Causes of Childhood Obesity

Within the past three years obesity among children has tripled. Childhood obesity is considered the number one health threat in America. Childhood obesity has become a major issue facing America. And today over “nine million” (Selicia 4, May) United States children are overweight and obese. Sadly “2 million” (Tanner 2005) of these children are at risk for type 2 diabetes.

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.

“The nation’s obesity epidemic has become so bad that it has taken over tobacco as the leading cause of preventable diseases” (Gaffney). Health care costs linked to obesity and resulting conditions such as diabetes and heart disease are greater than those related to smoking and excessive drinking (Gaffney). A child between the ages two to nineteen with a body mass index above the ninety-fifth percentile for his/her age, height, and sex by today’s standards are obese (Singhal). This problem is a serious medical condition and can affect many children for years to come. Today in the United States, more than seventeen percent of all children are obese (Marcus).

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.

Many parents worried about this problem including Michelle Obama. She says, “Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. The numbers are even higher in African American and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40% of the children are overweight or obese” (Michelle Obama). As we see, obesity is causing so many kids with health problems such as heart diseases, diabetics, cancers and some other health issues especially among low income families. In the article, “Obesity In Young Is Seen as Falling in Several Cities,” by Sabrina Tavernise the author talks about the rate of child obesity has fallen in some states but the drops are still very small.

According to the American Heart Association, 23.9 million children ages 2 to 19 are overweight or obese. In addition to them, 154.7 million adults are pudgy. That means more than one-third of children and two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight (Pages 1-3). Many Americans know about the high rates of obesity in our country. Michelle Obama, along with several other politicians and health professionals, push for recognition of these facts.

"Insights from the Genetics of Severe Childhood Obesity." Hormone Research 68.S5 (2007): 5-7. Web. 1 Feb 2011. Jeffery, Robert.

A person is classified obesity if he/she is extremely overweight with high amount of fat. Obesity is a major health issue affecting many adults and children across the UK, every year. According Public Health England adults who are obese has been increased by a half percent while children continues - to breed nearly two quarters; in last two decades. Here some facts “Population monitoring definition of obesity For example, obesity affects both physically and emotionally, it develops a number of serious health conditions. (≥95th centile) (NCMP 2011/12).

Childhood Obesity Statement of Problem 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).

Over one-third children from ages four to nineteen eat fast food every day and fifteen percent in that age set are obese. It is especially important to prevent children and adolescences from becoming obese. According to “Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Data and Statistics” eighty percent of obese children become obese adults. The number of overweight children in America has doubled since the 1980s. People have begun resorting to unsuccessful diets and each day thousands of teens become bulimic or anorexic to lose weight.