The Epidemic Of Childhood Obesity In America
Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that is affecting children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height and can result in serious medical conditions. The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased significantly over the past ten years. Childhood diabetes has been on the rise since the early 90’s and continues to rise. In the article, “Don’t Blame the Eater” David Zinczenko, shows that “ Before 1994… only about 5 percent of childhood cases were obesity-related, or Type 2, diabetes. Today...Type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 30 percent of new childhood cases of diabetes in this country” (463). Type 2
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They end up comprising a salad that is greater in caloric intake than a Big Mac considering all of the toppings and dressing that is used. In the article, “Don’t Blame the Eater”, David Zinczenko writes “For example, one company’s Web site list it 's chicken salad as containing 150 calories; the almonds and noodles the come with it (an additional 190 calories) are listed separately” (464). This is a great example of misleading labels and information in which the government has to enforce stricter laws. This is why it is crucial that the government has to proceed with regulations in regards to calories and serving size offered in restaurants.
It is essential for the government to continue to regulate the food in our school systems. In the article, “The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food,” Michael Moss shows how the food industry is targeting children in school systems. “A potato chip that tastes great and qualifies for the Clinton-A. H. A. alliance for school...We think we have ways to do all of this on a potato chip, and imagine getting that product into schools, where children can have this product and grow up with it and feel good about eating it” (Moss 488-489). This is a prime example of how the food industry is circumventing regulations already in effect. The children of the United States of America are being zeroed in on by companies finding a loophole, instead of protecting the children, by using
A. The child obesity epidemic remains a major public concern in the United States and other countries.
Obesity rates in the United States have been increasing ever since the fifties. The 1950s is widely known as the time period when unhealthy habits, harmful methods of shedding pounds, and obesity became commonplace. Childhood Obesity, an article concerned with the rising issue, states that according to the American Medical Association, in 2009 there were 12.5 million obese children in the United States. Obesity rates in children are of particular concern, and an understanding of the factors impacting this phenomenon is important if there is to be any hope of reversing the trend. Because obesity in American children is becoming normal, guardians should attempt to deliver healthy children and regulate children’s diets and activities in a stricter manner.
Childhood obesity is not just a hefty problem this country is facing, it’s an epidemic. This occurs when the child is overweight in comparison to their age and height. There are many causes which leads to this wide-range issue, factors such as eating patterns, outdoor activities, and psychological factors can lead to childhood obesity.
The rise of childhood obesity in America [1] has affected over 12 million children. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, one of the many risk factors in obesity is ethnicity, with Hispanics having the second highest prevalence rates. Another factor is low socioeconomic status [2]. The prevention of diabetes, even in childhood, can be promoted when the mother is pregnant. Health promotion and education, by programs such Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children has improved anthropometrics results. The program recorded that weight-for-length measurements in infants (3-23 months) decreased from 14.5% to 12.3% from 2010 - 2014.
When I was kid, I had some run-ins at school with bullies. It was hard at the time, and I went home each evening for some time, griping to my mother about it. Fortunate for me, it didn't keep going long, and I didn't grow up at once where children could be tormented in such a large number of various ways at school, on Facebook or through other online networking outlets.
With the recently documented increases in prevalence’s dating as late back as to 1980, pediatric obesity now represents one of the most pressing nutritional problems facing children in the United States today. International population studies report comparable rates of increase, so that if current trends remain unchecked, childhood obesity is likely to challenge worldwide public health. Substantial consequences to physical and mental health, both short and long term, must be anticipated.
The way we eat has changed in the last fifty years with the advent of science and technology. Not only is food being chemically engineered but also the wrong foods are opted for because of their convenience, their marked down prices and their addictive nature. For that matter, the commencement of the 21st century brought our attention to the childhood obesity epidemic. Although a widespread issue, it is also a discriminative one in the sense that specific groups--African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians -- are disproportionately affected.
Have you ever wondered what are the major causes of obesity? The CDC (2017) states that one out of every five children in the U.S. are overweight or obese, and this number is continuing to rise. Wilson (2016) states that many children who are obese develop health complications, such as joint, gallbladder, and sleeping problems. The majority of children who are obese as kids tend to be obese as adults. Reason being, many children develop bad eating habits by learning from their surroundings. When it comes to such an important topic as obesity there 's not only one cause, but several causes of why obesity is such a huge problem in America. Childhood obesity has greatly increased over the years and there are three main causes that have caused
Obesity is not a disease. It is a condition where our body stores excessive fat and affects our health or well-being. Childhood obesity is becoming a threat to society because of its prevalence. Obesity reduces life expectancy. Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the United States. The number of obese children has increased and doubled within two decades. (National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, 2+.) The childhood obesity epidemic requires more prevention focused on the first five years of a child’s life because it is the period where rapid growth and developmental changes occur.
The United States has seen childhood obesity rates double in children and increase four times in adolescents since the 1980’s.1 The Center for Disease Control reports that in 2012, over one third of children and adolescents were considered obese or overweight.1 There is an urgent need to address the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, as obesity has been shown to have deteriorating immediate health effects and increase the risk of chronic disease such as diabetes, osteoarthritis and cancer in adulthood.1 Although there are many influential factors in a child’s weight, nutrition is one of the main ones to consider, as a complete and balanced diet also promotes healthy growth and development.2 Research indicates that school encompasses a significant portion of a child’s time, cognitive, physical and social development, and as such, has the responsibility to promote a healthy lifestyle for children.3 Because of the nationwide concern surrounding childhood obesity, recent federal wellness policy for public schools mandate that nutrition education, physical activity and other wellness promoting programs must be part of the school environment.4 The purpose of this review of literature is to evaluate if school nutrition is one of the major contributors to childhood obesity and how policy changes have affected the problem.
As the old saying goes, “You are what you eat”. Initially, some people would say that there is someone to blame for childhood obesity, the parents. Children are becoming obese because of poor health choices and ineffective parenting. According to David Rogers, public health spokesperson for the Local Government Association, "parents who allow their children to eat too much could be as guilty of neglect as those who did not feed their children at all”. However, others will argue that childhood obesity is caused by genetic and hormonal factors. Some children who come from overweight families may be genetically obese, or is this an excuse? In extreme cases, the parents of a morbidly obese child should lose temporary custody of their
Up until the late 1990s, seeing an obese child was extremely abnormal because children’s main form of entertainment was playing outside. An important factor contributing to the increased rate of childhood obesity is that the foremost form of amusement has shifted from outdoor activities to vast outlets of easily accessible technology. Children are also being served a variety of unhealthy meals from fast food restaurants, such as McDonald’s or Taco Bell. Unfortunately, most parents do not know the underlying truth about what they are feeding their children and often choose the cheapest route for feeding their families. Research indicates that the corpulence of today’s youth is becoming severely problematic, and drastic steps are being taken to solve the obesity concern in adolescents.
The problem of childhood obesity has been increasing for the past 30 years, many children do not eat family home made meals anymore, like it used to be decades ago, in this new generation children do not have the support they need or the motivation to believe that they can be on shape. According to the Alliance for healthier Generation. Nearly 1 in 3 children (ages 2-19) in the United States is overweight or obese, putting them at risk for serious health problems. This is a big issue that needs our critical attention. Consequently, the increasing epidemic of childhood obesity has been on the rise, some contributing factors are the lack of physical activity, the technology and marketing unhealthy foods. Our children are the heart of this wonderful planet.
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and other developed economies. Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents in the U.S. has increased at an alarming rate, from 5-7% to 18-20% by 2008 (CDC, 2012). In addition, a full one third of all children in the U.S. are now overweight.
In recent decades childhood obesity has become a global epidemic. Globally it is estimated that around 40-50 million children are obese. In the United States the amount of school-age children who are considered obese has risen from 6% in 1973 to 31% in 2009 (3). In children, obesity is defined as a child’s height and weight being at or over the 95th percentile (1). Childhood obesity can lead to a large amount of adverse consequences, including: low self-esteem, asthma, cancer, premature mortality, and type 2 diabetes (3). Once thought to be a disease that only affected adults who were overweight or obese a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes has become increasingly common in school-age children (3). In the past, school-age children