The population of Bridgeport, CT in 2013 was 146,425 people. 56% of those speak English and 28% of those speak Spanish. 45.16% are Caucasian while 30.44% are African American. The average income per capita is $19,854 compared to the state of Connecticut’s average $35.681. Bridgeport’s income per person is 44.4% less than those of the state of Connecticut as a whole. The average household income is $41,047, compared to the state of Connecticut’s $67, 887. Bridgeport’s average income is 39.5% less than that of Connecticut as a whole. Twenty percent of the population’s household income per year is between $10,000 and $25,000. While eighteen percent is between $25,000 and $40,000 per year. The poverty level is Bridgeport is 169.8% greater than the Connecticut average. The unemployment rate as of July 2013 was 12.2% and in overall Connecticut it was 8.4%. The average household size is 2.7 people and the percentage of family households is 63.6%. For people over the age of 25 the educational attainment was for a high graduate 29,924 or 34% and for a Bachelor’s Degree or higher education were 13,497 or 15%. The age distribution for 0-4 was 57,191 or 6% and the ages from 5-17 years old were 169,833 or 19%. The total town school enrollment was 21,023. Families that were receiving temporary assistance is 3,412 and the population receiving food stamps is 37,425. There is a relationship between the demographics of a community and obesity. In today’s society, eating healthy may come with a price tag. These statistics indicate that there is a lot of poverty in Bridgeport which can lead to parents having to spend money on cheap, unhealthy food choices. This in turn can lead to childhood obesity. In addition, a large percentage of the communities ... ... middle of paper ... ..., families have the opportunity to engage their children in sports and activity during the year. Starting with the youngest members, the YMCA offers childcare services for infants and toddlers at the Kolbe Early Care and Learning Center on Kossuth Street in Bridgeport. At the main location on Park Avenue, there are two School Readiness programs and one School Age Child Care Program. Youth sports programs such as basketball and wrestling teams are offered for teens, as well as a summer camp program. With all of these programs, you would think that obesity would not be an issue. However, though observation, we have witnessed many children come into the nurses office with “headaches” or “belly aches,” and when asked what class they were in they respond, “gym.” Although obesity is being addressed through these programs, the children do not always actively participate.
As the world strives for convenience and a fast-paced lifestyle, an epidemic of poor health is on the rise. With constant life struggles, fast food readily available, and little time for preparation, citizens of the United States are not paying attention to what they’re putting in their child’s mouths. The state of Mississippi has developed the highest percentages of childhood obesity in the United States. Although this percentage has decreased in recent years, the numbers are still astounding. The children of Mississippi are slowly being poisoned by their parent’s poor choices. Due to parent’s poor nutritional education and poor health habits, the children of Mississippi will continue on the destructive path of obesity
Within this community the most significant social determinant of health is healthy childhood development. Healthy childhood development is key for this community because 16% of the neighbourhoods population is considered to be a child between the ages of 0-14 years (City of Toronto, 2011a). Healthy childhood development is influenced by other social determinants of health like housing, proper nutrition, and an adequate guardian income. Further, regulated childcare and education have a strong impact on childhood development (Bryant, Raphael, Schrecker, & Labonte, 2011). These conditions not only impact their immediate childhood health and development but the above determinants are the foundation for the childs future health as adult (Raphael, 2012). If the child is provided with adequate and safe housing, a nutritious food supply, and a pro...
This paper will share my reflection on Part One of the documentary entitled Weight of the Nation. I will also include what I took away from the movie while giving my personal insight into the topic of this part of the movie – “Consequences” involving children and obesity in the United States.
Exercise, food, technology, and money all play a role in causing childhood obesity. Lack of exercise among adolescents has been proven to be the leading cause of childhood obesity. According to a May 2012 Institute of Medicine report, only half of America’s children and one in four teens get enough activity to meet current guidelines (Doheny and Noonman 1). The recommendations call for children to participate in at least 60 minutes of vigorous to moderate physical activity every day (Hendrick 1). “Only four percent of elementary schools, eight percent of middle schools, and two percent of high schools provide daily physical ...
Related to this threat, the chance of developing serious health conditions exists; these include orthopedic complications, hypertension, heart disease, and type two diabetes among others . An associated behavior linked to overweight and obesity in children is a lack of physical activity. Participation in physical activity as a child is important because it often leads to an active adult lifestyle. Physical activity may have beneficial effects on not just body weight, but overall health. Ultimately, if overweight and obese children grow into overweight and obese adults, they are at risk for a shortened life due to this disease and/or related ailments. Understanding risk factors and potential interventions for childhood overweight and obesity serves as a start to address...
other hand, obesity accounts for about 13 percent of children in the United States, which is why physical education programs should be one of the last things to go. They also help students release the stress they have built up through out the day and teach them the ...
On a positive note however, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association using NHANES, “In 2011-2012, the prevalence of obesity in the United States was 16.9% in youth and 34.9% in adults. The overall prevalence of obesity among youth remained unchanged compared with that in 2009-2010 (16.9%),9 and there was no significant change since 2003-2004.” (JAMA). In as early as 2004 programs started to appear around the country that had begun to reach and educate and promote better healthy lifestyles for both adults and children. These programs have sprouted across the nation but as you can see it has only plateaued, and has yet to start to decline. Children still remain at an alarming high obesity rate that can furth...
According to the US Census Bureau, 46.5 million people were living in poverty in 2012. Among those, 21.8 percent were children. Even more surprising is the staggering number of people who are food insecure. It is estimated that nearly 50 million Americans experience food insecurity during a given year. And yet, the obesity prevalence is skyrocketing. In 2010, 35.9 percent of adults over age 20 were obese, 18.4 percent of adolescents age 12-19 years were obese, 18 percent of children age 6-11 ...
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.
Also, many children suffer from obesity, and being outdoors is the best way to burn those calories. Since 1980, the childhood obesity rates from ages two to nineteen have tripled — with the rates of obese six to eleven-year-olds more than doubling (from seven percent to seventeen and a half percent) and rates of obese teens from ages twelve to nineteen quadrupling from five percent to twenty percent. (NHANES, 2011-2014 data) Children need to be more active, and by reducing recess this is not assisting the obesity epidemic. Physical activity simply feeds the
The documentary shared several charts and statistics that show that economically disadvantaged neighborhoods suffer higher incidents of obesity in contrast to neighboring affluent communities. And the comparisons are alarming. For example, sometimes lifespans can be up to 20 years shorter for members of poor communities when compared to a wealthier neighborhood that is less than 8 miles away (HBODocs, 2012). And this comparison was not just between one set of cities. Several cities in various states were studied, all with similar results.
There are a number of federal, state, and local school programs to help students reach fitness goals. The missing link in having physically fit children seems to be the parents. They are allowing children to remain sedentary with the television and computers. Not enough children have parents who monitor their child’s activity schedules, expose them to physical activity, and who serve as role models in being active themselves. Sports involvement and competition is very important in a child’s life, but sometimes can go too far. Physical activity offers both positive and negative aspects in a child’s life.
The lack of quality programs that incorporate fun activities that are geared towards giving children and outlet to burn calories has contributed to the rise in childhood obesity. While some programs are meant to stimulate learning, teaching kids
Alaimo, K., Olson, C. M., Frongillo, E. A., & Briefel, R. R. (2001). Food insufficiency, family income, and
McCarron, D. A., Richartz, N., Brigham, S., White, M. K., Klein, S. P., & Kessel, S. S. (2010). Community-Based Prioritiesfor Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity In Childhood. Pediatrics , 73-89.