It is considered a chronic disease that health care providers should monitor with frequent visits. The problem of overweight and obesity results from an excessive accumulation of fat that exceeds the body’s skeletal and physical standards. A person gains weight when the number of fat cells in the body increases. These fat cells first increase in size and then increase in numbers. An average size person has about 30-35 billion fat cells.
Problem/Issue Statement Over the past 30 years childhood obesity rate has tripled in the United States. Today nearly one out of every three children is obese or overweight. Many of these children will grow up to be obese adults that will suffer from high blood pressure, cancer, asthma, and other health related
There is not one part of the world left untouched by the epidemic of obesity. Though it was once just a problem in wealthy nations, obesity now affects countries from all economic levels. This new epidemic brings with it poor health and low productivity. Since 1980, the worldwide rate of obesity has almost doubled with 200 million men and 300 million women being obese (Popkin, 2011). The obesity rate in children has been on the rise as well.
Obesity is one of the major challenges faced by today’s society. Over the last decade, the percentage of obese and overweight people has increased significantly in all age groups. The growth in obesity rate in children is a matter of grave concern. This paper examines different factors that contribute to the obesity problem, including poor eating habits, lack of exercise, aggressive marketing tactics by junk food manufactures, lack of public awareness, and unhealthy lifestyle. The paper argues that obesity problem has reached epidemic proportions and it should be treated as a long-term threat to the nation’s health and economic stability.
Also, there has been an increase in body fat levels in children and youth over the past 20 years. After infancy and early childhood, the earlier the onset of obesity, the greater the likelihood of remaining obese. Excess body fat has been linked to such health problems as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis and certain forms of cancer. Some evidence now exists showing that obesity has a negative effect on both health and longevity. Exercise is associated with the loss of body fat in both obese and normal weight persons.
It’s sad to say that Obesity now affects 17% (12.5 million) of all children and adolescents in the United States. “In 2007-2008 the results from NHANES, using measured heights and weights, indicate that an estimated 16.9% of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese. This is triple the rate from just one generation ago”. (Ogden 2010) Parents shape their children’s dietary practices, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and ultimately their weight status in many ways. (Lindsay
He is not alone in his struggle with weight. A major public health issue in America is the high rate of obesity. Obesity is not just a personal trouble. Around 1/3 of American adults are overweight (Adult Obesity Facts). With that high percentage, obesity is a public issue.
Jessica Brown English 101 Childhood Obesity In America Obesity is one of the serious medical conditions which is difficult to treat. Up to one out of every five children and teens in the U. S. are obese, and this number is continuing to grow. Over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years. (Jeff Barnes) Childhood obesity has dramatically increased. The United States needs to take concrete steps to reduce obesity in children.
Childhood obesity is becoming a serious issue in American children today. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that African American and Mexican American adolescents ages 12-19 were more likely to be overweight, at 21 percent and 23 percent respectively, than non-Hispanic White adolescents (14 percent). In children 6-11 years old, 22 percent of Mexican American children were overweight, whereas 20 percent of African American children and 14 percent of non-Hispanic White children were overweight. What is childhood obesity specifically? Well according to the staff from Mayo Clinic childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents.
Proper nutrition starts at home and parents need to learn how they can improve the quality of their children’s nutrition and instill the good habits that will ensure they have the greatest chance for a healthy, successful future. We all want our children to grow up happy and healthy, but we also have busy life-styles and find it all too easy to hit the drive-through before soccer practice or toast a pop-tart to eat on the way to school. We know our kids have access to school lunch, but we can’t always rely on that to be as healthy as we’d like it to be, and we really can’t guarantee that they will eat it. There are so many ads for junk food and fast food and sugary, chemical laden sodas out there, it can be hard to keep kids eating healthy. Children’s bodies are still growing and their brains are still developing, so it is critical that we make sure they are getting the nutrition that they need and develop healthy habits now.