Childhood Obesity A Growing Problem - 1083 Words

A huge problem that we are facing in the world today is that of childhood obesity. It is a rising epidemic, not only in the United States but around the world. One study states: â€Å"OBESITY RATES HAVE INCREASED STEEPLY IN RECENT DECADES, with two-thirds of American adults and one-third of American children (aged 2 to 19) currently overweight or obese. Obese children are more likely to become obese adults, and obesity is associated with a host of chronic diseases, including Type-2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, whose health effects are cumulative over time† (WOLFSON, J. A., GOLLUST, S. E., NIEDERDEPPE, J. and BARRY, C. L. (2015), The Role of Parents in Public Views of Strategies to Address Childhood Obesity in the United States. Milbank Quarterly) Being overweight can impair school performance in many ways, including health-related absenteeism. Among the medical conditions linked with overweight in school-aged children are asthma, joint problems, type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety, and sleep apnea. Social problems--such as being teased or bullied--loneliness, or low self-esteem can also affect how well children do in school. Although the evidence that child obesity affects school performance is limited, nutrition clearly affects academic performance. Poor nutritional status and hunger interfere with cognitive function and are associated with lower academic achievement. Iron deficiency is linked to shortened attention span, irritability, fatigue, andShow MoreRelatedChildhood Obesity. Childhood Obesity Is A Growing Problem1085 Words   |  5 PagesChildhood Obesity Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States. Childhood obesity is defined as a child being at or above the 95th percentile for the child’s age and sex (Dietz, 1998). According to the Center of Disease Control â€Å"Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012† (CDC, 2017). There areRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Problem1594 Words   |  7 PagesChildhood Obesity: A Growing Problem According to the African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development â€Å"Twenty-five percent of children in the US are overweight and 11% are obese† ( Dehgan 1) . The Center of disease Control and Prevention defines overweight as having a body mass index, or BMI, of 30. BMI can be found by dividing an individual’s weight by their height. Childhood obesity is present in children from ages ranging 6-18. The amount of excess body fat can lead to many â€Å"heathRead MoreChildhood Obesity: A Growing Problem795 Words   |  3 PagesChildhood obesity is a growing problem that needs to be resolved. Many people may say it is the Child’s fault, he is weak willed. This is just a common misconception; there are hundreds of different reasons for childhood obesity. I will just be scratching the surface of this paper. By the same token childhood obesity is a growing problem that needs to be resolved. We can achieve this by understanding some common misconcepti ons, understanding health problems, and understanding fitness. ThereforeRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Problem1177 Words   |  5 Pagesquote from Richard Carmona says, â€Å"If the childhood obesity epidemic remains unchecked, it will condemn many of our kids to shorter lives, as well as the emotional and financial burdens of poor health† (â€Å"Richard†). Carmona is right in many ways. More than ever, childhood obesity is a huge problem in America today. This disease is causes health problems, emotional problems, weakness, and fatigue. Childhood obesity in America has become a widespread problem and will continue to worsen unless we enforceRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Problem Essay1417 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood obesity is becoming an increasingly severe problem in today’s society. This portfolio aims to explain different causations of childhood obesity, and evaluate the interventions that have been put in place to combat the issue. 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. ForRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Problem Essay1047 Words   |  5 Pagesinformation on Childhood Obesity. I intend to first plainly explain a clear definition of what Childhood Obesity is. Next I plan on explaining some possible reasons why children develop obesity. I also want to give clear consequences and life struggles that may be associated with a child who is obese. I also want to discuss long term effects of this disease on the individual as well as society. Finally, I would like to discuss some possible treatments associated with curing obesity in children asRead MoreChildhood Obesity: A Growing Problem966 Words   |  4 PagesChildhood Obesity: A Growing Problem Did you know the parentage of overweight children and adolescents in the United States has nearly tripled since the early 1970s? Childhood obesity is a rising social problem in the United States and affects many Americans. There are many reasons why childhood obesity is a problem in our society which leads to long term consequences. A few of the consequences include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, and social discrimination. All of theseRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Problem1816 Words   |  8 Pages Childhood obesity is a rapidly growing problem around the world, especially in North America today. The rates at which children and adolescents have become overweight have increased dramatically since the 1970’s leading to a call for action to try and reverse this growing trend (Birch Ventura, 2009). This topic must be addressed as today childhood obesity affects approximately one in every five children and adolescents across the United States. This issue is important to discuss because beingRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Problem1378 Words   |  6 PagesDid you know that obesity has become such a ‘growing’ quandary that for the first time ever today’s children are expected to have a life expectancy that is shorter than their parents (Gance-Cleveland, Gilbert, Kopanos, Gilbert, 2009, p. 72)? Obesity in children and adolescents has become a worldwide epidemic, increasing every year. In fact, childhood obesity in the United States (US) has increased to 17%, which has nearly tripled the prevalence of obesity in the last three decades (Center forRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Problem2416 Words   |  10 Pages Why is childhood obesity on the rise in America? Student name Instructor name Course name Date Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States. More and more young people are living with video games, televisions, and computers so are living their lives in a mostly sitting position. Few children are able to spend the hours between school and dark playing outside as they used to do and even less would choose to. Most children are trapped within the walls of their homes while their