Childhood Obesity

1707 Words4 Pages

“At present approximately 9 million children over 6 years of age are considered obese” (Mahshid Dehghan). Childhood obesity continues to increase every year. Childhood obesity has a lot of causes centering on an imbalance of energy taken in and the amount of energy used. Factors of childhood obesity include children having obese parents; low energy expenditure which is a low amount of physical activity is a factor and too much television which is a cause for low physical activity time. Another factor that influences childhood obesity is heredity. Infants born to overweight mothers are found to be less active than other infants. Parents are the primary contributors of childhood obesity based on statistics, obesity risks, and government plans that show childhood obesity is a dangerous rising problem in the United States.

Statistics demonstrate childhood obesity is a rising problem in the United States. “A major example is that there is a prevalence of obesity of children aged to 6 to 11 increases from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2009” (CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health). Not only is the percentage of obese children increasing but there is also a rise in the number of overweight children in the United States“25% of children in the United States are overweight” (Bellows and Roach, 2010). This is an epidemic that that if not controlled will continue to increase as time goes on. Being overweight is not the same as being obese, but there is a strong chance that children that are overweight can become obese. Obesity is a major life hazard because it can lead to major health hazards.”70% of obese children had at least 1 risk factor for cardiovascular disease.” (Bellows and Roach, 2010) Children with obesity if not helped early ...

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...e healthier the child can be.

Works Cited

L. Bellows and J. Roach “Childhood Overweight” www.ext.colostate.edu 2011

Colorado State University January 7, 2001
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion “Health Topics: Childhood Obesity”

www.cdc.or 2010 CDC June 3, 2010

Franks, Paul Ph.D, Hanson, Robert “Childhood Obesity, Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Premature Death”

New England Medical Journal February 1, 2011

Dehghan, Mahshid also Akhtar-Danesh, Noori and Merchant, Anwar T “Childhood Obesity, Prevalence and Prevention”

Nutrition Journal December 20, 2010

Johnsen Ginny RD, LD, CLT Email Interview

Raimo Adrienne RD, LD, Certified Holistic Health Practitioner Email Interview

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Childhood Obesity

Obesity in Children Across America