Maintaining one’s health starts from a young age. That being said, what one puts in their body and how they treat their body is important. Childhood obesity is a serious problem that is slowly on the rise. Obesity is when one’s weight is above the normal amount for their age and height (Mayo Clinic, 2018).
Childhood Obesity: Mayo Clinic Radio (2017). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMaWEmpNXTI (Links to an external site.)
Numbers and Costs
Obesity affects 13.7 children and adolescents between 2-19 (CDC, 2019) all over the world. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, just within the United States, there are 4.8 million children between the ages of 10 to 17 that have obesity (State of Childhood Obesity, 2019). That number of obese children directly correlates with the class (upper, middle, or lower) that they live in. In most cases, the lower the class, the higher the chance of obesity. Some people may not have access to healthier food because it is more expensive. Therefore, they opt out to purchase cheaper food that may not be the healthiest choice. The cheaper food is filled with chemicals, GMOs, and can be low in nutrition and high in calories. From another perspective, the percentage of obesity decreases when there is an increased level of education per household (CDC,2019). Because children don’t typically buy the food, it’s important that parents and caregivers are educated in nutrition and purchase food based off of what feeds the children’s body in a healthy way rather than the cheapest option.
From the financial perspective, over a lifetime, childhood obesity costs $19,000.00 per child in comparison to lifetime medical costs to a normal weight child (Global Health, 2014). The main reason for this is related to medical treatment for children that are obese and have other diseases or medical problems because of it. On the country’s scale, in the US, childhood obesity alone is estimated to cost $14 billion annually (State of Childhood Obesity, 2019)
Factors and Causes
Childhood obesity can affect both girls and boys. Dietary factors have been studied and are linked directly as to one of the main causes of obesity. A few examples are sugary beverages, snack foods, and portion sizes. When even looking at fast food place, they always offer a larger size or more or a larger portion of a condiment for example. Most restaurants do not serve portion size but rather double or triple the right size.
Another factor that contributes to childhood obesity is the activity of the child (NCBI, 2015). According to Kids Health, children must get an average 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily (Gavin, 2018). Many kids don’t get this type of activity because they live a sedentary lifestyle. This has been a more prominent issue as time has passed, as technology has developed. They spend hours in front a screen whether it be a TV, smartphone, tablet and they look at a variety of media outlets.
Lastly, genetics may also come into play with childhood obesity. This can be how well the child’s, parent’s, body processes food. From the parents also come eating habits which can be passed down to the children. Typically, a family eats similarly.
The Risk of Being Obese
Obesity has long term effects. One increasing concern is the high risk of cardiovascular diseases like high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Obesity can also result in diabetes, bone and joint problems, shortness of breath, restless sleep, and it can make asthma symptoms worse. Another side of problems may be emotional issues. Many obese children have a problem with low self-esteem and may even be prone to bullying. This can result in depression, eating disorders, unhealthy dieting, and even substance abuse (Gavin, 2018). If continued, childhood obesity can even reflect into how long the child will live once they become older. Struggling with obesity can be a lifelong struggle with food if not managed
How are we Addressing Childhood Obesity?
Even with all these facts, there is still hope. Schools throughout the entire US participate in the National School Lunch Program and in the School Breakfast Program. These programs have updated standards where they increased more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fat-free and low-fat milk, and foods with less sodium, saturated fats, and sugars. In addition to this, schools are required to have a physical education class where they can be more active and they also learn more about nutrition (State of Childhood Obesity, 2018). Also, there are State Policies to prevent obesity. There are PE Time requirements and even programs encouraging breastfeeding, and even policy changes to media advertising. Under the Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, schools may only feature advertising for foods that fit under “smart snacks” nutrition guidelines. Lastly, a development made was nutrition facts labeling. Companies will be required to post revamped labels that clearly reflect the nutritional value of the food which will allow kids to make better food decisions.
References
Childhood obesity. (2018, December 5). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20354827 (Links to an external site.)
Childhood Obesity Facts. (2019, June 24). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html (Links to an external site.)
Gavin, M. L. (Ed.). (2018, June). Kids and Exercise (for Parents) – Nemours KidsHealth. Retrieved from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/exercise.html
Gavin, M. L. (Ed.). (2018, June). Overweight and Obesity (for Parents) – Nemours KidsHealth. Retrieved from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/overweight-obesity.html
Over a Lifetime, Childhood Obesity Costs $19,000 Per Child. (2014, April 7). Retrieved from https://globalhealth.duke.edu/media/news/over-lifetime-childhood-obesity-costs-19000-child (Links to an external site.)
The State of Childhood Obesity. (2019, November 21). Retrieved from https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/
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