Schools and society are taking focussed actions aimed at increasing physical activity in children and helping lower the obesity rates that are becoming increasingly prevalent among young people. Statistics show that in Australia, one- quarter of children is either overweight or obese as stated in (Australian Government: Australian Insisture of Health & Welfare, 2004). The focus of preventing obesity will be the two to six year old age group.
Children who are obese face a number of factors that affect both their physical and emotional wellbeing. Obesity can cause health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart, liver or kidney disease as stated by (Shaffer, 1993 p. 187). Another problem, for children who are obese, is their social settings and interaction with other children. Negative experiences potentially can cause lifetime self-esteem issues. Shaffer believes “Obese children may also find it difficult to make friends with age mates, who are likely to tease them about their size” (1993 p. 187).
The two to six year old age group is a great age for a teacher to assist in preventing obesity. This is because they are at an age where they can start learning good habits, in all areas of life, and in particular physical activity and healthy eating. Teachers are in a position where they can be good role models and set good examples in the classroom. Children will observe their teachers and as Berk indicates “children can pick up much positive behaviour through observing others.” (2000 p. 485).
Physical education is important for two to six year olds. Teachers can play a big role in preventing obesity through educating and assisting students and parents. This is an amazing area of development as well as a lot of fu...
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...hrough their childhood and on to becoming an adult.
Works Cited
Australian Government: Australian Insisture of Health & Welfare. (2004). A rising epidemic: obesity in Australian children and adolecense. Canberra. Retrieved http://www.abs.gov. Department of Health & Ageing: Australia's Physical Activity Recommendations au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1370.0~2010~Chapter~Obesity%20(4.1.6.6.3)
Berk, L. (2000). Child development (5th ed). Meedham Heights, Massachuetts: Allyn & Bacon.
McDevitt, T.M, & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Child development and education (4th ed). New Jersey: Pearson Education.
Robertson, C. (2010). Saftey, Nutrition and health in early education. Belmont, California: Cenage Learning.
Shaffer, D. (1993). Developmental Psychology: Childhood and adolescence (3rd ed). Pacific Grove, California: Cole Publishing Company.
Slater, A., and Muir, D., (1998). The Blackwell Reader in Developmental Psychology. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, Ltd.
Shaffer, D. R., & Kipp, K. (2014). Infancy. In Developmental psychology: Childhood and adolescence (p. 158). Australia: Wadsworth.
Many would argue that children should not focus on their weight because children should lead a youth with little worries, yet obesity affects a child much more than people with that argument think. Being overweight can cause increased risks for several serious diseases and even can result in decreased mental health on account of low self-esteem and social discrimination. Children who are overweight also are at least twice as likely to have heart disease, diabetes, and orthopedic problems (Internicola, 2009). Sadly, children are being pressured into unhealthy lifestyles even more so than adults are.
Exercise, food, technology, and money all play a role in causing childhood obesity. Lack of exercise among adolescents has been proven to be the leading cause of childhood obesity. According to a May 2012 Institute of Medicine report, only half of America’s children and one in four teens get enough activity to meet current guidelines (Doheny and Noonman 1). The recommendations call for children to participate in at least 60 minutes of vigorous to moderate physical activity every day (Hendrick 1). “Only four percent of elementary schools, eight percent of middle schools, and two percent of high schools provide daily physical ...
... now commonly associated with obesity. The author also goes into details about health risks such as gallstones and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. Yung also mentions psychological and social consequences that are associated with childhood obesity. According to Yung (2009), childhood obesity has significant impact on the emotional development of the child or adolescent, who suffers discrimination and stigmatization, as the obese individual is often associated with negative characteristics, and commonly regarded as a glutton and greedy, weak-minded and ill-disciplined. Yung also goes on by saying that the negative factors work against a child with weight problem, they tend to have fewer opportunities in school, and smaller social circle. I am going to use this article to support my research by using the details on the different health consequences Yung mentions.
Obesity in children across America has become an increasing public health concern. Obesity has been identified as an epidemic that is plaguing our children in the United States. In some countries around the world children are dying of starvation everyday. How can this happen when here in America the opposite is a major problem? This is not to say that in America there are no hungry or starving children. It has been proven that our children suffer from obesity, and “children who are overweight or obese as preschoolers are five times as likely as normal-weight children to be overweight or obese as adults” (“Hope”). Obesity not only can cause a child to become more prone to having health problems down the road, but it can also make them feel insecure about themselves. There needs to be action taken in schools as well as in homes to help prevent this growing epidemic.
In the 21st century childhood obesity is regarded as one of the most serious public health challenges faced by the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2013). Figures recorded by the National Child Measurement programme for the 2011/12 period showed children aged 10-11, of which 14.7% were overweight and a further 19.2% figure were classed as obese. Statistics from the same report also indicate boys in the same age group are more likely to be obese with a figure of 20.7% compared to a 17.7% figure for girls. These figures are a large cause for concern for both these children and on a wider scale, society. Obesity is caused by a number of factors that can range from the not so obvious of social class, to the clear lack of exercise and poor diet. Obese or overweight children are more likely to carry this status into adulthood and put themselves at an increased risk of developing associated health problems such as raised cholesterol, high blood pressure and even premature mortality (Public Health England, 2013). Obesity is defined as the over consumption of calories in relation to little physical activity, this means calories consumed are not being burnt but turned into fat cells (NHS, 2012).
Today I will be outlining my plan to help education parents and children alike on the dangers of childhood obesity. With this plan I hope to better education parents and children on how to prevent and fight this current health issue. As a parent myself I’m very interested in this topic and help solving this situation. This plan will discuss what childhood obesity how we can help solve this problem. With the proper education I feel we all can make better decisions in our children’s lives as well as our very own.
Shaffer, D., Kipp, K., Wood, E., & Willoughby, T. (2010). Developmental psychology childhood and adolescence. (3rd ed.). USA: Thomson Wadsworth
Childhood obesity is a health problem that is becoming increasingly prevalent in society’s youth. For a number of years, children across the nation have become accustomed to occasionally participating in physical activities and regularly snacking on sugary treats. In result of these tendencies, approximately one third of American children are currently overweight or obese (Goodwin). These grim statistics effectively represent all the lack of adult interference, in regards to health, has done to the youth of America. The habits of over consuming foods and under participating in physical activities are all too common in the children of today. Children cannot solve this issue alone, though. These young people need to essentially be given the opportunities to make positive health decisions and learn about good, nutritional values.
Wood, A. E., Wood, E. G., & Boyd, D. (2007). Child development: The world of psychology.
In our society today one of the most difficult problems we are facing is the large numbers of obesity in our children. One of the major factors in that is this; our children have become less physically active. At an early age children start watching TV, learn how to operate a computer, and play video games. Having technological skills is now a necessity in all of our lives because everything has turned “computerized,” but the fact is that our children are relying on these types of entertainment rather than getting up and physically exercising to entertain them selves. This directly affects the large number of obese children in our country today because of the lack of physical exercise. It is not that we want our kids to look a certain way or to be better at sports than everyone else, but it is that we want our kids to be physically fit and to develop a healthy lifestyle. Physical exercise is not only for adults, it is for children as well, so we must understand the importance of our children exercising and the benefits from it. By doing that it will make an impact on that child for the rest of his/her life.
Obesity simply put, is an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity puts children at increased risk of disease and other health-related problems. Childhood obesity is a very serious and ongoing problem-putting children on the pathway to health conditions earlier in their life such as diabetes, elevated cholesterol, hypertension. Childhood obesity also has a link to depression as well as affects the self-esteem of children and adolescent. I recently performed a community teaching on childhood obesity and will be discussing the teaching experience, observation, summary of the teaching plan, epidemiological rationale for childhood obesity, evaluation of my teaching and the community’s response to the teaching.
Childhood obesity is a growing problem not only in New Zealand but worldwide. This is due to many factors and has many effects on society. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30. BMI is a measure of your weight divided by your height, the normal range is considered to be from 18 to 25 and over 30 is said to be obese. BMI became an international standard for obesity measurement in the 1980s (S.Wilson, 2000). Obesity is not just a modern day problem, Ancient Egyptians are said to consider obesity as a disease, having been drawn in a wall of depicted illnesses. Perhaps the most famous and earliest evidence of obesity is the Venus figurines, statuettes of an obese female torso that probably had a major role in rituals. Ancient China has also been aware of obesity and the dangers that come with it. They have always been a believer of prevention as a key to longevity (L.Dobbins, Dec 2007). Obesity is considered to be a problem because it is a risk factor for many chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. The New Zealand health strategy has two objectives that relate directly to obesity, to improve nutrition and to increase physical activity (Reuters, Feb. 15 2008). Experts and the media are feeding us with information on this ‘,obesity epidemic’, but is there actually a problem? An epidemic is the occurrence of more cases of a disease than would be expected in a community or region during a given time period. According to New Zealand Herald 95% of parents considered the number of overweight and obese children to be a significant problem. In other words there is sufficient evidence to say we do have an obesity epidemic on our hands.