Analysis of Childhood Obesity in America

1285 Words3 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.

Obesity is defined as excess body fat. Body fat can be difficult to measure directly, so obesity is measured by body mass index (BMI). The United States government states that each individual should intake 1500 to 1800 calories and 50 to 60 grams of fat per day (Getting Started 1). Michael Phelps consumed 15000 calories everyday when training for the Olympics. The reason Phelps is not obese is because he exercised enough to burn all the extra calories and fat he consumed everyday. If a person eats more calories than he/she burns, then the results is weight gain.

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 ...

... middle of paper ...

...Linked to Child Obesity”. Health. 5 Jan 2004. CBS News. 8 April 2014 .

“Getting Started: What Is Obesity?” lets move.gov. Let’s Move. 7 April 2014 .

Hendrick, Bill. “Survey Shows Children Aren't Following Recommendations for Daily Physical Activity”. WedbMD: 1-2.

“Many U.S. Children Not Getting Enough Exercise”. calsouthern.edu. 13 April 2011. California Southern University. 12 March 2014 .

Noonman, Peggy. “Tips To Make Sure Your Kid Stays Fit”. USAToday. Sep 2013: 1-2.

“Weight Problems and Obesity In Children”. Helping Your Child Reach and Maintain a Helathy Weight. Feb 2014. Help Guide. 12 March 2014 .

Show More
Related

  • Killer at Large: Childhood Obesity in America

    1356 Words  | 3 Pages

    Did you know that 35% of the United States population is considered obese? Also, 66% of the population is considered overweight or more? (Saint Onge 2014) Even more frightening, in 2012 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than one third of children and adolescents in America were overweight or obese (CDC 2014). The media sources used investigates the political, scientific, historical, and cultural reasons behind the childhood obesity epidemic in America. Obesity is a rapid growing epidemic in America and these sources present the facts causing this epidemic. As well as how the children of the American society are being wrongly influenced by the media, especially advertisments. (Greenstreet 2008).

    Read More

  • The Center for Disease Control Discusses Childhood Obesity

    532 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Obesity

    1249 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are exceptions with peoples BMI, an athlete can have a high BMI and not be overweight or obese. Adults with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher are considered obese. A person with a high BMI can have a normal amount of body fat if they have more muscle tissue. However, the risk of death and disease is increased for adults who are overweight and obese (Kolata 1). Common causes of obesity can be excessive caloric intake, thyroid disorders, lack of physical activity, genes, medicines, emotions, smoking, age, and pregnancy.

    Read More

  • A Social Ecological Approach to Rising Levels of Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents in the United States

    2208 Words  | 5 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity

    952 Words  | 2 Pages

    In order to impede the epidemic of childhood obesity, the actual causes of the problem need to be evaluated and dissected. Obesity in children is becoming a huge problem in American society. In the past three decades, the rate of overweight children has increased by 300%. This is an alarming rate that is only climbing higher. Every member in society should take steps to becoming healthier. This would help the present generations as well as future generations to come. The lifestyle of Americans keeps us too busy to be a healthy society.

    Read More

  • Obesity in Children Across America

    1344 Words  | 3 Pages

    Obesity in children across America has become an increasing public health concern. Obesity has been identified as an epidemic that is plaguing our children in the United States. In some countries around the world children are dying of starvation everyday. How can this happen when here in America the opposite is a major problem? This is not to say that in America there are no hungry or starving children. It has been proven that our children suffer from obesity, and “children who are overweight or obese as preschoolers are five times as likely as normal-weight children to be overweight or obese as adults” (“Hope”). Obesity not only can cause a child to become more prone to having health problems down the road, but it can also make them feel insecure about themselves. There needs to be action taken in schools as well as in homes to help prevent this growing epidemic.

    Read More

  • Overview of Childhood Obesity

    1800 Words  | 4 Pages

    Childhood and adolescent obesity is a problem of significant concern. Whether obese or at risk, excessive fat is based on the ratio of weight to height, age, and gender of the individual (Ul-Haq, Mackay, Fenwick, & Pell, 2013). Today’s youth are considered the most inactive generation in history thus, childhood and adolescent obesity is more prevalent than ever before. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) documents the obesity rate in children ages 6-11 in 2012 at 18% (an increase from seven percent in 1980), and adolescents at 21% (an increase from five percent in 1980). The obesity rate in children has more than doubled and quadrupled in adolescents over a 30-year period (CDC, n.d). The factors responsible for childhood and adolescent obesity are related to childhood lifestyle, family influence, and community factors (CMA Foundation, 2008). The Healthy People 2020 goal, NWS-10.4, is to “reduce the proportion of children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years who are considered obese from 16.1% to 14.5%” (Healthy People 2020, 2013). Overweight children and adolescents are at increased risk for severe medical issues that can last a lifetime. Interventions to reduce the incidence and improve the health of young people involve solutions at the primary (low risk youth), secondary (at risk youth), and tertiary (obese) levels (Sweeting, 2008). Parents, caregivers, and medical professionals can work together in diagnosing if the child is becoming obese or if the child is having a growth spurt (Ul-Haq et al., 2013).

    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 in America

    1216 Words  | 3 Pages

    Obesity in the United States continues growing alarmingly. Approximately 66 % of adults and 33 % of children and teenagers in the US are overweight. Obesity is the result of fat accumulated over time due to the lack of a balanced diet and exercise. An adult with a BMI (body mass index) higher than thirty percent is considered obese (Whitney & Rolfes, 2011, pg. 271).

    Read More

  • Obesity Informative Speech

    1229 Words  | 3 Pages

    The official definition of obesity, is having a BMI of greater than 29.9. (Obesity and overweight). For example for a 5’10” male, a weight of 160lbs would yield a BMI of 23.0. Perfectly within the BMI range of healthy weight, 18.5- 24.9. But if that 5’10” male weighed say 230lbs, they would have a BMI of 33.0, and would be considered Obese.

    Read More

  • Overview of Crossfit Fitness

    1292 Words  | 3 Pages

    Obesity is a growing issue across the United States. A study in 2009 showed that 35% of Americans were obese (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2012). Those within 35% are not the ones only suffering the effects related to obesity. In 1998, the medical costs of obesity were approximately 78.5 billion dollars. That number had risen to 147 billion as of 2006, and half of the costs were paid by Medicare and Medicaid (Finkelstein, Trogdon, Cohen, & Dietz, 2013). Obesity is defined as a weight higher than a healthy weight for a certain height. Obesity is determined by body mass index, which is calculated using height and weight, which is directly tied to the amount of body fat. A total BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese (Center for Disease Control, 2012). Proper Crossfit training promotes overall health and fitness, and could be a solution to the growing issue of obesity.

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity in the United States

    2855 Words  | 6 Pages

    Childhood obesity is an increasing problem here in the United States. According to Schuab and Marian (2011) “Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions” (P.553). The prevalence of child obesity and overweight has increased over the last 30 years all over the United States, becoming one of the biggest public health challenges (Moreno, Johnson-Shelton, & Boles, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to give a background of the obesity epidemic, a review of current policy, and make a policy recommendation.

    Read More

  • Sociological Analysis Of Childhood Obesity

    1539 Words  | 4 Pages

    Child obesity is a current dilemma that has become an epidemic in Canadian society. Although the outbreak of cases of child obesity can be analyzed from a medical perspective, it should also be analyzed critically and sociologically to have a variety of perspectives from different sources. A critical sociological analysis of obesity requires the use of both past and present data regarding child obesity, along with discussing the implications of child obesity and relevant sociological theories and concepts for analysis. Using this information, it becomes clear that child obesity is a modern crisis that needs much more attention.

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity Epidemic Analysis

    294 Words  | 1 Pages

    Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in modern day society. We see it act as a mismatch because it in evolutionary terms, obesity is heavily influenced by one’s metabolism. Due to the fact that eating habits have evolved so drastically over the past couple decades, some humans have had trouble adapting. The mismatch between childhood obesity and metabolism carries much weight. According to multiple studies, this mismatch became apparent as humans became less active. Modern day activities are much less grueling on the human body which caused our metabolism to slow down drastically. The slowing of our metabolism didn’t necessarily need to lead to this massive epidemic. However, the epidemic exists because some humans had trouble adapting their

    Read More

  • Causes of Obesity

    1205 Words  | 3 Pages

    Obesity, also referred to as being overly overweight, is a condition caused when one eats excessive amounts of food leading to storing more calories than one burns. These calories are stored as fats1. Obesity can develop from several causes and is usually influenced by genetics.

    Read More

More about Analysis of Childhood Obesity in America

Open Document