...Stephanie Chism HCA240 September 22, 2013 The impacts of healthcare delivery systems biggest issues are the aging and obesity. We need to understand how these can impact our lives and what we can do to address them now before they become a bigger issue in the future. Many of the Americans from the baby boomer era are becoming retired and will add to the future endeavors of the working class with many of our government programs being affected. The second contributor is obesity. Since this can go in hand with the aging these are the main reasons we need to look at our delivery systems. Aging The median age of the world's population is increasing because of a decline in fertility and a 20-year increase in the average life span during the second half of the 20th century. These factors, combined with elevated fertility in many countries during the 2 decades after World War II (i.e., the "Baby Boom"), will result in increased numbers of persons aged >65 years during 2010--2030. Worldwide, the average life span is expected to extend another 10 years by 2050. The growing number of older adults increases demands on the public health system and on medical and social services. Chronic diseases, which affect older adults disproportionately, contribute to disability, diminish quality of life, and increased health- and long-term--care costs. Increased life expectancy reflects, in part, the success of public health interventions...
Words: 2933 - Pages: 12
...Childhood Obesity Ronnika Cooper Eng122 Andrea Pfaff June 18, 2012 Childhood Obesity I chose childhood obesity. The reason I chose childhood obesity was because it has hit home for me. I’m considered obese now but as a child I wasn’t. I feel if we teach or kids young about childhood obesity that knowledge could stick with them when they get older. Unlike me I wasn’t obese as a child so I never had to worry about watching my weight and eating healthy. So as an adult I continued to eat all the wrong stuff and my weight is sort of out of control. I also chose this topic because after an obese child reaches 6 years of age, they probability that obesity will persist into adulthood excess 50%, and 70% - 80% of obese Adolescents will remain so as adults (Segal & Sanchez, 2001). Childhood obesity has more than tripled 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 20% in 2008. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period. In 2008, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Obesity is defined as having excess body fat. Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and...
Words: 366 - Pages: 2
...Poverty and Welfare on Childhood Obesity1 Poverty and Welfare on Childhood Obesity Paul D Stasiak Self Study Childhood obesity has become a growing concern in the eyes of many Americans, yet not every parent can identify if their child or one they care for is overweight. Understanding dietary intake for our children is a very important. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), childhood obesity has more than doubled and young adult obesity has quadrupled in the last 30 years (p. 1). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define being overweight as having an excess body weight for a given height, specifically as having excess body fat. The number of obese children today is higher than it has been in the past. However, times are changing and the fast food companies are growing more and more popular each and every day. This paper will examine the research which states that a child is more likely to be obese as an adult if they were obese all throughout their adolescent years and poverty’s effect on childhood obesity. According to Feeding America (2013), 45.3 million Americans were living in poverty (p. 1). This number is very high considering the 318.9 million that are living in America. The unemployment rate in January of 2015 was 5.7%. As a result of unemployment or living in poverty conditions, some families have resorted to buying less expensive food options for their children in order to...
Words: 1818 - Pages: 8
...Obesity is a serious problem in the United States affecting both children and adults. It is a disorder that involves a person having excessive body fat which can increase the risk of health problems. Obesity happens over time when you consume more calories than your body can burn off. This can differ from person to person so obesity is directly related to factors that might affect your weight including your “genetic makeup, overeating, eating high-fat foods, and not being physically active” (Obesity 2015). Obesity is a major issue concerning children that live in the United States. Although there has been a decline in childhood obesity rates among pre-school aged children in the recent years, childhood obesity rates are still very high. In the past decade, about 17% or 12.7 million children and adolescents form the age of 2-19 have been affected by childhood obesity (Galletta 2015). The prevalence of obesity in children varies among racial/ethnic groups, age, sex, and the education level of the adult head of the household. Obesity is more common among children whose caretakers did not complete high school as compared to children whose caretakers completed college. Studies showed that in the past decade, obesity rates among children of adults that completed college were half that of children of adults that did not complete college. Obesity also affects a vast number of adults in the United States. About 78.6 million adults in the United States currently are obese. That is more...
Words: 655 - Pages: 3
...Childhood Obesity: A Growing Problem With all the junk food that kids have available today, it is really easy for our children to become overweight. Being obese while at such a young age can cause health problems now and when they become older and older. Obesity is caused by excessive body adipose tissue. There are many children in the United States that are at risk or already are overweight. Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the U.S. because being overweight is a major issue for proper growth and development. Obesity has affected more than a billion people worldwide. This is a growing number that has not yet stopped. Obesity in the U. S. has risen in children and youth. The pasted 30 years the number of overweight children (BMI greater 85th percentile) has tripled.(Miller, 2014) In the U.S. more than 30 percent of children are obese or overweight. (Miller, 2014) In the US obesity has reportedly increased in over 31 states and Washington DC is one of the highest.(La Rocca, 2009) This is not only just happening here in the U.S. According to the International Obesity Task Force, 22 million of the world children under 5 years old are also overweight or obese. (Miller, 2014) More than two thirds of obese children that are ten years and older will become obese as adults. (Miller, 2014) There are more medical complications tied with how severe the child obesity is. Some problems are impaired glucose tolerance, heart disease reduction...
Words: 796 - Pages: 4
...Childhood Obesity Margaret A. Bynes ENG 122 Professor Dwight Paulsen July 7, 2012 Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportion when compared to 30 years ago. “An epidemic is defined as occurring when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population during a given time period, substantially exceed what is expected based upon recent experiences.”( Mersch, J. 1998) Childhood obesity is when a child or teen is well above the weight of a normal child, who is the same height. Obesity in children is being recognized as a serious public health concern in the United States and around the world. It is an economic burden on the health care system. Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start children on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults. “The extent to which the high prevalence of adult obesity has its origin in childhood obesity is widely debated. The question remains unanswered but it is clear that, along with increasing obesity in adults, there is increased obesity in children of all ages. (Burmint, J. 2002). Treating and preventing childhood obesity helps protects the health of your child now and in the future. The primary goals of overcoming childhood obesity should be healthy eating and increased...
Words: 1593 - Pages: 7
...Linda Linn November 10, 2010 Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that has reached epidemic proportions in many developed countries throughout the world, with America having one of the highest rates of overweight children. The consequences this issue has for the children involved can be serious in a number of aspects of their lives. Not only does this issue affect a child physically, it can also have detrimental effects on a child’s psychological and emotional wellbeing. Childhood obesity also has adverse outcomes for society economically in a number of ways. The causes of obesity are multi-factorial, however some aspects create greater worries for health professionals. Obesity is largely the result of caloric imbalance, too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed. Perhaps the most important contributing factors are lack of exercise and unhealthy diet and eating habits causing this caloric imbalance. It is also mediated by genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children in America aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1% (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention). The physical effects that obesity has on children can lead to...
Words: 1288 - Pages: 6
...Program to Prevent Childhood Obesity Obesity is a rising problem in the United States, and with all the privileges given to its citizens, the country has become increasingly lazy. It is also a second preventable cause of death and a huge problem that needs to be resolved because it affects all people, unlike most issues. In addition, it is a serious medical condition that affects not only adults but most especially children. Childhood obesity is one of the important issues in our country because of the shocking increase that this disease has reached in the past few years. It causes when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height. The rise of obesity rates must be prevented and the massive issue must have a solution. There are so many ways to help which includes educating at young ages, improving nutrition facts at restaurants, and providing more tools on improving diet and involvement of physical activities with the entire family. It may seem like childhood obesity is not a serious problem, however it is a medical condition that can have major effects on a child. Although genetics play a role in determining a child’s weight, it is usually due to a child’s lifestyle like the amount of exercise and how much and what kinds of food he or she intake. Doctors are concerned with the issue, as we all should be, and they are creating new programs that geared toward helping children learn how to follow a healthier lifestyle. Obesity is defined as abnormal...
Words: 1972 - Pages: 8
...in the future? If it is now being a challenge, what can be expected of health care delivery for the next-generation? Although some disease trends are preventable, it is impossible to not get any form of disease or illness throughout a life time; also there are many factors that can affect the health care delivery systems in many forms. Demographics and disease trends will influence health care delivery services in the future in many different ways. Not only will the current aging population affect the delivery of heath care services because of its rapid growth , but also obesity. Obesity is one of the more serious , common and costly problems in the US today. More than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death. (www.cdc.gov, 2013). Obesity is one of the more serious problems facing our nation today, and will only get worse...
Words: 1330 - Pages: 6
...Childhood and Adolescent Obesity Every day we live our life’s ignoring a major problem. We go day to day and don’t think twice about the damage we are doing to species. Here in America we have an out of control pandemic of obesity, and it does not solely rest on the shoulders of the adult population, but rather a combination of the adults of America and their children. Here in our nation according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. This medical condition is among the easiest to recognize but difficult to treat. Why is this? Well it’s because of our sedentary lifestyle, culture and society to blame. The only way to repair and prevent future damage is to start taking responsibility for ourselves and make a healthier change. By doing this we can eliminate childhood and adolescent obesity, which can prevent adult obesity Background of the Problem Defined by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention whom wrote about childhood obesity, overweight is having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Obesity is defined as having excess body fat. Both are the result of “caloric imbalance” – too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed- and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors (1). According to the American academy of child and adolescent psychiatry a child is not obese until the weight is...
Words: 1550 - Pages: 7
...Essay Childhood obesity is becoming a huge problem in the world today, it has been the highest rise cause of obesity in a child life. Being overweight is a serious medical condition that can affect individuals well into their adolescents. Obesity is particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start children on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as diabetes and many others problems. The mayor cause of being overweight in children and adolescence life is eating too much junk food. They are eating too much unhealthy food that are damage, like burgers, pizzas, noodles and cookies. These types of foods are easily available to them in school canteens and at home too. Children love to purchase chips, chocolate’s, - ice-cream for lunch. Which contain a large percentage of calories. It is because children feel junk-foods are more appetizing than fresh foods cooked at home, this is because many parents become so busy that they do not have time to cook. But they don’t realize that this isn’t good for their children. I think that they should make changes to his/her child’s diet, they should help them to eat healthier, and do more exercises because children can get many serious diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. “According to experts approximately 10 percent of 4 and 5 year old children are overweight and it is more prevalent in girls than boys and in older preschoolers (ages 4-5) than younger (ages 2-3).Obesity increases even...
Words: 659 - Pages: 3
...Obesity in Children After reading the material for this week, the student began to research obesity in middle childhood. The student discovered the causes of middle childhood obesity, the effect of obesity on a child’s health, psychosocial, and cognitive development, and ways to counteract obesity in middle childhood. The student has provided information on obesity solutions in her area, a national program to help stop childhood obesity, and has suggested other ways to help stop childhood obesity. The Causes of Childhood Obesity Genetic factors contribute to childhood obesity (Parke & Gauvain, 2009). Obese children often remain obese throughout his or her lives. Children suffering from obesity often have obese biological parents. Children adopted by normal-weight adoptive parents may become obese if the child’s biological parents are obese. According to Parke and Gauvain (2009), studies have shown that infants who have overweight parents are more responsive to the difference between sweet-tasting solutions and water. The preference for sweets at a young age increases the risk of childhood obesity. Middle childhood obesity also derives from the child’s role-model’s eating pattern and behavior (Parke & Gauvain, 2009). If the parent or role-model is eating junk food, lives a sedentary life, and watches too much television, the child is likely to do the same. Parents encouraging and prompting children to eat more because of his or her size contributes to child obesity...
Words: 1502 - Pages: 7
...Obesity: A Modern Day Epidemic Penny Upton July 11, 2010 HCA 240 Axia College Bruce Gould In today’s society individuals have been brought up to place blame on other people, things, or situations for many of our personal issues including obesity. Instead of taking responsibility for our own actions, society finds it easier to point the finger elsewhere. This frame of mind can be partially, to blame for the epidemic of obesity in the United States. Nearly two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight and 30.5 percent are considered obese (Healthy Youth, 2008). The eating and exercise habits that contribute to this epidemic, generally, begin in childhood (Childhood Obesity, 2010). Therefore, society must change the habits taught to our children in order to change the increasing trend of obesity in our country. To put the seriousness of this epidemic in perspective one should first look at the meaning of epidemic. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary an epidemic is “an unexpectedly large number of cases of disease in a particular population for a particular period of time” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The rate increase in the number of obese Americans has risen steadily in the past several years. The alarming truth is nearly one out of every three Americans are considered obese. This means that nearly 59 million people living in the United States alone is obese (Childhood Obesity, 2010). This staggering number is unacceptable and unnecessary. A person...
Words: 1623 - Pages: 7
...paper obesity is on the rise and has been a growing health concerns for the United States for many years. Childhood obesity has become an epidemic issue worldwide and some Asian countries are seeing an increase among childhood obesity for instance, country like Japan. Before discussing the obesity issues in Japan there are cultural differences that needs to be taken into consideration in order to fully understand the reason for the increase of childhood obesity among the Japanese There are numerous connotations to describe and point out differences of one’s culture, many sociologists describe culture as an adoption and process of behavioral patterns that influence people within a society. Cultural factors that play a key role in the increase of obesity within the Japanese population are; attitudes and customs. Japan’s cultural and eating habits has for many years included a seafood-based cuisine, rice and fresh vegetables. Japanese food portions are smaller compared to American portions and simply prepared with fresh ingredients. 50 Years ago a stable meal consisted of soup and rice three meals a day. With the adaption of Westernized eating habits, Japanese are eating bigger portions for breakfast, eating lighter lunch and having a big dinner. With the influence of bigger portions, Japanese are increasing their diets with more sweets and fatty calorie rich foods. With a change in life styles and a more westernized eating habits, there has be an increase on childhood obesity...
Words: 468 - Pages: 2
...In the United States, childhood obesity has become more and more serious problem. In children and adolescents who are 2-19 years old, the probability of obesity has been stable at around 17%. In the past decade, there were about 12.7 million children and adolescents affected by obesity (Childhood Obesity Facts, 2015). In recent years this ratio has declined, but because of defective eating and living behaviors, childhood obesity is still a problem that cannot be ignored. In order to solve this problem, balanced diet and exercise therapy are effective methods. The main cause of obesity in children and adults are similar, except to genetic reason, defective eating and living behaviors will also bring greater influence. Nowadays, people are concerned about supplement nutrition; however, improper intake can easily lead to nutritional imbalances. People could often see a variety of nutritional supplement advertisements, but some of them are not suitable for young children. If children eat those supplements for long-term, excessive intake of nutrients will cause the obesity. In addition, fast food and snacks are also another important reason for childhood obesity. Most of fast-food and snack mean high fat, high sugar, and high calorie, excessive consumption of these foods will make a significant increase in body weight. At the same time, many children spent a lot of time in front of television or computer screen. At least for these children, it takes up opportunities for physical...
Words: 558 - Pages: 3
