Childhood Obesity: An Epidemic

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Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States resulting in medical illnesses and shortened life span, action needs to be taken to eat a healthy diet and incorporate exercise into daily life. Among children today, obesity is causing a wide range of health problems that in the past were not seen until adulthood. These include heart disease, respiratory disease, bone fractures and diabetes. There are also psychological effects; obese children are more likely to have low self-esteem, negative body image, eating disorders and depression. Excess weight at a young age has tracked to higher and earlier death rates in adulthood. This paper will pinpoint strategies to use to help decrease the incidence of obesity
Maintaining a healthy weight as well as general health and wellbeing requires eating a balanced nutritious diet and engaging in physical activity. In today’s society, children and adolescents are less likely to eat healthy and participate in physical exercise because of modern conveniences like the computer, cars and fast food. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years (http://www.cdc.gov/healthyouth/obesity/fcats.htm). From 1980 to 2004 the percentage of youth who were obese tripled from 7% to 19% in children (6-11 years) and 5% to 17% in adolescents (12-19 years) (“Nihiser”). Approximately one out of every five children in the U.S. is overweight or obese, and this number continues to increase. (http://www.webmd.com/children/guide/obesity-children?print=true). Childhood obesity has both direct and lasting effects on health and well-being. The immediate health effects of obese youth are that they are more likely to develop risk factors for cardiov...

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...k factors. 15 Febuary 2014. 23 March 2014. .
Ogden, Cynthia, Childhood Obesity in the United States: the magnitude of the problem , http://www.cdc.gov/about/grandrounds/archives/2010/download/GR-062010.pdf
One-third of children tested have borderline or High cholesterol. Heartwire 28 March 2014. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/822662.
Rogers, Victoria The Maine Experience Let's Go http://www.cdc.gov/about/grandrounds/archives/2010/download/GR-062010.pdf webmd. http://www.cdc.gov. Ed. webmd. n.d. webmd. .
“What is childhood obesity?” Heart.org . 10 Jan. 2013. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/HealtthierKids/Childhood Obesity/What -is-childhood-obesity_UCM_304347_Article.jsp>.

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