Obesity has been an ongoing problem that has been persistent in the last few decades. In fact, child obesity has doubled in age groups 2-19 since 1971 (Centers for Disease Control, 2009). Many researchers have pressed this issue due to the many health risks that can endure if it goes untreated such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and hypertension (Woolfolk & Perry, 2015). However, this is not the only factor to be concerned about; apparently, the genes of a family and their history of being overweight can be in relations to a child being obese. So physicians encourage parents to regulate their child 's food consumption and the right amount of nutrients. Due to the fact that, scientists discovered that there is a correlation between a child’s relationships, his or her academics, and their emotional development. Therefore, proactively balancing a child’s activity level and their calorie intake can create a major impression on the child.
The Intakes and the Outcomes:
Nature and the Nurturing of Children and Obesity
Children must intake a definite quantity of nutrients and calories to satisfy their needs to develop a strong mind and physique. To balance a child’s diet is a task that is essential and must be taken seriously, for it defines how a child matures. If a child’s diet is not maintained there is the possibility of many health risks. One major health risk that many children in America face is obesity. With the fast pace America lifestyle, the obesity among all age groups, 2 to 19, has doubled since 1971 (Centers for Disease Control, 2009). Furthermore, many researchers have discovered that not only does a child’s nourishment contribute to obesity, but a child’s heredity is a key fac...
... middle of paper ...
... and often they are teased and/or rejected by their peers (Friedlander, Karkin, Rose, Palermo, & Redline, 2003; Mustillo et al., 2003). Although many of these apprehensions of obesity occurs seems overwhelming, there are a variety of resources to resolve this situation.
At hand, obesity is not only about the nurturing of a child, but the genes of that given child and his or her family history with such health risks can be a variable to the equation. The most vital influence is the lifestyle the child pursues. Being health conscious with calorie intake and to correlate that with the activity level, that is individualistic, will provide the child the ability to pursue a healthier weight. In all, to encourage the health of the child will increase the child’s probabilities of having a more prosperous life in features like cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Children that live an unhealthy lifestyle are more prone to becoming obese later in life. Furthermore, the cause of children becoming more obese includes; children that do not participate in physical activity, children that eat lots of snacks, play video games or watch TV, and that do not eat a healthy balanced meal. In addition, the parent or guardian of the child also plays a role in whether the child becomes obese or not by “What” they offer the child to eat, and the type of environment the food is served in such as “When” and “Where” food is offered. Moreover, as a child grows there are different food exposures that create a preference for food intake, these exposures include sweet & salty foods, familiar foods, consumption of foods high
It is estimated that about forty-three million children under the age of ten are obese and that was found in urban areas. One of the main reasons obesity develops is due to the fact that the child, adolescent or adult has an unhealthy diet. Good nutrition plays a huge part in everyone’s life; no matter if you’re a male or female good nutrition is always important. Keeping us healthy, nutrition reduces the risks of developing diseases such as chronic disease, stroke and also cancer. Good nutrition is also important because studies have shown that it is good for mental health including depression which is also linked to obesity. A proper diet consists of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, fiber foods and limiting fats or sugars. Eating fruits and vegetables is important when developing into an adolescent or an adult because vegetables are rich in vitamins A and C, also fibers and potassium which are excellent for the human body (Fuentes, Schellekens, Dinan, & Cryan, 2015, p. 52). Vitamins and fibers help the human body by shaping our bones, helping immune systems, and healing certain
The human body requires the intake of food in order to function properly. The foods that we decide to eat has an effect on the ability to use are mind, are strength, and even how prone we are to getting sick or hurt. Eating to much of the wrong foods, with little or no exercise can cause the silent but deadly epidemic of obesity in children and in teens. In the past, obesity was just known as a condition that only affected adults. In this generation the youths are becoming more prone to obesity. In 1995 an average of 18 million children all around the world was categorized as being overweight (Rabbitt, Aifric, and Imelda Coyne 731). In a Childhood Obesity Interventions article it says that 17% (12.5 million) of children in the United States is considered to be obese (Rabbitt, Aifric, and Imelda Coyne 731). This outrageous number of overweight children in the world is almost tripled in 2010, where 43 million children under 5 are considered to be overweight (Rabbitt, Aifric, and Imelda Coyne 731). Another staggering statistic is more than 60% percent of the children that are classified as overweight before they reach puberty, will be overweight as they become adults (Rabbitt, Aifric, and Imelda Coyne 731). This leads us to the most stifling fact of there being 2.8 million people in the world that die from being overweight or obese each year (Rabbitt, Aifric, and Imelda Coyne 731). These shocking statistics show how dangerous obesity really is, and should urge everyone to fight against this epidemic.
There is an alarming rise in childhood obesity throughout the United States, making it an epidemic in our country. Obesity has become a threat to the health of many children. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period.(Childhood Obesity Facts, 2015)
...her, like daughter: familiar patterns of overweight are mediated by mothers' dietary disinhibition. Am J Clin Nutr 1999; 69:608-613? Fisher JO, Birch LL. Restricting access to palatable foods affects children’s' behavioral response, food selection, and intake. Am J Clin Nutr 1999; 69:1264-1272? Birch LL, Fisher JO. Development of eating behaviors among children and adolescents. Pediatr 1998; 101:539-549. Fisher JO, Birch LL. Fat preferences and fat consumption of 3- to 5-year-old children are related to parental adiposity. J Am Diet Assoc 1995; 95:759-764. Freedman D.S.,Dietz W.H., Srinivasan S.R, Berenson G.S. 1999. The Relation Of Overweight To Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Children And Adolescents; The Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics. 103(pt 10:1175-1182. Dietz W.H. 1983. Childhood Obesity: Susceptibility, Cause and Management. J. Pediatr. 103:676-686.
Childhood and adolescent obesity is a problem of significant concern. Whether obese or at risk, excessive fat is based on the ratio of weight to height, age, and gender of the individual (Ul-Haq, Mackay, Fenwick, & Pell, 2013). Today’s youth are considered the most inactive generation in history thus, childhood and adolescent obesity is more prevalent than ever before. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) documents the obesity rate in children ages 6-11 in 2012 at 18% (an increase from seven percent in 1980), and adolescents at 21% (an increase from five percent in 1980). The obesity rate in children has more than doubled and quadrupled in adolescents over a 30-year period (CDC, n.d). The factors responsible for childhood and adolescent obesity are related to childhood lifestyle, family influence, and community factors (CMA Foundation, 2008). The Healthy People 2020 goal, NWS-10.4, is to “reduce the proportion of children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years who are considered obese from 16.1% to 14.5%” (Healthy People 2020, 2013). Overweight children and adolescents are at increased risk for severe medical issues that can last a lifetime. Interventions to reduce the incidence and improve the health of young people involve solutions at the primary (low risk youth), secondary (at risk youth), and tertiary (obese) levels (Sweeting, 2008). Parents, caregivers, and medical professionals can work together in diagnosing if the child is becoming obese or if the child is having a growth spurt (Ul-Haq et al., 2013).
However, there is more at stake here than what these two groups ultimately believe to be true. The percentage of obese children in the United States has risen from 5% in 1980 to almost 20% in 2012. Factors such as food choices and fitness levels are contributing greatly to this problem. Obese children eventually become obese adults and bring along with them many adverse medical conditions. These medical conditions such as diabetes are known to be severe and place a shorter life expectancy on the people it affects. Ultimately, what is at stake here is childhood obesity is on the rise in the United States due to people’s failure to eat the proper foods and as a result of children followin...
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).
Obesity in children has become a serious health issue, in the United States of America. The disease causes problems that persist, as children grow older and has the capability of affecting the quality and length of their lives as adults. Younger children are now at high risk of becoming obese. As early childhood obesity prevention policies article states, ten percent of infants and toddlers have an excess weight. More than twenty percent of children between the ages of two and five years old have excess weight and suffer from obesity. This is an alarming rate of child obesity rates, in the United States of America. Several environmental factors can influence the risk of a child, for obesity. Therefore, assessing obesity trends and instituting preventive measure could help in minimizing the susceptibility of children becoming obese. Multiple groups of people and other stakeholders can help, in ensuring that children grow healthy without the risk of obesity. The article addresses the importance of early assessment of the risk of obesity and creating healthier behaviors ...
Typically when kids open the fridge for something to snack on they have many different types of foods to choose from. But what if a child had a choice between a piece of fruit or a piece of chocolate cake. Most would want the piece of cake over the healthier option of fruit. Who wouldn’t right? Although child obesity is becoming a serious concern, there are solutions that can prevent it. Childhood obesity in the United States has grown considerably in recent years. Between 16 and 33 percent of children are obese. Gregory Green, Clarence Riley, and Brenda Hargrove all from Fort Valley State University; and with Ph. D’s researched that being overweight during childhood increases the risk of developing diseases such as high cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression, and type 2 diabetes. Unhealthy weight gain is caused by poor diet and lack of exercise and is responsible for 300,000 deaths each year (Obesity In Children And Teens). If children do not adopt a healthier lifestyle it can cause health problems as an adult. Some things that may help to prevent child obesity are more physical activity in schools, taxing junk food, and parents should help educate their child how to have a healthy lifestyle and keep healthier options in the home.
Over the years we have been fighting with the issue of obesity among children in the United States. Nearly one in three kids and adolescents are overweight or obese in the United States. Obesity in children has more than tripled from 1971 to 2011and is the number one cause for concern amongst parents in the United States. It is important to prevent obesity during childhood because habits that are formed during youth usually carry on into adulthood. Being obese describes children with a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile for their age and gender. An overweight child would be described as having a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile but below the 95th percentile. Children
Child obesity is a serious matter today. Eating choices made at a young age can come back to hunt one once their older if not corrected. It is important to stop those habits at a young age to prevent adult obesity. As a child eating habits like such that contribute to obesity aren't just brought up on their own. Parents buy the unhealthy snacks that their child likes. Parents allow their child to choose when and what they eat without thinking time in and time out. Parents have a big influence on their child’s diet, therefore having a more healthy variety of foods to choose from will help decrease the possibility of obesity later. Obesity starts at home. A child only eats what is available to them. It is the parents
Obesity is a chronic, metabolic disease caused by multiple and complex factors, including increased calorie intake, decreased physical activity and genetic influences. The exact level of obesity is determined by reference to the Body Mass Index (BMI). A score of 30+ on the BMI indicates obesity. A score of 40 indicates severe obesity. Caused by a complex variety of factors, obesity is a major risk factor for serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer Childhood obesity has been rising at the same rate as obesity in adults. It is estimated that approximately 1-25% of children between the ages of 6 to 12 are overweight (Strauss 2845-2848). About 80 percent of overweight teenagers will remain overweight as adults. The increase in adolescent obesity (about 40 percent during the last 15 years) will have serious consequences in the future. Diseases Caused By Obesity: Being overweight predisposes a child to heart disease, gallstones, adult onset diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and full-blown obesity later in life. Obese children have more problems and upper respiratory diseases. And that is only one side of the story. They often suffer major social and psychological problems. The rapid increase of serious depression, eating disorders, drug use, and suicide among teenagers is frightening (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 1st Jan 2001, Obesity In Children And Teens, http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/79.htm). Factors Causing Obesity: There are many underlying factors that may contribute to childhood obesity including genetics, diet, physical inactivity, psychological problems, and other health issues but one of the major factors contribut...
Childhood obesity is a serious medical problem that affects children. Obesity is a medical term, commonly defined as being extremely overweight, which is only half the case. (www.wikipedia.com) Many parent’s ask if their child is obese, or at risk of becoming overweight, and they ask what to do about it. MD, Dennis Clements tells parents: “Obesity is a family event, not an individual event”.
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.