Introduction One of the most challenging community and public health issues facing the United States today is childhood obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the past thirty years overweight children in the US have more than double in children and tripled in adolescents (“Childhood obesity facts”, 2013). The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) announced similar concerns and reported nearly one third of children and adolescents are overweight, and committed to an $8 million dollar commitment aimed at reversing this epidemic by 2015. The Healthy People 2020 objectives have shown convincing science supporting a healthy and nutritional diet lifestyle. These objectives are focusing on the health risk
Vol. 35, Iss. 1; pg. 3 SEARCH- Obesity in America Roni Caryn Rabin. (2010) New York Times.
Many of the habits formed during this timeframe will last well into adulthood (Schwarz & Peterson, 2010). One out of every six adolescent is overweight and one out of every three is at risk. Since the 1980’s, the rate of overweight youth has steadily increased. Obesity rates vary by race/gender. For adolescents ages 12 to 19, non-Hispanic black girls and Mexican-American boys have the highest rates of obesity, 29.2 percent and 26.7 percent respectively.
Retrieve from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes/index.html South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. (2012). Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. Retrieved from http://www.scdhec.gov/health/chcdp/obesity/data.htm U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2009).
Based on the literature, I found that childhood obesity and low self-esteem are positively correlated. According to the Expert Committee Recommendations on childhood obesity (Expert Committee Recommendations, 2007) individuals from the ages of 2 to 18 years, with a BMI ≥95th percentile, but <95th percentile for age and sex, or BMI exceeding 30 (whichever is smaller), are considered obese. Childhood obesity is a growing problem. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that childhood obesity has more than tripled 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
(2010). Obesity in America. Retrieved on October 10, 2010, from downtoearth.org Obesity in America web site: http://www.downtoearth.org/health/nutrition/obesity-america Jain, A. (2010). Temptations In Cyberspace: New Battlefields In Childhood Obesity.
(2004). Medically Managed Weight-Loss: Obesity Action Coalition, 232. Retrieved November 11, 2011, from www.obesityaction.org National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey . (2010, August 9). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Childhood Obesity Kristy Unkel Walden University Childhood obesity is a serious chronic medical condition that affects millions of children in our country. It is a rapidly growing public health concern in the United States. As obese children grow into adulthood, their risk for health problems such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and hypertension also grows (“Overweight and obesity”, n.d.). Obesity is a difficult disease to manage since obese children are “predisposed to obesity for the rest of their lives” (“Overweight and obesity”, n.d.). According to the surgeon general, in the year 2000, “the total annual cost of obesity and complications in the United States was $117 billion and more than 300,000 Americans died from illnesses related to obesity” (“Overweight and obesity”, n.d.).
In 2002, obesity statistics show that twenty two percent U.S. preschoolers were overweight (“Child”). Sixteen percent of children in the United States aged 2-19 are considered overweight (“Childhood”). Most recent numbers show that 16 percent of children aged 6-11 are obese; these statistics have doubled since the early 80’s. According to Diane W.
According to the American Obesity Association (2002), obesity is a “complex, multi-factorial chronic disease involving environmental (social and cultural) and genetic, physiologic, metabolic, behavioral and psychological components.” AOA points out that approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, with 60 million being obese. Overweight is defined as a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 25 or more and obesity is 30 or more. Added to the health problems engendered by excess body weight is the social stigmatization faced by excessively overweight people, mainly young women and youngsters. A 2001 scientific study found “clear and consistent stigmatization, and in some cases discrimination….in three important areas of living: employment, education and healthcare” (Obese people suffer bias…). In addition, overweight and obese people are portrayed in a negative way in the media, including television and movies.