...Epidemiology Paper on Childhood Obesity Obesity is a global epidemic affecting millions of the world population. Childhood obesity is especially worrisome as it is linked to higher incidence of health issues in adulthood (Lakshman, Elks, & Ong, 2012). There are many factors to look at when assessing the prevalence of childhood obesity, including culture, socio-economic status, food availability, activity, and genetics. To better understand this problem, it is essential to understand the factors that lead to obesity, how obesity is studied, and what are ways to help reduce the occurrence of obesity. Through epidemiology, this health concern can be better understood and provide the information needed to generate a plan of action to help reduce the risk factors that lead to childhood obesity. Epidemiology is “the study of the occurrence and distribution of health–related states or events and specified populations, including the study of the determinants influencing such states, and the application of this knowledge to control the health problems” (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012, pg 255). Through epidemiology the questions of who, what, where, when, how, and why can be investigated to offer information about the dissemination or patterns of health measures. The Epidemiological Triangle allows epidemiologists to understand the relationships between agent, host, and the environment when looking at a specific health concern. When considering childhood obesity, the agent could be viewed...
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...RUNNING HEAD: CHILDHOOD OBESITY 1 Childhood Obesity C. Kevin Barr SOC120 John Meeks February 8, 2013 CHILDHOOD OBESITY 2 Childhood Obesity and the Health Concerns Obesity is such a hot topic in America today and childhood obesity and the ethical arguments over obesity has greatly increased over the last 10 years. Health problems that occur from this deadly disease is something that no one wants to talk about. When people think about health, what usually is discussed is cancer or heart disease. Not many people really think about one of the biggest issues out there that is really not taken very seriously and that is obesity. In America there are hundreds of thousands of children that are overweight. Obesity is a disease, a disease associated with many other health issues, including congestive heart problems, diabetes among other physical and mental complications associated with this disease. We will discuss throughout this paper how one of the classical theories would help resolve the problems that are associated with the dangers of childhood obesity, then discuss the perspective of society and how it relates to relativism in today's world. There are many arguments about how childhood obesity starts, who's to blame for allowing this to happen and societies ethical and moral obligation associated with fixing the problem. Who or what is to blame for the...
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...Health Advocacy Campaign Childhood obesity is considered one of the major pressing health issues of our century. The rate of childhood obesity has increased alarmingly, with the number of obese children under five globally standing at over 42 million today. Approximately 35 million of obese children are living in the developing countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) children who are obese and overweight are very likely to stay obese into their adulthood; further, they stand a high chance of developing non communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease while they are still young (Cheng, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to highlight the gravity of childhood obesity based on statistics and the health effects that the issue has on the children and impacts in the society. Further, the study will develop a health advocacy plan for the problem. Review laws, regulations, and ethical issues that could impact health advocacy plan in regards to childhood obesity. Population Health Issue and Population Affected Childhood obesity has spread to global dimensions and is progressively affecting many low- and middle-income countries, and particularly those that are domiciled in urban settings. In the US alone, one in every five children is obese or overweight; this number is on the rise. Although weight problems can be traced back to the family genealogy, however, this is not all children who come from families that have a known...
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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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...Facts Public interest groups have become increasingly critical of the food industry. Childhood obesity has become epidemic in the United States. According to the American Journal of Business Education, “One-third of the population of US children is considered obese and two-thirds of the adult population falls into the same category.” A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation states that between the time periods 1963-1970 and 1999-2000, the percentage of overweight children aged 6 to 11 skyrocketed from 4.2 to 15.3 percent. (341). Many feel that this is a result of the food industry’s targeting of young children with deceptive advertisements promoting unhealthy processed foods. In January 2005, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated claims that McDonald’s violated New York State’s consumer protection act by falsely advertising the health benefits of its food. (341). Responding to the public pressure, Kraft Foods in January 2005 made a major shift in their corporate marketing policy. (341). They would stop advertising such products as Kool-Aid, Oreo cookies, Chips Ahoy cookies, and selected varieties of Lunchables and Post cereals in television, radio and print ads directed at children younger than 12. (342,343). In so doing, Kraft was conceding that such advertisements might, in fact, adversely impact the health of young children. According to Michael Mudd, a member of Kraft’s “obesity strategy team,” Kraft made this decision to avoid a decades-long court battle with...
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...Advocacy Program on Childhood Obesity Name: Institutional Affiliation: Date: Part 1: Childhood Obesity Statistics and studies on childhood obesity indicate that obesity disproportionately affects individuals from racial minority groups and that the prevalence of the condition is increasing among such populations. Childhood obesity is a significant health issue that has numerous consequences on the affected persons and their families. The increase in childhood obesity incidences among minority populations arises from economic, cultural, and political conditions that have had an impact on the environments in which children from such groups grow. According to Caprio, Daniels, Drewnowski, Kaufman, Palinkas, Rosenbloom, & Schwimmer (2008), minority populations such as Native Americans, Mexican Americans, and African Americans experience higher prevalence rates of childhood obesity than other ethnic groups. For instance, non-Hispanic whites had 14.1%, non-Hispanic blacks had 20.2%, and the Hispanics recorded 22.4% of childhood obesity (Ogden et al., 2014). The prevalence of childhood obesity also depends on other factors such as the literacy levels of the household heads and the gender and age of the children. Members of minority populations experience numerous challenges accessing affordable health care, healthy foods and live in neighborhood environments that predispose them to obesity. Although childhood obesity is caused by several factors, the...
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...Health Advocacy on Childhood Obesity Janeane Horan Walden University August third, 2014 Introduction According to the Center of Disease Control approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese. Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has almost tripled (CDC, 2012). Today’s nurses are faced with a growing trend in overweight and obese children and have the responsibility to be the patient advocate and help. Health promotion is one of the most important aspects of nursing, and no matter what setting a nurse is in; they have the power to provoke change. Childhood obesity will be discussed in detail throughout this paper. Public policy needs to address the arising concern that childhood obesity has on today’s society. Creating an advocacy program based on two effective childhood obesity programs; The Power Up Initiative and Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) can do just that. The potential community-based advocacy program in this paper will address what needs to be included in school and after school programs to promote health and prevention of obesity. The program will also need to have a specific plan on what and how to educate local pediatricians and nurses regarding childhood obesity. What is it and what is the cause? Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of fat in the body (Mckinney, E., James, S., Murray, S., Ashwill, J., 2009). Fat is accumulated in the body when there is a combination...
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...Obesity is an epidemic occurring predominantly in the western world. Obesity is an epidemic occurring predominantly in the western world. The phenomenon is closely associated with changing lifestyles and the consumption of fast food and soft drinks. However, the fast-food companies and the Coca Cola company are major contributors to obesity research. Discuss the different ethical positions that various stakeholders are taking in the use of corporate funds for research into obesity This report will first discuss the major stakeholder fast food and Soft Drink Corporation ethical positions in making decision in funding researcher into obesity, Business main motive is to earn profit, most of the businesses are mainly profit motivated, they only care about the income they can earn to sustain and grow, company follow ethical learning and growth, it cares only about itself. Soft drink and fast food has the same motivation of earning profit for which they produces the product that are on major demands or create the demand by making advertisement and other promotional activities to attract people towards their product. To have a successful business support of all stakeholders are required. Funding research for the research is one of the strategies of company to support that. Funding helps in building image in public, which help in generating goodwill for the company at the same time it helps the researcher. A Typology of Stakeholder Attributes: Legitimacy, Power, Urgency ...
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...Obesity is a big health problem across the nation and overweight rates have doubled among children and tripled among adolescents. Childhood obesity is a serious issues in children because these extra weight may cause health problem that were once seen only in adult population, it includes hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and it also could lead to depression and low self- esteem. (Mayoclinic.org, 2014). The school based programs can play important role to prevent/ reduce these issues because school environment has important influence on children’s life and they spent many of their waking hours at school environments. School nurses has tremendous opportunity to make changes in the area of overweight and childhood obesity and many school nurses are not utilizing the situations because of the different reasons. This study addresses school nurse’s perceived barriers to weight-related issues. This paper will focus on the background of the study, method of study, results of the study, ethical considerations and how this study results applies to the nursing. A qualitative approach with the use of focus groups and discussion is how data was collected for this study. There were twenty two school nurses from three different school districts, ranging from suburban to rural areas for a total of seven focus groups. Each focus group session was led by a facilitator who introduced the topic questions, encouraged discussion, clarified responses and a second facilitator took detailed...
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...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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...Research Summary Grand Canyon University NRS 433 December 15, 2013 Research Summary Overweight and obesity are serious health problems which often begin in childhood. In the United States, about one-third of school-age children are overweight or obese. Obesity in childhood increases the risk of developing a chronic disease including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes in their middle-age. Children spend most of their waking time at school; the school has become a major source that provides balanced nutrition and activity to keep them healthy. School nurse is in a special position that has a great opportunity to contact with children, promote the children’s health by consultation and education for the children and their families. With this opportunity, school nurse and family can work together; discuss any potential weight related problems to maintain the children in a healthy weight. However, many studies showed that not so many children or families benefit from this opportunity. Previous studies have discovered some barriers to discussing weight with children and families. This study used a focus groups method to continually analyze this phenomenon and provided some advice. This was a qualitative approach study and the data collected from the focus groups and the discussion conducted by twenty two school nurse who were from different school districts from suburban to rural area. They were divided into seven focus groups. In each group, there...
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...infant. However, by the time a child reaches the age of 3 or 4, most know what a McDonald’s chicken nugget and French fries are. A few years ago, we could have included school lunches in this unhealthy choice category. Government and U.S. Department of Agriculture are still working vigorously to bring school lunches to a healthier standard. On top of working with schools to incorporate healthy choices and nutrition, contracting with Drive-In Don’s fast food restaurant who sells the most delicious burgers in town at the most affordable price, is not a smart choice. However, it doesn’t constitute a crime either. If parents and school officials educate our children on healthy choices, the occasional burger from Don’s isn’t going to create obesity. As everyone has heard their own physician say, “Moderation, Moderation, Moderation.” Making bad choices more than making healthy choices, is what...
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...In today’s society, the food and beverage industry is faced with an ongoing ethical dilemma because companies are far more concerned with making money than providing a good, safe, and healthy product for consumers. The biggest victims in this unethical marketing scheme are children. Marketing to children is in the spotlight. They are viewed as a key market force. They are constantly exposed to the growing number of advertising, marketing, and commercials through a wide range of resources. Companies are investing billions of dollars to be able to capture children’s attention. Instead of creating an environment where the adolescent health are one of the top priorities for the nation, these large industries are harming them by dangling unhealthy products in front of them. The consequence of this marketing is the growing child obesity problem that is plaguing our society. However, there are those that claim that marketing is not the sole cause of this problem; that environmental and societal changes are equally to blame. The ethical question is whether companies should be more responsible for their role in the health of society’s children, or should society be more responsible for regulating their intake of foods that have a potential negative effect. Marketing is finding out what customers want, and then setting out to meet their needs, provided it can be done at a profit. Marketing includes market research, deciding on products and prices, advertising, promoting, distributing...
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...Advertising effects on children Never there been a subject that has aroused as much discussion as that of advertising. These last few decades have seen a development of this powerful marketing process and major tool of communication practices. Nowadays, advertisements are present in all fields of our modern societies. The debate about the positive and the negative effects of advertisements is still relevant today. Despite the fact that the main purpose of publicity should be the informational aspect, advertisers use their influence in a distinct way. Sometimes manipulative, their controversial techniques use psychological appeals in order to increase purchases. Publicity has unfavorable side effects on individuals, especially on young and vulnerable consumers: children. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that food habits, lifestyles and behaviors are guided by advertising detrimental models. Teenagers represented core targets for advertisers because media has become one of the most substantial socialization agents known today. Adolescents spent 140 billion dollars a year in 2004 in various products, and 12 years old kids 25 billion dollars, but they are also able to act upon a $200 billion dollar budget (Mary Story and Simone French, Food Advertising and Marketing Directed at Children and Adolescents in the US). According to the Professor Sharon Beder, “[y]oung children are increasingly the target of publicity and marketing because of the amount of money they...
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...Company exists to benefit and refresh everyone it touches” Coca-Cola ’s mission statement Can Coca-Cola, one of only a handful of truly global brands, really be in trouble? Amidst adverse media coverage and concerns about the sugar content of its core brands, Coca-Cola’s share price has taken a nose dive. The drinks giant has been hit by the explosion of the obesity time bomb! Worse still, industry experts are accusing the company of panic as it struggles to bolster market share with a host of new product launches. Diagnosing Coca-Cola’s malaise reveals rising public expectations about the behaviour and responsibilities of such corporates. The danger is that consumers angered by food companies’ role in the obesity crisis will use their spending power to enforce higher ethical standards. “some consumers are becoming edgy” The nation is suffering from a serious weight problem. With a 400 percent rise in obesity levels in just 25 years and weight problems set to overtake smoking as the main cause of premature death, the scale of the problem is huge. Faced with headlines dominated by scare stories about childhood obesity and ‘pester power’, some consumers are becoming edgy. The problem for Coca-Cola is that these concerns are hitting sales of its core brands such as Coca-Cola, Sprite and Canada Dry. At a time when junk food and sugar-laden fizzy drinks are taking some of the blame for this weighty crisis, the government is getting tough on the food industry. Schools are switching...
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