...Causes and effect of childhood obesity Introduction: Nowadays the majority of children all around the world suffer from being overweight or obesity. In the United States of America in particular, there exists the highest proportion of childhood obesity in the world. These figures are continuing to grow in this country as well as in other developed and developing countries. In addition, almost 25% of children suffer from being clinically overweight while a staggering 11% of children are clinically obese in the States according to the latest statistics (Dehghan et al, 2005). Obesity in childhood is defined as an excess of fat in the child's body. Body mass index (BMI) can also be used to define obesity in childhood and adults. This sort of measurement can classify obesity into different categories, for example, normal weight, underweight, overweight, obesity, obesity class 1, obesity class 2 and obesity class 3 (Onyike et al, 2003). The major problem of childhood obesity is that is has become one of the most serious nutritional issues in the world.. The obesity epidemic has been spreading since 1971 in both developed and developing countries, especially in the United States of America (Dehghan et al, 2005). In recent years, the obesity epidemic has grown rapidly in these counties. There are several influences which are responsible for the increase in the rate of childhood obesity in the States. For instance, consumption of fast food which contains a large amount of calories...
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...Causes of Childhood Obesity Danielle Rainey Galen College of Nursing Causes of Childhood Obesity One of the biggest epidemics in America today is the meteoric rise of childhood obesity. It is essential for children to have extra calories and nutrients to propel their growth and development. If they take in the right number of calories, the pounds they add should be in direct proportion to their growth. If they take in more calories than they burn off, the result can be a significant increase in weight. According to Ogden, Carroll, Kit, and Flegal (2012) “childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years” (p.483). The effects of obesity are varied and include the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, breathing problems, trouble sleeping and can even result in social isolation and depression. But what are the root causes of this epidemic? The causes themselves are just as varied and just as numerous as the effects. They encompass a wide variety of convoluted elements such as poor eating habits, lack of exercise, low self-esteem, family issues, peer problems and can even include medical causes such as illness or depression. One cause of childhood obesity is overeating and poor eating habits. Children are submerged in an environment that is conducive to overeating and maintaining their poor eating habits. In today’s fast paced society, some parents have little time to plan and assemble healthy meals for their...
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...9th 2015 Topic: Childhood Obesity INTRODUCTION I. Attention Getter: Hi, my name is Jill. I have been a pediatric nurse for almost 2 years now. According to the National Center for Health Statistics in 2011, childhood Obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. And in 2012, more than one-third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. II. Specific Purpose: I would I like to inform you all of childhood obesity and ways to get involved in preventing obesity in children. III. Thesis: Childhood obesity is a preventable disorder that could lead to other health effects, short-term and long-term. IV. Preview: I will discuss what obesity is, what health effects it could lead to, and how to prevent it. BODY TRANSITION: To start off, I will explain what obesity is. I. Main Point #1: Obesity is a disorder involving the excessive amount of body fat. A. There are 2 types of classification involving weight gain 1. The classification of being overweight refers to the excess of body weight. 2. And obesity is the excess of fat. 3. Childhood obesity occurs when a child is well above their age and height range which is determined by the body mass index. Children that are at risk for obesity may be ones that are genetically predisposed and have parents that are obese. 4. TRANSITION: Next, I will talk about what health effects that is caused by obesity. II. Main Point...
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...9th 2015 Topic: Childhood Obesity INTRODUCTION I. Attention Getter: Hi, my name is Jill. I have been a pediatric nurse for almost 2 years now. According to the National Center for Health Statistics in 2011, childhood Obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. And in 2012, more than one-third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. II. Specific Purpose: I would I like to inform you all of childhood obesity and ways to get involved in preventing obesity in children. III. Thesis: Childhood obesity is a preventable disorder that could lead to other health effects, short-term and long-term. IV. Preview: I will discuss what obesity is, what health effects it could lead to, and how to prevent it. BODY TRANSITION: To start off, I will explain what obesity is. I. Main Point #1: Obesity is a disorder involving the excessive amount of body fat. A. There are 2 types of classification involving weight gain 1. The classification of being overweight refers to the excess of body weight. 2. And obesity is the excess of fat. 3. Childhood obesity occurs when a child is well above their age and height range which is determined by the body mass index. Children that are at risk for obesity may be ones that are genetically predisposed and have parents that are obese. 4. TRANSITION: Next, I will talk about what health effects that is caused by obesity. II. Main...
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...Childhood Obesity in the United States of America Tolulope Adedokun Introduction to psychology Dr. Michael Gawrysiak November 28, 2014 Table of contents Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………. 4 Causes of Obesity ………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Heredity …………………………………………………………………………………. 4 Social Environment ……………………………………………………………………… 5 Social Status …………………………………………………………………………….. 5 Birth Weight …………………………………………………………………………….. 6 Effects of Obesity ………………………………………………………………………………… 7 Health Effects ……………………………………………………………………………. 7 Mental Effects …………………………………………………………………………… 7 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………. 7 Solutions to Childhood Obesity in The United States of America ………………………………. 8 References ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Abstract Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in developing countries especially in the United States of America. Twenty five percent of children in the US are overweight and 11% are obese. Overweight and obesity in childhood are known to have significant impact on both physical and psychological health. This paper describes the causes, effects, and solutions to childhood obesity in...
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...Childhood Obesity In today's society childhood obesity is considered to be an epidemic. The increase in obesity is not caused by the change in the gene pool, but rather by the change in the environment. This causes vulnerable populations to express the obesity phenotype (Stune, 1999). One in seven children ages 6-17 are considered to be obese. Most nutritionists will say that this is do to the lack of parental guidance. A child's parents should teach their child proper eating habits so that they won't run across problems in the future (Tomlin, 1999). According to the article Facts about childhood Obesity and Overweightness, obese children are statistically not active, and their diets are high in fats and low in energy foods, like carbohydrates . Most doctors will calculate a child's body mass index (BMI), to figure out just how overweight a child is. If a child's BMI is over 30, they are considered obese. In order to calculate one's BMI, you would divide the your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters (Mokdad, 1999). What causes obesity? Weight gain among children is likely due to a combination of factors including: poor dietary habits, genetic makeup, family lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and a child's ethnicity. Obesity is more prevalent among Hispanic, African-American and American Indian children, particularly girls (Mayohealth.org 1997). Overweight children are not necessarily overeaters. Unfortunately, much of the food they...
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...Res/531 June 19, 2011 Dr. Ed Yancey Topic Childhood Obesity in the Mid-South is a growing disease. Description of Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity is defined as children having the condition of being excessively overweight (The American Heritage, 2002). The Centers for Disease Control reports that this country has been struggling with obesity for well over 20 years now and regarding childhood obesity, it is no less daunting. Data from their surveys comparing the 1970's to the 2000's show that the prevalence of obesity has increased for children of all ages at least 3 times over to about 20% of our population less than 19 years old (adult obesity approaches almost 35% in some states). There is an eye-opening depiction of U.S. obesity trends by state and race/ethnicity over the past 4 years. Obesity appears to be most commonly seen in the African American, Hispanic, and Native American populations and in lower income families (CDC, 2009). Why this Topic This topic was chosen because there is an overwhelming increase of children who are suffering from this disease. Obese children are also more likely to become overweight adults. 70% of obese children had at least one Cardiovascular Disease risk factor, and 39% had two or more (Freedman, 2007). This paper will show why childhood obesity has become such an epidemic and what can be done to counter this disease. Description of Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects...
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...World The Effects of Childhood Obesity A losing battle has risen in the arena of health affecting thousands, even millions of those that matter most, the children. This battle is childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is a growing concern in today’s society. Rising at extreme rates, one may call it an epidemic. The percentage of children and adolescents who are defined as overweight has more than doubled since the early 1970s (Marcus, 2003). With the vast amount of fast food restaurants and unhealthy foods along with the lack of exercise, obesity is hard to avoid. Usually the most delicious and easiest foods to prepare are the ones that are not so good for our well-being. Childhood obesity is formally defined as weighing at least 20% above the weight corresponding to the ideal weight for children of a specific height, gender, and age. 20%-40% over the ideal weight is considered mildly obese, 40%-100% over is considered moderately obese, and 100% over is considered severely obese. Some scientists classify children as overweight if their body fat is at least 25% for males and 30% for females (“So What Is Childhood Obesity?” 2010). Simply put, childhood obesity is consuming unhealthy foods and drinks without exercise to burn it off. None the less, it is extremely detrimental to today’s youth. Childhood obesity can have both physical and psychological effects. The physical effects are similar to those seen in obese adults. Some of the physical effects of childhood obesity...
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...Bibliography for Childhood Obesity Cuthbert C Cuffy DeVry University The many forms of interventions that are cur¬rently being used to prevent and control childhood obesity are not effective thus and a new paradigm shift is required. The complexity of fighting childhood obesity needs stepper legislation and changes in health policies. A multipronged, integrated and collective approach will be need to achieve acceptable results in today’s society with an added benefit of a reduction in the health care expense. Knight, Judith. Strauss, Richard. (1999). Influence of the Home Environment on the Development of Obesity in Children. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 103(6) pg e85. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/103/6/e85 Strauss and Knight (1999) investigation of the socioeconomic factors and parental practice effects on children’s obesity, was conclusive in its negative influence. It was revealed that when a conscious effort was made by the parents of low income household income, develop a stimulating home environment the result was a lowest rate of childhood obesity development. The need for parental education in creating a stimulating home environment and increasing household income level was the key factors in future reduction of the rates of obesity in children My Assessment: This article, although provide a reasonable analysis to the effects of low income on the cause of death through childhood obesity...
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...Childhood Obesity Shakia Bennett ENG 122: English Composition II Marsh Bechwith-Howard April 15, 2012 Childhood Obesity: Whose Fault is it? The Ashford library, ebooks, and newspaper articles are where the sources on childhood obesity came from. When doing research on childhood obesity, nutrition and parenting were some of the main reoccurring topics of childhood obesity. This paper will focus on unhealthy and healthy eating habits of obese children, and the effects of parenting towards childhood obesity as well as ways to overcome childhood obesity. In the United States there has been a rise in childhood obesity, but whose fault is it? Some parents blame fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, saying their food is unhealthy and the portions are too big. However, on the first part the blame for childhood obesity should be on the parents. Although fast food restaurants do paly a small part in childhood obesity, it is up to the parents to determine what they allow their children to eat. Parents should stop blaming fast food restaurants for childhood obesity when healthy eating habits should be enforced at home. Childhood obesity is a rising serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. Approximately 15 percent of U.S. children, ages 6–11, and 16 percent of U.S. adolescents, ages 12–19, are obese (Encyclopedia of Special Education, 2006). Childhood obesity occurs when a child is above the normal weight for his or her age and height. Obesity appears...
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...How Can We Rid Childhood Obesity? Childhood obesity is a pandemic that has reached worldwide distribution. A problem as rampant as this is having a direct negative correlation with education and the way kids learn in America. “More than one third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). For the next generation to succeed and someday be responsible for many of the leadership roles that run this country, there needs to be immediate action. Childhood obesity has a negative effect on development on education, it’s time to start educating children on the many ways to make healthy decisions that will ultimately come back and benefit the education system and learning process itself. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention classifies childhood obesity as a disease and psychological disorder meaning that it directly affects brain function. A child being overweight is classified as a body mass index at or higher than the eighty-fifth percentile and lower than the ninety-fifth percentile for those among the same age and sex. For childhood obesity, it is classified as a body mass index at or higher than the ninety-fifth percentile among the same ages and sexes (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). One without any knowledge or background of public health can conclude that if obesity directly affects brain function, that it must also affect leaning in school. According to Juliette Kellow’s research, the performance of...
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...Obesity has become an epidemic in American Society. Since the nineteen eighties childhood obesity rates have tripled and have started in earlier in age. In high school students obesity rates have risen by fifteen percent. In four states obesity rates for adults have exceeded thirty five percent. Obesity is being portrayed as being beautiful, which people should be comfortable in their own skin, but the health effects that obesity causes is far from beautiful. Nearly seventy eight million adults and almost thirteen million children are obese in the United States. In the 1950's the percentage of obese adults was only ten percent, and has now risen to thirty five percent. An adult is averaged to weigh twenty six more pounds more than...
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...Epidemiology Paper on Childhood Obesity Obesity is a global epidemic affecting millions of the world population. Childhood obesity is especially worrisome as it is linked to higher incidence of health issues in adulthood (Lakshman, Elks, & Ong, 2012). There are many factors to look at when assessing the prevalence of childhood obesity, including culture, socio-economic status, food availability, activity, and genetics. To better understand this problem, it is essential to understand the factors that lead to obesity, how obesity is studied, and what are ways to help reduce the occurrence of obesity. Through epidemiology, this health concern can be better understood and provide the information needed to generate a plan of action to help reduce the risk factors that lead to childhood obesity. Epidemiology is “the study of the occurrence and distribution of health–related states or events and specified populations, including the study of the determinants influencing such states, and the application of this knowledge to control the health problems” (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012, pg 255). Through epidemiology the questions of who, what, where, when, how, and why can be investigated to offer information about the dissemination or patterns of health measures. The Epidemiological Triangle allows epidemiologists to understand the relationships between agent, host, and the environment when looking at a specific health concern. When considering childhood obesity, the agent could be viewed...
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...Obesity has been an increasing problem across our whole nation over the last few decades. Since 1980 the number of young Americans who are overweight or obese has more than tripled (University of Rochester Medical Center). This disease has been rapidly growing and affecting countless lives, many of them people right here in Rochester, NY. Obesity is a growing concern and has begun to be a big problem among youth and children in our area. The national obesity rate in adolescents and children is 17% (University of Rochester Medical Center). For Monroe County as a whole, they are just below the national average at a 15% childhood obesity rate. The rate of the city however is a lot higher and is almost at 22%. According to a study done by the University of Rochester Medical Center, nearly 40 percent of children and teens living in Rochester’s city are overweight or obese (City Child Obesity Rate Almost Twice as Large as Suburban). The number lowers when looking at the suburbs of Rochester, but 25% of children are still obese or overweight in these suburban areas. We believe that these numbers are higher in the city due to a few reasons. The first and obvious reason would be due poor eating habits. These children are eating unhealthy meals and not getting a balanced diet that is resulting in extra weight gain. As a team we also realize that it is not just about and poor eating habits but also a lack of exercise. These children have not been getting an appropriate amount...
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...Matthew Stark Sociology 422 Professor Bradshaw 5 May 2015 Childhood Obesity: Is there an elucidation? 1. Describe the Policy, Program or Topic: The growth in childhood obesity over the past several decades, together with the associated health problems and costs, is raising serious concern among health care professionals, policy experts, children’s advocates, and parents. Childhood obesity is defined “in terms of body mass index (BMI), which in turn is defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared” (Anderson). According to the Obesity Action Coalition “a child is defined as “affected by obesity” if their body mass index-for-age (or BMI-for-age) percentile is greater than 95 percent. A child is defined as “overweight” if their BMI-for-age percentile is greater than 85 percent and less than 95 percent.” BMI has become the frontrunner for measuring a child’s weight condition, but only a physician can best determine and diagnoses weight status in children. Obesity is not just a problem in the United States but around the world as well. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey have been recording overweight and obesity in children since the early 1960’s. During 1971–74 about five percent of children aged two to nineteen years were obese but it has increase significantly throughout the years. By 1980 and 1988-94, the numbers nearly doubled in children and between the years of 1998-2002, nearly fifteen percent of United States children have become...
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