Obesity has grown to become an epidemic in the United States. No single solution or strategy can prevent the disease. Sedentary lifestyles of American school children have reached an alarming rate. Greater attention, focus, and preventive measures should be placed on African American and Hispanic children because they have the highest obesity rates. Children from poverty stricken families are also at greater risk for obesity than other socioeconomic groups (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). Obesity begins with consuming more food portions than the body requires. Food advetisements is everywhere from roadside signs, glowing vending machines and brightly colored packaging on grocery store shelves. Even while enjoying a favorite television program, there is no escaping the never-ending advertisements from food establishments Parents can help their children by setting an example by demonstrating good eating habits. Planned family meals with better food selections helps to avoid junk and fast foods. Sometimes genetic factors may play a part in obesity. However, a genetic predisposition can encourage the family unit to a more active role to fight childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is on the rise among American children. Children become obese because of various genetic, behavioral and environmental factors.
What is childhood obesity? According to the Obesity Action Coalition says, “Obesity is a condition that is associated with having an excess of body fat, defined by genetic and environmental factors that are difficult to control when dieting”. (Obesity Action Coalition)Childhood obesity is caused by juvenile diabetes and that is a leading factor for children between the ages of six through adolescence. Many experts...
... middle of paper ...
...c OneFile. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
Koukourikos, K., M. Lavdaniti, and M. Avramika. "An overview on childhood obesity." Progress in Health Sciences 3.1 (2013): 128+. Academic OneFile. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
Krebs NF, Himes JH, Jacobson D, Nicklas TA, Guilday P, Styne D. Assessment of child and adolescent overweight and obesity. Pediatrics 2007; 120:S193–S228.
National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Disease and Conditions Index: What Are Overweight and Obesity? Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2010.
"Obesity And Depression: A Guide For Parents." The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter July 2012: S1+. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
"Researchers from University of Colorado Report Recent Findings in Hypopituitarism." Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week 1 Mar. 2014: 1755. Academic OneFile. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discuss about childhood obesity. With CDC, this research is very useful in helping others understand what overweight and obesity is. Having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, bone, muscle, water, or a combination of all is being overweight. Obesity is just having excess body fat. It states about obesity occurring to children and adolescents that has passed since 30 years. The first stage of this phenomenon starts as a person being overweight which will lead to obesity. More than one-third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. The result for both of these terms is a caloric-imbalance which is an amount of too few calories that is consumed and is affected by many genetics, behavioral, and environmental factors. From this source CDC gives a specific estimate percentage of children aged 6–11 years that is more overly obese. In the United States in 1980 who were obese increased from 7% to nearly 18% in 2012. Furthermore over the same period, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21%. Additionally, there is a list of health effects of childhood obesity and inform immediate and long-term health effects. Tips are also included here to prevent any other health problems relating to obesity. It does not clearly teach every step of how to prevent it, but giving out ideas on how to solve the problem yourself.
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)
Ul-Haq, Z., Mackay, D. F., Fenwick, E., Pell, J. P. (2013). Meta-analysis of the association
It is imperative that society coalesces to help prevent childhood obesity. No child or parent wants to suffer through any type of heart condition or disease, whether it be now or later on in their lives. Experts have seen the rising obesity rate as a wake-up call to take the “epidemic” of childhood obesity very seriously. Because of the fact that childhood obesity is interconnected with so many health issues it significantly affects lifespans. Childhood obesity can be prevented and needs to be in order to ultimately save the lives and future lives of children.
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.
Ponder, S. W., & Anderson, M. A. (2007). Childhood obesity: Practical considerations for prevention and management. Diabetes Spectrum, 20(3), 148-148-153. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/228647577?accountid=34899
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
Childhood obesity is on the rise in many countries today. There are numerous causes of obesity in America, and the majority of them can be eliminated simply by household teachings. In her book Fed Up! Winning the War Against Childhood Obesity, Susan Okie explains how childhood obesity is taking over, “The growing numbers of obese children in the United States and in many other countries are victims of an epidemic just as surely as if they were infected with a virus.” The leading causes of childhood obesity include lack of exercise, poor diet, and genetic factors.
Obesity In Children And Teens." Obesity In Children And Teens. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan.
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
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2010). Childhood obesity. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/
As of 2012, “more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese” (Childhood Obesity Facts). The amount of children that are obese in the US is greater than ever before, doubling in the last 30 years. Obesity in children can be caused by lack of exercise, lack of access to healthy foods, and lack of education about health and wellness. Obesity can cause a wide range of both physical and mental health complications. Childhood obesity is major issue leading to multiple health issues but education and access to resources can help reduce the problem.
According to the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination survey says that, 16 percent of children around the ages of 6-19 years old are at risk of being obese. Obesity has increased in the last twenty years now. Obesity is like other disease, it impairs the normal body functioning. Children who are overweight have excess fat tissue that caus...
Kiess, W., Claude Marcus, and Martin Wabitsch. Obesity In Childhood And Adolescence. Basel: Karget, 2004. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 19 Nov. 2013.