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Public health issue childhood obesity
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I would like to prepare a decision memorandum on a common problem that affects many students in these advance technological times. My topic of research is childhood obesity and the effects on education, with a sub focus on low socioeconomic communities. Children are not as active as they have been in the past. Desktop computers, handheld computers, mobile phones and television have replaced students playing outside. In addition, in low socioeconomic environments, the television and some of these devices act as childcare while parents are working. I will use the following scholarly written research journals to identify the problem and provide a solution to this
Hellmich, Nanci, “Report maps out solutions to child obesity.” USA Today n.d.: MAS ULTRA-School Edition. Web. 6 May 2012.
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.
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.
“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.
Forty years ago in America childhood obesity was rarely a topic of conversation. A survey done in the early 1970s showed that 6.1% of children between the ages 12 and 19 were overweight. Eight years later the same survey was done and 17.4% were considered overweight (Iannelli). “Childhood obesity epidemic in America is now a confirmed fact since the number of overweight or obese children has more than tripled during the last 30 years” (Childhood Obesity Epidemic). “Over the last 20 years, the prevalence of obesity in children aged 6 to 11 years has tripled from 6.5% to 19.6%” (Childhood Obesity Epidemic). As a nation statistics should be alarming. Why are American children today so obese?
The lack of psychical activity is another growing issue. Some people are quick to blame computers, television, and other sources as the driving forces behind childhood obesity. Food for thought: Who allows the child to sit in front of the computer or television for hours? Computers and televisions have become built in babysitters for some parents Television and the Internet may contribute to obesity rates a little; however, these are not the only factors that decide whether a child becomes obese. In fact, according to the WHO survey, parents are just as much at fault for making their children obese as outside influences are. Mothers tipped the scale with 91 percent of them being primary caregivers in the telephone survey, and were the ones responsible for the foods offered to, cooked for (and chosen by) the children. A parent allowing access to so many c...
Numerous children are victims of a variety of health problems inflicted by the deficiency of good nutrition and physical activity. Childhood obesity is a national epidemic and is continuously growing rapidly. Obesity is an excessive amount of body fat in relation to body mass, being overweight is your body weight in relation to your height (L. Marcus Ph. D and A. Baron M.S.W.). Obesity is the most distinct medical condition but the most difficult condition to treat. Obesity is the result of calorie imbalance. Obesity is commonly caused by overeating and lack of exercise although there are genetic diseases and hormonal disorders that can cause obesity. When children eat more than they need, the extra calories are stored in fat cells to use for energy later. If this pattern continues over time, they develop more fat cells and may develop obesity. Childhood obesity will cause physical, social and emotional adversities for your child
Childhood obesity is a serious problem among American children. Some doctors are even calling childhood obesity an epidemic because of the large percentage of children being diagnosed each year as either overweight or obese. “According to DASH sixteen to thirty-three percent of American children each year is being told they are obese.” (Childhood Obesity) There is only a small percentage, approximately one percent, of those children who are obese due to physical or health related issues; although, a condition that is this serious, like obesity, could have been prevented. With close monitoring and choosing a healthier lifestyle there would be no reason to have such a high obesity rate in the United States (Caryn). Unfortunately, for these children that are now considered to be obese, they could possibly be facing some serious health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancers. All of these diseases have been linked to obesity through research. These children never asked for this to happen to them; however, it has happened, and now they will either live their entire life being obese, or they will be forced to reverse what has already been done (Childhood Obesity).
Obesity effects 30% percent of children making it the most chronic diseases of childhood. (according to obesityaction.org) I believe childhood obesity is an epidemic, because children are encouraged now more than ever to be more sedentary. For example, we encourage children to sit inside and play video games instead of going outside, even though technology is increasing and changing, we must make sure to keep our children active and moving. Another problem that children face today is eating out, parents find it much simpler to run through a drive through rather than cooking a healthy meal at home. It is now estimated that approximately 40 to 50 percent of every dollar that is spent on food is spent on food outside the home. (according to obesityaction.org). This poses a problem
Childhood obesity has recently become a major problem not only in the Unites States, but all around the world. No one knows the real reason as to why childhood obesity has recently become a major epidemic, but it has been found that the environment that the children live in plays a factor in the child’s weight status. Not only that but, some people believe that fast food and their million dollar industries is the reasons why so many children are obese. Whereas others have found that it all relies on their parents, that they, the parents, are the reason why their children are the way they are. Some even say that it’s the school’s fault because they do not teach the children how to live a healthy lifestyle. Whatever it is, it need to be fixed so that we can have a healthier America. At the same time that I believe that the parents play a big role in the weight status of their children, I also believe that schools play a factor in the recent outbreak of childhood obesity.
Within the past three years obesity among children has tripled. Childhood obesity is considered the number one health threat in America. Childhood obesity has become a major issue facing America. And today over “nine million” (Selicia 4, May) United States children are overweight and obese. Sadly “2 million” (Tanner 2005) of these children are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Obesity has become a burden to the United States economy and it is costing America “$147 billion” (Holden, 2010) a year.
Although obesity has become one of the major health care issues around the world it is has become a focal issue throughout the developed countries. According to the WHO (world health organization) in 2008, 1.5 billion adults were overweight; 200 million men and 300 million women aged over 20 years were obese worldwide. There is increasing concern about the childhood obesity due to inactivity and increased calorie intake. Study shows that, the obesity is most of the time directly related to inactive due to the use of modern technologies like video gaming in children, increased television viewing and inactivity due to computer using. Obesity is due to many other factors like genetic predisposition, hormonal imbalance and increased food intake. Studies shows inactivity due to use of technologies is highly linked with obesity. Obesity is known as one of the lifestyle inducing diseases, so it should be concluded that it is not the modern technology leading to increased incidence of obesity, but it is the improper use of technology like video gaming, TV, and computers which is leading to obesity. If the technologies are used wisely it should not lead to obesity. The advancement of technology is inevitable. If the technology is used properly it is the most useful thing in this modern world.
In our society today one of the most difficult problems we are facing is the large numbers of obesity in our children. One of the major factors in that is this; our children have become less physically active. At an early age children start watching TV, learn how to operate a computer, and play video games. Having technological skills is now a necessity in all of our lives because everything has turned “computerized,” but the fact is that our children are relying on these types of entertainment rather than getting up and physically exercising to entertain them selves. This directly affects the large number of obese children in our country today because of the lack of physical exercise. It is not that we want our kids to look a certain way or to be better at sports than everyone else, but it is that we want our kids to be physically fit and to develop a healthy lifestyle. Physical exercise is not only for adults, it is for children as well, so we must understand the importance of our children exercising and the benefits from it. By doing that it will make an impact on that child for the rest of his/her life.
Obesity simply put, is an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity puts children at increased risk of disease and other health-related problems. Childhood obesity is a very serious and ongoing problem-putting children on the pathway to health conditions earlier in their life such as diabetes, elevated cholesterol, hypertension. Childhood obesity also has a link to depression as well as affects the self-esteem of children and adolescent. I recently performed a community teaching on childhood obesity and will be discussing the teaching experience, observation, summary of the teaching plan, epidemiological rationale for childhood obesity, evaluation of my teaching and the community’s response to the teaching.
It is an obvious fact that technology is a main part of daily life. Assuredly, it is also the major fact that contributing to such problem as obesity in children, one of the most concerned problems facing the present society. Generally, all the technology gadgets have the great impact that can make children sit at one place. Meanwhile, when they tend to loose their control, while using the technology such as television or cell phone, their body craves for more food and snack (Levine, 2009). Definitely, it would not be a problem if all the food they grabbed were some nutritious food, which in fact they are junk food such as chocolates, ...