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Social determinants of child obesity
Three causes of childhood obesity
Social determinants of child obesity
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Introduction Obesity is a growing epidemic. There are many things around us that contribute to both childhood obesity and adult obesity. First, I will discuss how obesity has had an effect on me personally. Secondly, I will talk about what one contributing factor of childhood obesity is and two recommended preventative measures related to the contributing factor that people can take in order to reduce the chance of obesity. Lastly, I will discuss one sociological theory that relates to the contributing factor to obesity mentioned previously.
Adulthood Obesity Personal Effects In my family on both my mother and father’s side, we have family members that are not what I would necessarily call obese but solid. My mother used to be somewhat
Now in my case I was raised in a Hispanic family, that like many other families of our ethnic group we tend to neglect obesity and even fall in the error of looking at it as something good. From my ex...
Obesity can be related to the individuals socio economic status, this is what social class the individual fits in to.
In the recent decades, obesity has grown into a major health issue in the United States within young people. With 31 percent of the United States of children being obese, the United States has become the country with the highest rate of obesity in the world. Obesity is not only found among adults, but it is also now found mainly among children and teenagers. The childhood is a very important period for the initiation of obesity especially in this time. Eating practices that children are taught or learn during childhood affects a person later in their life whether they know or not. Multiple studies have confirmed that childhood obesity in the U.S has been on a rise for years. One out of three children in the U.S are obese, most of them face a higher risk of having medical, social and academic problems. Childhood obesity also leads to many health problems among young people. Those problems include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and many more others. These problems cause a rise in health care costs that their families might have to pay sooner or later. The influence of parents and the media play a big role in causing these problems to happen. Some people believe that a family with an obese child should not raise child protection concerns if obesity is the only cause for concern (Callaghan, 2010). However, doctors should always be mindful of the possible role of abuse or neglect in contributing to obesity. The result of some research that was done on the symptoms of neglect shows a clear correlation between childhood abuse and obesity in childhood. A study of American school children has found that after controlling for socioeconomic status, those who were physically abused were more likely to be obese (Callaghan, 201...
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.
Although inherited conditions have been linked to childhood obesity, they are rare. However it has been noted that children with obese or overweight parents are more than likely to be obese themselves, the reason for this as described by Heaton-Harris (2007) is because of the length of time it takes to break a bad habit. Unless the parents are correctly informed of healthy diets themselves the problem will continue from an ill-informed childhood into adult hood. Other probable causes are numerous ones. Fast food and processed foods becoming more read...
Genetics plays a major role in obesity; inherited genes sometimes contribute to the accumulation of fat in the body. Over 200 genes have effect on the weight having repercussions from physical activity, food choices and metabolism. Therefore, genes may increase the vulnerability of a person to become obese. Family eating patterns and social tendencies can also trigger obesity. Moreover, environmental circumstances such as availability of food high in calories and fat and the increase of the portions and combination selections in meals contribute to the development of fat accumulated for years in the body (Whitney & Rolfes, 2011, pg. 277).
Amongst one of the bigger health issues in United States children is obesity. Obesity is a condition in which a person has accumulated an excess amount of body fat that it has become detrimental to their health. To track this health professionals use the term “obese” when a person has a body mass index (BMI) of over 30. Although BMI should not be the only determining factor of whether or not you child is obese as it only takes into account of height and weight, it is one of the better known systems of telling whether or not a person is overweight or obese (Nichols). Obesity comes with a range of other health conditions that can include but are not limited to cancer, diabetes, and depression. Not only do children and teens who suffer from obesity acquire many health diseases, they also tend to get failing grades and are bullied amongst peers. Most Americans correlate being obese with having an unhealthy lifestyle, but according to a 2006 Fox News article there may be other factors that attribute to obesity that include smoking, medicine, pollution, technology and lack of sleep. (“10 Causes of Obesity Other Than Overeating”). One part that does although indeed play a role in to child obesity rates is economics.
America is facing a rigorous obesity plague that is endangering the health of millions. Moreover, we are passing our bad practices down to our children. Obesity is a stipulation in which anomalous or excessive fat buildup in adipose tissue that damages health. Obesity is defined in adults as a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 30 (kg/m). Obesity is one of the most discernible, but until recently, most deserted public health problems. The present high pervasiveness of obesity and the brisk increase in pervasiveness in the last twenty years has been referred to as an endemic (Johnson SJ, Birch LL. 1994). Children all through the U.S. are getting fatter and less fit, through potentially treacherous enduring consequences. The figure of overweight children ages 6-17 has dual in the past 25 years. One in five children in the United States is now overweight or fat. Overweight children can build up diabetes and early risk factors for heart disease. Being fat in addition carries arousing risks for children. By the age of six, lots of children have developed pessimistic attitudes concerning obesity and will keep out fat children from play (Freedman D.S.,Dietz W.H., Srinivasan S.R, Berenson G.S. 1999). Fat children are teased and scorned by their peers. In adolescence, lots of overweight young people have developed a pessimistic personality that might prolong into adulthood. Overweight adolescents typically take their excess weight into adulthood. Overweight in adults is related to diabetes, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis and several forms of cancer. Overweight children are more than two times likely to have high levels of cholesterol. Aortic fatty splash, the first stages of atherosclerosis, begins to come into view in childhood, ...
Today, approximately 25 percent of children and teenagers are obese and the number is on the rise. Since the 1960’s childhood obesity has increased by 54 percent in children ages six to eleven. In children twelve to seventeen it has increased by 39 percent. (Silberstein, 1) Childhood obesity is so prevalent among these age groups that it has reached epidemic proportions.
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).
More than 35% of American adults are classified as obese with a BMI over 30.
Same as me. She never misses a day. I don't think I ever will either. My mother and father are both sort of, I would prefer not to say pudgy, yet no doubt, they are. I can't let that befall me.
According to an article in Oxford Journals, “There is substantial evidence for the hereditability of obesity, and research in both rare and common forms of obesity has identified genes with significant roles in its etiology” (Genetics…).
Childhood obesity is a serious medical problem that affects children. Obesity is a medical term, commonly defined as being extremely overweight, which is only half the case. (www.wikipedia.com) Many parent’s ask if their child is obese, or at risk of becoming overweight, and they ask what to do about it. MD, Dennis Clements tells parents: “Obesity is a family event, not an individual event”.
Childhood obesity is one of the most serious problems in the 21st century. A lot of scientists are studying this problem, as obesity among the children has grown tremendously in the last thirty years. Why is it starting to be a problem? Why are health departments all over the world sounding the alarm? Why is this problem becoming to be global and affecting many low-and middle-income countries, especially urban areas? Recently, forty-two million overweight children were counted all over the world. Nearly thirty-one million of these children are living in developing countries. Should we be concerned about this problem? Definitely, yes, as this problem can cause a world epidemic that can affect and hurt many people’s lives.