Childhood obesity research paper Essay

integrity out of every five boorren in the U.S. is sullen or round ( corpulency in Children), and as the number rises the signifi skunkce of the problem grows. corpulency is a widespread epizootic that is taking a toll non only on the US, but also different parts of the world. in that location be many a(prenominal) causes for fleshiness in young children that stem from genetics, curt diet, and lack of carnal operation. corpulency in children not only puts them at many put on the lines for disease during their early ages, but also puts them at put on the line for problems later in feel. These risks for disease hatful be prevented done the feature efforts of p bents, doctors, government, condition systems, and the children themselves. People argon starting to take action against childishness corpulency in numerous slipway so that they notify plaster cast the lives of children and big(p)s by encouraging better lifestyles now and in the future. puerility o besitys various causes and effects be increasing at epidemic proportions however, through different ways of prevention childhood obesity can make a turn for the better in the future.Obesity can be defined as an excessively extravagantly amount of consistency fat in relation to lean body mass ( childishness Obesity The personal effects). Obesity is the result of a caloric unbalance which is when too few calories are expended for the amount of calories consumed ( childishness Obesity Facts). A child is not grave until his or her incubus is at least ten percentage higher than what is recommended for his or her height and body compositors case (Obesity in Children And Teens). People that become obese at a young age are at a high risk of fitting overweight in their maturity. If one parent is obese, there is a 50 percent chance that the child will be, and if both parents are obese than the child has an 80 percent chance (Childhood Obesity The Effects).Obesity generally starts b etween the ages of 5 and 6, or during adolescence. Studies raise that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of bonny obese when he or she enters adulthood (Obesity in Children And Teens). One of the close to important ways to conclude whether someone is obese or not is based on BMI or Body Mass Index. BMI uses a mathematical formula, in which a soulfulnesss weight in pounds is divided by the square of the individuals height in inches and this result is thenmultiplied by 703. Then, the BMI-for-age and gender specific is put on a growth graph and the persons condition is determined. BMI over the 95th percentile is considered overweight or obese (Childhood Obesity The Effects).As much(prenominal) than than and more children join the BMI percentile considered obese, the statistics increase. Thirty percent of adults who are categorize as obese got this way from problems in childhood. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. The voice of children aged 6 to 11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7 percent in 1980 to nearly 18 percent in 2012. In the same time period, obese adolescents aged 12 to 19 years declare increased from 5 percent to 21 percent (Childhood Obesity Facts). In 2005 a study showed that 12.5 zillion U.S. children and adolescents are considered obese, and with this number the average lifespan of all children could be follow down by up to five years (Manning). Although obesity is one of the easiest medical exami rural area examination conditions to detect, it is one of the most difficult conditions to treat as obesity verse grow to epidemic proportions. there is no single factor or way that causes obesity. Two of the most common factors that can be cogitate with the cause of obesity are genetic factors and lack of physical bodily function (Obesity in Children). Genetic factors affect obese children when the ch ilds parents are obese or there is history of obesity in their family. However, genetics are not the only cause of obesity, and other factors moldiness take place (Causes). Lack of physical activity is becoming a more common factor as children are spending more time inside, and less time outside, or universeness active. Since technology is becoming a huge part of modern childrens lives, activities such as watching television, gaming, texting, and compete on the computer, all of which require very low energy, replace the physical activities which the children should be taking part in. Also, when children watch television, they oft see commercials for un level-headed high-calorie snacks, and thus crave these foods. Another source for obesity is medical conditions, and although it is rare, it does sometimes occur. Hormone disorders or low thyroid function, and indisputable medications, can cause a childs appetite to increase,which in time can increase their risk for obesity (Cau ses). Also, if a child has a medical illness such as neurological problems, they can become obese (Obesity in Children And Teens).Un powerful eating habits are a prominent cause of obesity in children. When children are at young ages, their parents will tell them to finish everything on their plate, which forces the children to ignore their fullness. When this behavior is repeated over many years, it becomes a habit, and can cause a person to eat whether they are hungry or full, and the habit is a lottimes very hard to break. Also, when parents have less time to intention and contrive healthy meals, their child usually ends up eating more polished and fast foods that are less healthy than home-cooked meals. If a childs parents or siblings are overweight and have poor diet and wield habits, the child is most possible to adopt these same habits (Causes). When stressful life events or changes, such as divorce, moves or deaths occur in a childs life, they often seek food for comf ort (Obesity in Children And Teens).As well as in the home and family, school and community resources also influence a childs habits regarding diet. trade machines and convenience stores rarely sell healthy foods, however they make it slack to grab a quick snack that is usually high in calories or fat. Restaurants reinforce the unhealthy habit by advertising high-calorie foods and macroscopic portion sizes. Schools have an important role in teaching students astir(predicate) healthy food choices and exercise, however not all schools offer these healthy choices or time for physical activity (Causes).These causes, which lead to obesity, have many immediate and long-term effects. Some of the immediate effects include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, prediabetes, bone and joint problems, and skin conditions such as fungal infections and acne (Obesity in Children). Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults, which puts them at greater risk for adult health problems. A few of these long-term effects include sum total disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer, and osteoathritis (Child Obesity Facts). However, some diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, which are thought of to be long-term effects, have increased dramatically in overweight children and adolescents (Childhood Obesity The Effects).Childhood and adolescent obesity also has many mental health effects, and is associated with increased risk of emotional problems. The most immediate consequence of being overweight is social discrimination and low-self-esteem. In 2003 a study asked 106 children between the ages of 5 and 18 to rate their quality of life based on things like their ability to walk more than one block, play sports, short sleep well, get along with others, and keep up in school. The study showed that obese children would often rate themselves with scores as low as those of a young cancer patient on chemotherapy. The results showed that teasing at school, difficu lties playing sports, fatigue, sleep apnea and other problems severely affected the childrens well-being (Childhood Obesity The Effects). Low-self-esteem leads to many cases of depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder run aground in obese children (Obesity in Children And Teens).Although obesity greatly affects a persons well being, there are many ways to prevent obesity from becoming worse and to help obese children get on the right path for adulthood. Children and adolescents dietary and physical behaviors are influenced by many parts of society, including families, communities, schools, child care settings, medical care providers, faith-based institutions, government agencies, the media, and the food, beverage, and entertainment industries (Childhood Obesity Facts). One of the most successful ways to help an obese child is through his or her family, by providing support and helping to make lifestyle changes. Family members can plan activities such as walking, bikin g, or swimming, and can reduce the amount of inactive activities (Obesity in Children).Parents can lower the amount of fatty and sweetened foods the child is eating, and can emphasize healthy eating by having fruits, vegetables and low-fat snacks acquirable (Childhood Obesity The Effects). Schools also play a pivotal role in establishing a supportive environment, by providing the children with opportunities to learn close to and practice a healthy eating and physical lifestyle (Childhood Obesity Facts). Children can also attend support groups, which are facilitatory because the others around them are dealing with the same issue. When a child or adolescent also has emotional problems, apsychiatrist can spring with the familys physician to develop a treatment plan, that would include weight loss goals, dietary and physical activity management, behavior modification, and family involvement. Obesity often becomes a lifelong issue, so by learning at a younger age to eat and enjoy healthy foods in ascertain amounts and to exercise regularly can prevent the child from ever becoming obese (Obesity in Children And Teens).As the importance of prevention spreads, more and more communities nationwide are taking steps to fight against childhood obesity. Many fannys have been started, such as the Robert Johnson Wood Foundation, which declared a goal of reversing childhood obesity by 2015 and has put millions of dollars into the effort. The Wood existence partnered with the YMCA of the USA to bring together activists, government officials, school administrators and parents, the medical community, and other leaders to broadcast a possible attack on the problem. The foundation funded efforts in 6 states and 32 communities. They have created policy changes in communities, such as purchase of healthier food and serving it in schools, the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables at corner stores, and increasing physical activity in school and after school programs an d in the community through better transportation systems such as bicycle and walking trails (Communities). Foundations are attempting to make the purpose of physical activity and following a healthy diet a use of the opportunities children have to be active and healthy, quite a than being a chore (Obesity in Children).Obesity is an current epidemic that is affecting a bounteous number of children every day. There are lots of causes for obesity in youth that can describe them to disease and other problems during their early childhood and adolescence, as well as later in life. However, these immediate and long-term effects are being noticed and are starting to be prevented. People across the nation are becoming involved in foundations that are trying to obturate childhood obesity and take steps toward healthier lifestyles for children. Although childhood obesity has a profuse count of causes and effects, and the statistics show an intimidating growth in numbers, prevention of chil dhood obesity can make for a healthier society and adecrease in the amount of people who are impacted by this malady.