, for example, may make a person more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, or overeat. High-risk behaviors, in turn, can lead to long-term physical health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, cancer, and obesity. This factsheet provides an overview of some of the most common physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences of child abuse and neglect, while acknowledging that much crossover among categories exists. Factors Affecting the Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect Physical Health Consequences Psychological Consequences Behavioral Consequences Societal Consequences Summary References The Federal Government has made a considerable investment in research regarding the causes and long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect...
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...Killer Child Abuse Rhonda Swazer SOC203 Instructor James Knapp April 14, 2012 The Silent Killer Child Abuse Child abuse is the physical, sexual or emotional mistreatment or neglect of a child (Britannica). In the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and he Department for Children and Families (DCF) define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that result in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child (Leeb , Paulozzi, Melanson, Simon, Arias, 2008). The abuse of children has come to be a major social problem and a main cause of many people suffering and personal problems. Child abuse is a social problem that affects millions of children each year. Not only does child abuse have multiple society effects, but it also effect has individual effects that can create lifelong scars. There are many forms of child abuse, sexual, physical, verbal, and emotional. The most widespread form of child is sexual child abuse also known as incest. A study showed that about 27% of the women in every state of the union, and 16% of the men said they been sexually abuse as children. Child abuse is not always obvious, but the earlier it is caught the better the changes of recovery and appropriate treatment for the child. Knowing some of the warning signs of child abuse and neglect, a person can catch the problem as early as possible and get both the child and...
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