Childhood obesity is so important to tackle at an early age, because studies have shown that it leads to long term health risk such as diabetes, heart disease, and cardiovascular disease. Children are also affected by the social and psychological factors that come with them being overweight at a young age. Although some genetic predispositions have been linked to childhood obesity,
However, what cultural differences do exist hasn’t been explored sufficiently. There has been evidence found of cultural variations. For example, Anderson and Butcher (2006) found that there’s more obesity in children of low-income Afro-Caribbean groups. Whether this is due to lifestyle or genetic differences is unclear, so more research needs to be carried out. These explanations of obesity are convincing.
Web. 30 January 2012. <http://www.lifeinitiativesinc.org/lakota.html>. "Tradition." n.d. dictionary.com.
Thesis Statement: Obesity in America has reached epidemic proportions, although diet and exercise is important in weight management it is not the only cause to obesity. 1. What is Obesity A. Obesity is a health condition where a person has an abnormal amount of body fat compared to their height 1. Probability of becoming obese, a person with a body mass index of over 30 is classified as obese 2. Nutrition and eating habits a.
Also, a child who is obese is more likely to be obese during adulthood. Outside of serious health risks, an obese child is likely to battle with emotional issues like low self-esteem and depression (Santrock, 2012). One factor that contributes to the epidemic of childhood obesity is the child’s environment. A child’s environment greatly influences his eating habits and behaviors. One organization that influences a child’s eating patterns is his
As parents, there's nothing you can do to prevent obesity, since it's based on genetics. Absolutely false. Yes, there is a propensity for overweight parents to have overweight kids. But the shocking increase in obesity has little to do with genetics and is influenced mainly by the environment, including the home. Simply put, children are eating more calories than they are expending.
Obesity is a phenomenon that reached an epidemic level among children in developed countries. Many factors are behind that; and obesity, of course, has tremendous effects on children’s health as well as on their psychological state. Some of the consequences of obesity are used to be frequent among adults, but nowadays, children have it. In a journal article reporting a study done by Stephen R and Daniels, in addition that now children are having their parents’ diseases, the phenomenon is increasing in high frequency, and the types of diseases include high blood pressure, early symptoms of hardening of the arteries, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary disorder, and disordered breathing during sleep, another point made by Daniels and Stephen is that the obesity destroys the human body, but if it starts from the childhood, it actually accelerate its effects which in his turn causes the heart attack, or stroke, to start in childhood. Another point made by Daniels is that the effect of obesity doesn’t stop at this point, but it may go to the extent to reverse the stable increase in life expectancy which makes of obesity one of the most public concerns; thus efforts are being made to determine what causes obesity among children(Stephen, & Daniels, 2006, p 47-67).
Technology and Obesity Over the years, childhood obesity has become a widespread occurrence. According to the American Heart Association, about one in three American children is overweight. Not only does obesity result in excessive weight, but it also leads to the risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, physical inactivity, and high blood pressure. Many also suffer from depression and low self-confidence. Most families turn to technology to keep their children occupied without realizing that excessive consumption may harm their health.
The question at hand is how did this happen and what can be done about it? It is widely accepted that there are two major factors that controlling the rising numbers of obesity, they are genetics and environment. There are several health consequences that tie into the obesity epidemic. It can be said that if you are not genetically predisposed to obesity, excessive weight gain would not occur or could be easily lost. Researchers have said due to the rising numbers of people who are obese, there is also going to be a following epidemic of obese people who will be also diagnosed with type II diabetes, and it is very important that we can understand, the processes that lead to people becoming or staying obese.
In today's society, obesity, more specifically child obesity has become a growing epidemic for many years not only in the U.S but all around the world. The change in the environment is not the only cause of obesity, the change in genes is also a major contributor. Obesity has many causes, but the main cause is children not getting enough exercise and eating too much. The calories that are not burning up can results into excess fat, which is stored in our bodies causing obesity. Every child gains weight different mostly due to problems like poor eating, not enough exercise, family geneses, health issues, the environment, and psychological issues.