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Childhood Obesity

Growing Childhood Obesity Epidemic

In 1999, in the United States, thirteen percent of children ages 6 to 11 and fourteen percent of adolescents ages 12 to 19 were overweight, or obese. This had nearly tripled in the last two decades. Obesity is defined simply as an excessive accumulation of body fat. Unfortunately childhood obesity has become one the greatest health challenges facing us today.
Although once rare, obesity is now among the most widespread medical problems affecting children and adolescents living in the United States. Obesity increases the child’s risk for numerous health problems and can lead to both emotional and social problems as well. Overweight children and adolescents have a seventy percent chance of becoming adult, further increasing their risk of serious problems such as heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, and even some forms of cancer. Childhood obesity has become an epidemic stemming from several causes such as genetics, physical activity level, and dietary habits; however, there are solutions available ensuring this does not have to be a long-term lifestyle.
Genetics alone does not cause obesity however studies show that it is does run in families. Heredity can influence regional fat distribution and the body’s response to overeating, such a fat storage. An adolescent’s chance of becoming an obese adult jumps to eighty percent when one or more parent is also obese. Infants born to overweight mothers have been found to be less active and gain more weight by age 3 months compared with infants born to normal weight mothers, suggesting an inborn drive to conserve energy (Roberts, Savage, Coward, Chew, & Lucas, 1988). Children learn by example and often times parents are not aware of the negative behaviors they model to their children. Less than one-half of children have a parent who engages in regular physical exercise.
Obesity occurs when a child takes in more calories than he or she uses and therefore...