Young and Oversized

1354 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Causes of obesity

Young and Oversized

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 (“Lets Move” 1). Obesity is a serious disease that can negatively affect the health of any number of systems in the body. Obesity is one of the easiest medical conditions to recognize but it is one of the most difficult to treat. It can occur when a person consumes too many calories and those calories are not burned through physical activity. Sometimes obesity can be a result of genetics, metabolic factors, or disease. Childhood obesity in America is a major health issue that has psychological effects, because of unhealthy food choices, lack of physical activity, and parental control.
Children who are overweight have a greater risk to develop major health problems, as they get older. Each year obesity-related conditions cost over 150 billion

dollars and cause an estimated 300,000 premature deaths in the United States (“What Causes Obesity” 1). Some health effects that are related to obesity are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and the risk of diabetes. Obesity can eventually lead to joint problems, arthritis, asthma, and sleep apnea. Being overweight increases the chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes, which usually begins in adulthood but is becoming more common in children.
The epidemic in obesity among children and teenagers means that today young people suffer the health problems of middle-aged adults. As obese children get older, they have a higher chance of developing heart disease and the possibility of strokes. Children at a healthy weight have a smaller chance of developing these diseases in adulthood. “Researchers followed 277,0...

... middle of paper ...

...isease.

Works Cited

"Childhood Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Feb. 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Harper, Michael. "Married Parents And Single Dads Have Leaner Children." Child Obesity Rate. RedOrbit, 22 May 2013. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"Health-Related Quality of Life of Severely Obese Children and Adolescents." JAMA Network. N.p., 9 Apr. 2003. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"Let's Move." Learn The Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"Michelle Obama Announces New Rules for Advertising Junk Food at Schools." NY Daily News. The Associated Press, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"What Causes Obesity?" Stanford Hospital & Clinics. Stanford Hospitals & Clinics, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
Williams, Carla. "Childhood Obesity Linked to Future Heart Disease." ABC News. ABC News Network, 05 Dec. 2007. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • A Proposal to Reverse Obesity Rates

    1830 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many would argue that children should not focus on their weight because children should lead a youth with little worries, yet obesity affects a child much more than people with that argument think. Being overweight can cause increased risks for several serious diseases and even can result in decreased mental health on account of low self-esteem and social discrimination. Children who are overweight also are at least twice as likely to have heart disease, diabetes, and orthopedic problems (Internicola, 2009). Sadly, children are being pressured into unhealthy lifestyles even more so than adults are.

    Read More

  • Parents of Obese Children and Charges of Child Abuse

    1880 Words  | 4 Pages

    Up to 17% of children and teens in the United States are obese (Centers). Obesity is unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise and is responsible for up to 365,000 deaths each year. Obesity is strongly associated with a decrease in the ability to exercise. An overabundance of fat tissue, which occurs from obesity, impairs the breathing process. The impairment of the breathing processes in youth has been linked to more damaging breathing problems in adulthood. The lack of exercise that starts a child down this path can be reversed and good exercising habits can be instilled by parents. Therefore if 1 out of 3 children are obese, what does that say about the health and wellbeing of these children? It says that these children can look forward to a life of medical problems, emotional issues, and higher costs than their non-obese counterparts. The most pressing of which are heart disease, type 2 diabetes, pulmonary...

    Read More

  • Obesity

    1249 Words  | 3 Pages

    Common causes of obesity can be excessive caloric intake, thyroid disorders, lack of physical activity, genes, medicines, emotions, smoking, age, and pregnancy. The combination of calorie restriction and exercise seems to be more effective rather than either one alone. Sticking to a weight

    Read More

  • Analysis of Childhood Obesity in America

    1285 Words  | 3 Pages

    The overall rate of obesity for children comes in at 17 percent, or about 12.5 million obese children in America today (Doheny 1). The number of children who are obese is growing at a fast rate. Most cases of childhood obesity are caused by eating too much and exercising too little. Extra weight puts children at a risk of serious health problems; such as, diabetes, heart disease, and asthma (Smith 1). Although obesity can be prevented, it has become a growing problem among children due to several factors that lead to health problems.

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity

    952 Words  | 2 Pages

    "All Food Sales in Schools Should Offer Healthier Options." Should Junk Food Be Sold in Schools? Ed. Norah Piehl. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. At Issue. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 14 Apr. 2011.

    Read More

  • A Conundrum in America: Obesity

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    One thing that obese people must put up with is being unhealthy, not just physically unhealthy, but mentally unhealthy as well. This unfortunate reality is present in all ages. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute did research on the health risks of being overweight and obese. They discovered that in adults, the health risks of being overweight include, but are not limited to, “coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, type two diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer, sleep apnea, gallstones, and reproductive problems.” Overweight children, on the other hand, are less prone to these health conditions unless they remain heavy through adulthood. Since obese or overweight kids are very likely to stay that way over time, in the end they may be subject to the same health problems as corpulent adults (1). Moving on...

    Read More

  • Obesity in Children Across America

    1344 Words  | 3 Pages

    A child who is obese is automatically more likely to be exposed to a variety of health hazards throughout his or her life. It is estimated that “15 percent of children between six and nineteen suffer from obesity” (Lee and Sprague). A person who is deemed obese, is someone who has “a body fat percentage of more than 25 percent in boys and 32 percent in girls” (Lee and Sprague). Being severely overweight exposes you to more diseases than someone who is not overweight. Obese people “are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes . . . [from] being overweight” (Lee and Sprague). Some health issues, such as hypertension, heart attacks, and cancer can be obtained from being obese. There is also a great risk of “heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and other chronic illnesses” when you are obese (“Hope”). high cholesterol as well as high blood pressure. Being obes...

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity in African American Children

    1313 Words  | 3 Pages

    Childhood obesity is a consequential medical condition that effects the youth and adolescence of society. This disorder creates health problems that were once only seen in adults, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Although childhood obesity is a world wide issue, the percentage of overweight children differs, especially throughout the United States. Today, the greatest population suffering from this disease are African American children who reside in the southern part of the country. Parents, as well as children, continue to support unhealthy lifestyles even though they are well aware of the life-threatening diseases caused by obesity.

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity Essay

    667 Words  | 2 Pages

    “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.

    Read More

  • Obesity Informative Speech

    1229 Words  | 3 Pages

    A lot of children are overweight and obese too, unfortunately. Childhood obesity is especially sad because, for the most part, the parents are at fault. The child, especially when they’re young, have no control over what they eat and couldn’t try to be healthy, even if they wanted to. “In 2013, 42 million children under the age of 5 were overweight of obese.” (Obesity and

    Read More

  • Public Health Issue of Obesity

    1264 Words  | 3 Pages

    The present public health problem has become a great public concern and the future of these children and future adults has also been brought to attention. For example, "as obese children are more than likely to become obese adults, they are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and several cancers" (Gollust, 2014). Research has also indicated that the current generation of children are on track to have shorter lives than their parents because of increasing rates of obesity (Gollust, 2014).

    Read More

  • Fighting Child Obesity in the UK

    1376 Words  | 3 Pages

    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]

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity

    1849 Words  | 4 Pages

    Childhood Obesity in America. (n.d.). Retrieved Jan 22, 2011, from Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating: www.seattlesutton.com/media/document/childhood-obesity-in-america

    Read More

  • Causes and Facts of Childhood Obesity

    660 Words  | 2 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Obesity: The Physical and Emotional Problems

    1410 Words  | 3 Pages

    Overweight people are affected by physical and emotional health problems. A few of the most common physical problems related to obesity include asthma, hypertension, polycystic ovary syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and sleep problems (Kids Health.org). Other known risk factors are coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, and some forms of cancer (win@info.niddk.nih.gov). These health conditions are becoming more and more common, society needs to promote this generation towards a healthier life style. Furthermore, schools need to better educate kids on the detrimental factors of obesity beforehand. In addition,

    Read More

More about Young and Oversized

Open Document