Childhood Obesity in the US

In 2015, 15% of children between the ages of 2 to 15, in Scotland, were at risk of obesity, in relation to their Body Mass Index (Scottish Health Survey, 2015). For children, the BMI ranges changes as they grow and get older, as well as being dependent on gender. For example, if a 12 year old boy and a 9 year old boy have the same BMI, and the 12 year old is classed as healthy, it doesn’t mean that subsequently the 9 year old is healthy too. It can, in fact, allude that the younger boy is overweight. Obesity in childhood can lead to a plethora of health issues in later life, and the children are more likely to be obese or overweight in adulthood. The World Health Organisation identified some of the future health outcomes of being obese in childhood. These include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, such as osteoarthritis, and in the worst case; death. WHO has estimated that, globally, over two million people die annually from health problems associated with being obese or overweight (WHO, 2016). There are several contributing factors to a child’s weight, including; parental weight and activity level, geographical location and deprivation.

Obesity is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Obesity often begin in childhood and is linked to many psychological problems such as asthma, diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors in childhood. Childhood obesity is related to increased mortality and morbidity in adulthood as many obese children grow up to become obese adults (Johnson, 2016). In the last 30 years, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents. In the United States, the percentage of children aged six to eleven years who were obese seven percent in 1980 has increased to eighteen percent in 2012. In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height, whereas obesity is having excess body fat. Childhood obesity can lead both immediate and long term effects on health and well-being. Obese children are likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. A population based sample of five to seventeen year old shows 70% obese children have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Obese children and adolescents are at risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as poor self-esteem and stigmatization. Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, stroke, type 2

Obesity in America is literally a growing problem, affecting every age group. Children are the most venerable group because they have no control over where they have dinner or how often they have fast food. Parents and guardians make decisions about food and are responsible for the health of children. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in the last twenty years. This is concerning because Type Two diabetes is a horrible, crippling disease that is affecting children and teens dramatically whereas the disease was primarily seen in adults. Children are said to have a shorter life span than their parents for the first time ever. In the United States sixty-six percent of adults are overweight and one in

Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the United States in the past three decades. In 2012, roughly 17% or 12.5 million children and adolescents are overweight or obese” (“Childhood Obesity Facts,” 2014). According to the Centers of Disease Control and

Cookie Monster sang about cookies and sweets for over 30 years and some say that was a

Obesity has been a problem for many Americans. People miss out on most of life because of obesity. They can’t move, they can hardly breathe, and some people even die early because of obesity. Obesity in adults is difficult enough. But, what could be worse than adult obesity? Well, childhood obesity definitely earns the top spot.

Childhood obesity has become a prevalent disease in America. The Center for Disease Control says that obesity in children aged 6-19 has more than tripled since 1970. Obesity is a gateway disease; a disease that leads to many other diseases, type 2 diabetes and heart disease are just a couple of examples. The problem is children in America are not learning how to live healthy balanced lifestyles. The goal at One Step at a Time is to change how fitness and health are viewed today. One Step at a Time teaches children new and creative ways to possess healthier and happier lives. One Step developed a program to help these children because they are the future of America, they deserve to be aware of how to make healthier choices, and they deserve

instrument of the advancement of obesity is not fully recognized and it is understood to be a

In the recent years, the issue of childhood obesity has gained major attention in the United States especially in the 21st century. The percentage of obesity has raised tremendously within the last decade. In a recent news article, American Obesity Rates Are on the Rise, Maggie Fox states “about 28 percent of the people in America admits that they are obese.” The United States has become the country with the highest rate of obesity in the world. Besides adults who are obese, obesity is also a common issue to children and teenagers. Childhood is an important period when parents help their child avoid being obese. Eating habits during childhood can have an impact on a person as they age. Children in the U.S who are obese, will most likely develop a higher risk of having medical issue. According to the website, letsmove.gov, children who are obese, could cause to wide range of health issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, high glucose levels, and more. Also, children who are obese at a young age, are likely to remain obese in adulthood. The establishment of the bill, H.R. 2627 Salad Bars in Schools Expansion Act, could reduce the percentage of obese children by providing salad bars during lunch times. This exposure to healthy eating habits can help children to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to avoid future health issues.

In February, 2010 “President Obama established a Task Force on Childhood Obesity clearly stating his goal to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation” (Eschmeyer). Therefore, he launched the Let’s Move campaign where Michelle Obama was the leading spokesperson for. Furthermore, she played an important role in helping to improve the food nutrition policy. As nearly everyone knows the issue of childhood obesity has been on the rise in the United States. In fact, children ages 6-19 have a one out of five chance of being obese as a result, putting our children at risk of having health issues and various other problems to have to deal with in life including, being bullied. Hence, the launch of the campaign that would in later

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

Obesity has been a major health issue in the community for the past three decades, and has recently become a spreading concern for children (Black & Hager, 2013). Childhood obesity leads to many health and financial burdens in the future, and has become a public health priority. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016), childhood obesity has doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Black and Hager (2013) state that pediatric obesity is a major public health problem that effects a child’s mental and physical health. Having childhood obesity also increases the risk of developing adult obesity and many other chronic illnesses. Childhood obesity will be further explored in the following sections and will include: background, current surveillance methods, epidemiology analysis, screening and diagnosis, and the plan of action.

Childhood obesity is of concern because obese children are more likely to keep excess weight in adulthood increasing their risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular diseases (Currie et al., 2012). Currently, cases of children and adolescents with insulin resistance, diabetes, dyslipidemia or hypertension, obesity-related conditions have been reported (Pires et al, 2014; Sorof and Daniels, 2002).

Childhood obesity rates have steadily increased over recent years despite numerous national initiatives to combat this. The obesity rate is verified by a study of obesity rates from 1994 to 2014 that summarizes, “17.6% of children meet criteria for class I obesity … There is no evidence of a decline in obesity prevalence … despite substantial clinical and policy efforts targeting the issue” (Skinner, Perrin, and Skelton). The rise in obesity rates is accompanied by many life-changing and threatening illnesses, like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. This increase in obesity rates has many causes.

Although many people may think that chubby children are cute, obesity is not a funny topic. An estimated 17 percent of children, ranging from ages 2 to 19, are obese in America (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p. 528). Of course, there is a difference between overweight children and those who are obese. Based off BMI data, “children and adolescents are categorized as overweight above the 85th percentile and as obese at the 95th percentile and above” (Whitney & Rolfes, 2016, p. 529). Nevertheless, obesity, in general, may cause health issues in an individual, especially children, so parents must take the necessary steps to prevent obesity.