The Childhood And Teen Obesity Epidemic

What does childhood obesity means? Obesity can be defined as a condition in which the body carries abnormal or unhealthy amounts of fat tissue, leading the individual to weigh in excess or 20 percent more than his or her ideal weight (Health & Illness).Obesity in America is an ever-growing problem and has boosted America to the number one spot in terms of obese population. It also stands as the most prevalent medical issue in American Children. In the past thirty years, obesity has affected many different age groups of kids. Preschool group, two to five years in age, and the youths between the ages of twelve and nineteen the obesity rate has more than doubled (Childhood Obesity Statistics and Facts 2v007). Childhood obesity has more than tripled in kid’s ages six to eleven years old. Children can become obese due to many different things like parents or schools. Although obesity may linger for a lifetime, there are many ways to overcome childhood obesity and not have to deal with the weight issue. Childhood obesity causes many problems and concerns in many American families, but families need to work together to overcome obesity. One out of three children in the United States falls into the overweight or obese category (Ding). Children face many different problems and issues at a young age because of obesity. Children obesity causes type 2 diabetes, fatty liver because of excessive weight issues, social problems, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders (Ludwig). Childhood

In America childhood obesity statistics show that almost 60 percent of children are obese. This statistic continues to grow at an alarming rate. 70 percent of obese adolescence become obese adults. This means when these children grow into adults they will have more health problems than they already do and their quality of life will decrease. The amount of children who are obese between ages 6-11 years old has risen from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 19.6 percent, in 2008. In adolescents ages 12-19 years old the obesity rates risen from 5.0 percent in 1960 to 18.1 percent in 2008. Last year the United States government stated that obesity and type 2 diabetes have become a national epidemic.

In order to fully understand why so many children are obese, you must first understand what it means to be obese. In order to be medically labeled as obese your BMI has to be over the 95 percentile for your height and gender, whereas normal BMI is between the 5th and 85th (Overweight and Obesity, 1). As sad as it is, childhood obesity is one of the most common issues pediatricians see today.

Definition of Childhood Obesity: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015), a child with a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 85th percentile and below the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex are considered overweight. If a child or teen has a BMI over the 95th percentile they are considered obese (CDC, 2015).

Childhood obesity has placed the health of an entire generation at risk. Obesity in America is a big problem that has been growing over the years. “An estimated 12.5 million children between the ages of 2 and 19 are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” (Loop 2015). As the number of children being affected keeps growing, parents or guardians do not change the habits that lead their children to become obese. “Among children today, obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously weren’t seen until adulthood” (American Heart Association, 2014). Not only is obesity causing health problems more than before, but it also causing a big problem in America. More and more children every year become obese and it keeps growing. Even though some people believe the lifestyle of a person is not to blame for the childhood obesity problem in America, the technology, the parenting style , and the media of the outside world are huge factors that contribute to childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is an epidemic that is sweeping through America. The key to understanding the threshold for the term obesity is to know the clinical definition. Obesity and overweight are two terms that are intermittently misused. Overweight is clinically defined as the excess body fat one has in terms to their height, muscle, bone, or in a combination of all factors (Childhood Obesity Facts). Obesity is simply the concept of having excess body fat (Childhood Obesity Facts). Adult obesity is the cause of multiple disease that are difficult to treat and most are fatal. Childhood obesity should be seen just as fatal, if not more, than adult obesity due to the higher risk children have to contracting

Childhood obesity in America is a growing disease that has become an epidemic problem that has lasting psychological effects, because of advertisement of fast food, lack of physical activities, and parental control; which has made food become a major health issue in many young teenager's lives today. Childhood obesity is something that most kids inherit from his or her own parent. When it comes to child obesity, there is a great deal of understanding of the causes and consequences of this kind of problem. There are important necessary steps to take in order to take preventative action.

To start of with what is Obesity? In the Merriam-Webster dictionary “obesity” is defined as “a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body.” In the article by Kathryn Faguy (2016) called “ Obesity in Children and Adolescents: Health Effects and Imagining Implications” it goes deeper in explaining how obesity is determine in youth. It explains that obesity for adolescents, and children are categorized by weight to determine and compares a child’s Body Mass Index known as “BMI” to other children who are the same age and sex. A child is considered to be “overweight” if the child’s BMI is in the range of the 85th and 94th

Child obesity can be defined, “as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.” (Childhood Obesity Foundation) Childhood obesity has always existed, but the percentage of those

Since 1980 the rates of child obesity have more than tripled which has caused a growing pandemic of childhood obesity in the United States. Out of all the young children and adolescents within the age group of two through nineteen about 12.7 million are obese. That is the equivalent of about 17% of America’s population that is suffering from childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is too prevalent in all American households. Childhood obesity is detrimental on a national scale, since it has been growing at a steady rate in the United States of children not reaching the daily-recommended physical activity, the absence of a balanced diet with overconsumption of eating, and more critically the increase of type 2 diabetes.

Why is there is a higher percentage of obesity in children than adults? Do school lunches lead to high childhood obesity? Why are three out every child in America suffering from obesity? These are the questions that come in mind when people talk about childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is defined as a sober medical disorder that affects youngsters at a young age and it arises when a child is exceeding his or her normal weight. The obesity in adolescents is increasing because of nonexistence of physical activity, school lunches offering high calorie food to students, food advertising promoting unhealthy food, and government providing additional money to school for school meal.

Individuals and groups in support of the government intervening in order to combat the epidemic of childhood obesity claim that, “parents who strive to keep their kids healthy may not have all the tools they need to do so” (“Childhood Obesity.” Issues & Controversies). Therefore supporters agree that the government “should step in and enable parents to do the best job they can” (“Childhood Obesity.” Issues & Controversies). Joe Thompson, “director of the Rober Wood Foundation Center to prevent Childhood Obesity” claims that not all parents are able to have full control on what their children eat as well as how much they exercise (“Childhood Obesity.” Issues & Controversies). He claims that some families do not live in neighborhoods where “fresh produce” are inexpensive and readily available (“Childhood Obesity.” Issues & Controversies). In addition, Thompson states that, along with the foods children eat, parents are also not in full control of how much physical activity their children are involved in (“Childhood Obesity.” Issues & Controversies). He asserts that, “you can’t say to a parent, ‘your child should exercise more’ if there’s no PE in school” (“Childhood Obesity.” Issues & Controversies). It is apparent that not all parents have the money as well as a strong influence in order to guide their children into forming a healthy lifestyle that involves clean eating and engaging in physical exercise. Because of a parent’s lack of time, money, and other resources to keep

Childhood obesity is a serious issue in the US, according to the CDC. There are many health risks that are associated with childhood obesity. The prevalence of childhood obesity has decreased in the past few years among preschool aged children. According to the CDC, the prevalence of obesity has been consistent at about 17% and affects about 13 million children and teenagers. The prevalence of childhood obesity has been consistently increasing since 1971 in developed countries, like the United States and Canada. Over the past twenty years the prevalence of overweight in children nearly doubled in the United States, and tripled in Canada. Researchers predict that the levels of obesity will continue rising until some type of action is taken. From data that they already found, it’s been predicted that in about twelve years the levels of obesity

Our nations people are facing an epidemic. This issue is sweeping America off of its feet and into a comfortable reclining chair, literally. This issue is known as childhood obesity. “Adolescent and School Health” (2015) reported that childhood obesity is shared in 17 percent of children and adolescence, ages 2-19 years old. That is estimated to over 12.7 million children in the United States. Sadly, childhood obesity is common in the U.S. and rates are only increasing. America’s children are being taught to live sicker and die younger. If childhood obesity is not prevented, the children of the future will not be promised a future.

Before we can talk about the causes of childhood obesity we must know what obesity is. Obesity is when a person has too much body fat for their height and weight. Too much body fat especially around the heart can cause life threatening effects if not reduce. Doctors check their patients to see if they are normal, overweight or obese by checking their BMI. This medical term stands for a person’s body mass index. Doctors have to divide a person’s weight in kilogram by their height in meters squared to indicate if their patients are obese or not. If the person’s BMI is equal to or greater than 30 than that’s a problem that must be solved to decrease high health risk. So why is this a problem, and how does childhood obesity start? One of the most important causes for obesity is food habits.