Introduction
Child obesity is a social problem that has gained in importance throughout the years; it is a significant challenge in today’s world. Statistics demonstrate that obesity rates have never been higher in the United States (Chaput and Doucet et al. 681). Child obesity is a problem that has many effects on people’s lives and is now turning into an epidemic concern. It became a social issue from the beginning of the over consumption era, which is a “computer-dependent, sleep-deprived, physically inactive humans”(Chaput and Doucet et al. 681). Those types of behaviours are caused by the way people live: “the contemporary way of living”(Chaput and Doucet et al. 681). In other words, this lifestyle harms the human health and wellbeing, therefore causing collateral damages.
Through the improvement of technology, the use of electronic devices such as computers, video games and television became very popular with the youth. Children have a tendency to participate in sedentary activities (Alex and Er et al. 354). A study made in Canada on children from 8 to 11 years old having a parent with history of obesity confirmed that in leisure time, the most popular activities were television viewing, computer use and video game playing (Saunders and Tremblay et al. 2). This article demonstrated a difference between genders: indeed, the amount of time spent on electronic devices per day is higher with boys than girls. (Saunders and Tremblay et al.2).
It has been reported by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDCP) that only a quarter of American children participate in the suggested amount of daily physical activity (Bidwell). Also, the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics reported that 24.8 % of American children betw...
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...logical Adaptation? An Update." Obesity Reviews 13.8 (2012): 681-691. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.
Carter, Megan A., et al. "Trajectories Of Childhood Weight Gain: The Relative Importance Of Local Environment Versus Individual Social And Early Life Factors." Plos ONE 7.10 (2012): 1-12. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
Dwyer, John, et al. "Parents Report Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, And Environmental Barriers To Supporting Healthy Eating And Physical Activity Among Their Preschoolers." Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism 33.2 (2008): 338-346. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.
Saunders, Travis John, et al. "Associations Of Sedentary Behavior, Sedentary Bouts And Breaks In Sedentary Time With Cardiometabolic Risk In Children With A Family History Of Obesity." Plos ONE 8.11 (2013): 1-9. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.
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 ...
...). A future research idea piggybacks on this program by encouraging an initiation of state and/or national legislation, specifically for change moving towards healthier school nutrition and additional school nutrition education. This legislation would also mandate increases in the amount of time children are allowed for physical activity in their school day as a lack of physical activity is a huge risk factor for overweight and obesity. Another thought is to designate a school health coordinator who will be responsible for maintaining and continuing the positive work that this study began. Utilizing the success of this program and others like it in this regards will lead to action on all levels of the social ecological framework. Ultimately, a multilevel examination of determinants and interventions needs to be aimed at preventing child overweight and obesity.
...romoting Physical Activity and a Healthful Diet Among Children: Results of a School-Based Intervention Study. American Journal of Public Health, 81(8), 986-991.
Obesity is not a disease. It is a condition where our body stores excessive fat and affects our health or well-being. Childhood obesity is a major cause for disease and health risks which may be lifelong. Childhood obesity is becoming a threat to society because of its prevalence. Obesity reduces life expectancy. Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the United States. The number of obese children has increased and doubled within two decades. (Helping your overweight child." Pamphlet by: National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, 1997, p. 2+.) The childhood obesity epidemic requires more prevention focused on the first five years of a child’s
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC,) there were 90.6 million obese individuals in 2010 (Ogden, Carroll, and et al). This represents approximately 36% of the total population. In 2010, it was determined that out of the 36% of obese person...
...ies (Glanz, 2001). Societal expectations and norms have gone more to the healthier side of eating and physical activity passed on people's perceptions. Childhood obesity is a main concern in the public health world and is matter that must be handled by not only the parents of the children, but policy development industries and health promotion organizations in order to increase their health and decrease the national obesity rate.
Stunkard, A., Eugene, D., Fox, S. & Ross, D., (1972), The journal of the American medical association, influence of social class on obesity and thinness is children, http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=343791#References [accessed 06 Nov 2013]
Childhood obesity is a serious problem among American children. Some doctors are even calling childhood obesity an epidemic because of the large percentage of children being diagnosed each year as either overweight or obese. “According to DASH sixteen to thirty-three percent of American children each year is being told they are obese.” (Childhood Obesity) There is only a small percentage, approximately one percent, of those children who are obese due to physical or health related issues; although, a condition that is this serious, like obesity, could have been prevented. With close monitoring and choosing a healthier lifestyle there would be no reason to have such a high obesity rate in the United States (Caryn). Unfortunately, for these children that are now considered to be obese, they could possibly be facing some serious health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancers. All of these diseases have been linked to obesity through research. These children never asked for this to happen to them; however, it has happened, and now they will either live their entire life being obese, or they will be forced to reverse what has already been done (Childhood Obesity).
Yosaee, Somaye, et al. "Relationship Between The Times Spent Watching TV And Playing Games With Fat Mass In Primary School Children. (English)." Journal Of Mazandaran University Of Medical Sciences (JMUMS) 23.98 (2013): 221-232. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Nov. 2013.
The reason we should be hesitant to allow our children to watch TV or play video games is that once a child does that, then he/she starts to enjoy it and wants to do it more and more. It becomes an event that they look forward to doing. Whether it is anxiously waiting on a certain TV show to come on, or hurrying in the house to get to their favorite video game. Children have become obsessed with these types of entertainment and have completely forgot about physical activities. Children do not look forward to getting some friends over to play football in the backyard as much anymore. They look forward to getting friends over to go inside and play a video game while eating chips and drinking cokes. Not only are they eating wrong foods, but also they are cutting out the physical activities to burn those calories off. Granted children should have restrictions on the types of food they eat, I am not taking anything away from that fact. But if a child is at least exercising then he/she will burn off a lot of those calories consumed in those unhealthy foods. So one question to ask is this; why are children becoming more dependent on technology rather than physical activity?
The average adolescent spends a major part of the normal week watching or interacting with some form of the media’s products. Video games are one of these media based mediums and have become increasingly popular since the 1980’s. According to a report in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, "Female gamers spent an average of 44 minutes playing on the weekdays and one hour and four minutes playing on the weekends, and male gamers spent an average of 58 minutes playing on the weekdays and one hour and 37 minutes playing on the weekends" ("Video Game Play Among Adolescents"). What can we understand from this evidence? The fact is that adolescents, male or female, are spending tremendous amounts of time each day sitting in front of a screen with a controller in hand.
Children growing up in the modern world of today would rather stay inside and play on the internet, watch television, or play video games than go outside and play. Serious repetitive strain injuries suffered after spending hours glued to game consoles is up 60% since 2002 (Par. 5 Clarke). Technology and modern society have created lifestyle changes that are detrimental to the well being of children. First, this paper will discuss the effects of technology and modern society on the physical and mental health of the children. Second, the paper will discuss the dangers to children resulting from new technology. Lastly, the paper will discuss the modern lifestyle changes in families and their effects on the children.
In our present society, people cannot deny that the changes in this world have been tied to the advancement of the technology. It has evolved with this society so deeply where such conveniences are no longer luxuries but rather necessities. Unfortunately, the most affected group of people from the developed technology is the younger age people (Subrahmanyam, 2000). In the past, children were more lively and active: playing outdoors, running around, climbing trees and remaining active rather than watching television and playing video game and computer. It is true that the use of the technology has its own virtue. It provides value, convenience and entertainment, but it should not take the place of movement and realistic play from the children. Obviously, modern technology such as television, digital game, cell phone, and computer should be considered as a major fact, which contributing to negative health problems in children.
Obesity in childhood in adolescents has increased dramatically over the past century. Throughout the United States all 50 of them, boys and girls have gained a great amount of weight. There are immediate and long-term risks for children who are obese. Conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, steatohepatitis, depression, stigma and others. Cancer is also possible too. Children who become obese are caused by what’s within their genes, around them in their environment, or from behavior and habits. They tend to eat more of a large portion of high-fat foods and calories. The more they usually eat the less they want to get up an exercise. Physical activity is very important to children especially for how young they are because that is when they have the most energy at that time of their lives.
It is also shown by studies an inverse relationship between the times spent using internet and daily physical activity. The time spent on the internet and other forms of entertainment media significantly decrease a child’s time for activities needed for the healthy growth like playing, reading, storytelling and spending time with friends and family. It also have confirmed a harmful effect of using internet more than one to two hours per day on academic