Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the United States. One out of five children in the U.S. are obese. In fact, “Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese ("Obesity rates among," 2011). The childhood obesity rates have steadily risen since 1980 and many children are now suffering from what were once thought of as adult illnesses, such as elevated cholesterol levels, hypertension, arthritis, and diabetes. Several internal and external factors contribute to childhood obesity; however, many people believe that parents are primarily to blame for obese children and adolescents. On the other hand, medical professionals and sociologists have studied the consistent decline in physical activity and external societal influences that help to contribute to childhood obesity.
Childhood obesity is comprised of several internal components. It is commonly believed that obesity is caused by a gene produced during the perinatal stage of human development that increases the likelihood of weight gain in children. The perinatal phase of development occurs, “from the twentieth week of gestation to the twenty-eighth day of newborn life” ("Perinatal,"). In fact, “predisposition to obesity seems to be caused by a complex interaction between at least 250 obesity-associated genes and, perhaps, perinatal factors” (Ebbeling, Pawlak & Ludwig, 2002). In addition to genetic factors for obesity, children who are bottle fed have a higher tendency to be overweight or obese than their counterparts who are breastfed. “The explanation for this finding could relate to permanent physiological changes caused by some intrinsic factor unique to human milk or to psychological factors, such as locus of control over feeding ra...
... middle of paper ...
....x/pdf
Reilly, J. J. (2007). Childhood obesity: An overview. Children & Society, 21(5), 390-396. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1099-0860.2007.00092.x/pdf
Obesity rates among all children in the united states. (2011, April 21). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/data.html
Ebbeling, C. B., Pawlak, D. B., & Ludwig, D. S. (2002). Childhood obesity: public-health crisis, common sense cure. The Lancet, 360, 473-482. Retrieved from http://www.commercialalert.org/childhoodobesity.pdf
Perinatal. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perinatal
Sealy, PhDMPH, Y. M., & Farmer PhD, G. L. (2011). Parents' stage of change for diet and physical activity: Influence on childhood obesity. Social Work in Health Care, 50(4), 274-291. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00981389.2010.529384
Writer’s angle: The idea of ending childhood obesity is not quit arguable. Though, how to go about it and the main causes and triggers for childhood obesity
Ebbeling, Cara B., Dorota B. Pawlak, and David S. Ludwig. "Childhood Obesity: Public-health Crisis, Common Sense Cure." THE LANCET 360 (2002): 473-82. Print.
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)
childhood obesity in the United States. In J.A. O’Dea & M. Eriksen (Ed.), Childhood obesity prevention: International research, controversies and interventions (pp. 84-85). NY: Oxford.
...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.
Today, approximately 25 percent of children and teenagers are obese and the number is on the rise. Since the 1960’s childhood obesity has increased by 54 percent in children ages six to eleven. In children twelve to seventeen it has increased by 39 percent. (Silberstein, 1) Childhood obesity is so prevalent among these age groups that it has reached epidemic proportions.
“In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.” (CDC) Childhood obesity is a problem that has inundated society for many decades. Almost anywhere that you go, you’ll see a magazine article or some sort of poster regarding childhood obesity. Childhood obesity can be defined as a condition where excess body fat negatively affects a child’s health or well-being. Majority of adults care about their weight because self-image is a very important factor in their lives, but when it comes down to children, many pay their weight a very minimal amount of attention. Due to the superfluous rise in the number of obese children over the past couple of decades, doctors and physicians have become concerned about this trend. This concern is raised by the various diseases and health issues accompanying childhood obesity. Childhood obesity puts children at a greater risk for developing health issues and diseases of the heart.
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
Elissa, Jelallian and Steele, Ric. “Handbook of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity”. New York, NY: SpringeScience+Business Media, c2008.Print.
Schwartz, M. B., & Puhl, R. M. (2003). Childhood obesity: A societal problem to solve. The International Associaition for the Study of Obesity: Obesity Reviews, 4, 57-58-71.
Dr. Macnair T. Childhood Obesity. BBC Health News. Accessed on March 4, 2011 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/obesity2.shtml
Institute of Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved Jan 10, 2011, from Childhood Obesity Prevention Actions for Local Government: www.iom.edu/Activities/Childhood/LocalObesPrevention.asp
Child obesity is a problem in America today. Children who are obese continue to struggle with many things in life that may affect them in the future. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, “obesity most often develops from ages 5 to
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”.
Kiess, W., Claude Marcus, and Martin Wabitsch. Obesity In Childhood And Adolescence. Basel: Karget, 2004. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 19 Nov. 2013.