Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is a very serious problem in children that needs special attention to.
“Obesity is defined as a chronic condition characterized by an excessive or abnormal increase in
the accumulation of fat cells in the body.” (Nauta, Byrne, and Welsey,2009). There are a lot of
cases where kids are having negative effects of their growth, health, and well being. Also kids
get harassed because of being overweight and this can lead to a child becoming depressed or
maybe eating more. With childhood obesity I plan on looking over different areas of growth that
will help me limit my details of information on my paper so that the reader will have a clear
understanding. With childhood obesity children basically eat what they want when they want it.
Parents really need to think about what they are feeding their kids when it comes down to what
foods their kids are eating. “Everyday nearly one third of U.S children aged 4 to 19 percent eat
fast food which is likely packed on about six extra pounds per child per year and increases the
risk of obesity (2009).”
In my research I will show the percentages of growth that states the largest accounts there
are of childhood obesity. What is causing childhood obesity? Do fast food restaurants have
a lot to do with childhood obesity? Are the parents helping their children cope with
childhood obesity? I feel that parents should teach them how to eat and exercise properly
because children learn things quickly the good and the bad. Eating healthy and exercising
properly is the most important way of having a healthy lifestyle. Exercising doesn’t mean you
have to work out at a gym. Children can do exercise at home playing basketball or any after
school extracurricular activities that involves exercise.
Poor eating habits in childhood obesity can include a lot of fast food consumption,
increased portion sizes, missed breakfast meals, and high calorie intake with eating a lot of fast
foods. A lot of the times children are not receiving a balanced nutritional diet with the four major
food groups. “Studies indicated that children who are not eating the recommended servings of
foods featured in the USDA food pyramid have been significant changes in the types of
beverages that children are consuming.” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
There were only 21% of children who are eating the right amount of serving of fruit and
vegetables everyday. There was an average of 17% or more of children and adolescents that ages
ranged from 2 to 19 years old that were obese. Adults and childhood obesity has increased
substantially in the last 30 years. Currently 31% of adults and 18% of children are obese. Today
nearly one in five children are battling this condition and if patterns predict the future almost all
of the American’s children will be living with diabetes, heart disease, and dying younger due to
obesity within the next 20 years.
Childhood obesity is caused by a lot of high calorie intake. Excessive calorie
intake and having poor food quality choices (fast food) can result to over ingestion of healthy
foods. Excessive calories can be stored by the body and only as fat. Attempting to reduce calorie
intake in children is best if they do at least 30 minutes of daily exercise. This will help the body’s
metabolism go down and learn to get by on fewer calories.
In today’s families the parent’s are very busy with their kids and are not giving them the
proper nutrition when preparing meals.”The percentage of overweight children in the United
States is growing at an alarming rate, with 1 out of 3 kids are now considered overweight or
obese.’ (Overweight and obesity). We as parents should help our kids from becoming
overweight, help them learn healthier ways of eating as families. Studies have shown that there
have been large amounts of foods that kids eat quick and easy like microwave dinners that have a
lot of fat and sodium in them. Children also eat a lot of unhealthy foods at homes than in schools.
Schools feed the kids by portions and when kids eat at home they eat more portions because
parents cook enough food for their kids can keep going back for more. It has been shown that
getting children involved in planning and preparing healthy meals, taking them shopping for
groceries will teach them to make better food choices in preventing childhood
obesity.(Gavin,2009)
With childhood obesity the concern is that a lot of people share it and the fact of knowing
that you can find information on it will be very helpful to a lot of people. It can be very
frustrating on trying to find information on how to help parents, schools, and even the children
themselves on finding information on the matter of childhood obesity. There are concerns on
their well being and the problems they have to face when they go to school like getting harassed
by their fellow classmates. The future always is going to rely on the children so we all need to
help find a solution for childhood obesity because this cannot be ignored forever.
References:
Anonymous,.Childhood Obesity Underreported by Parents.(2012). Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance,82(1),3. Retrieved January 16, 2012, from ProQuest Family Health. (Document ID:2251162711).
Obesity; Study findings on obesity are outlined in reports from Clemson University.(2012,January). Health & Medicine Week,17. Retrieved January 16, 2012, from ProQuest Family Health. (Document ID:2230290321).
Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance ebrary Reader
Author: Koplan, Jeffrey P. Liverman, Catharyn T. Kraak, Vivica
Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence ebrary Reader
Author: Kiess, Wieland Marcus, Claude Wabitsch, Martin
Publisher: Karger Publishers
Child and Adolescent Obesity : Causes and Consequences, Prevention and Management ebrary Reader Burniat, Walter Lissau, Inge Cole, Tim J.
Childobesitycause.info/fast-food-obesity/fast-food-obesity-linked-betAuthor: (2009) Retrieved January 23, 2012 Nauta, C., Byrne, C., and Wesley, Y. (2009). School nurses and childhood obesity: an investigation of knowledge and practice among school nurses as they relate to childhood obesity. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 32, 16-30.
Schwartz, M. B., & Puhl, R. (2003). Childhood obesity: A societal problem to solve. Obesity
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Childhood obesity. Retrieved from
http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/
Gavin, M. (2009). Overweight and obesity. Retrieved from
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/overweight_obesity.html#
Lawrence, S., Hazlett, R., Hightower, P. (2010). Understanding and acting on the growing
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