Obesity Among Children and Adolescents - 2038 Words

Charvi Patel April 7th, 2010 Obesity among Children and Adolescents Obesity has been a controversial issue for years. Childhood obesity is already an epidemic in some areas and is on the rise in others. Although rare in the past, obesity is now amongst some of the most widespread issues affecting our children and adolescents living in the United States today. Childhood obesity is harmful to not only the child’s present lifestyle but it also affects the child’s future. Obesity in children is on the rise due to parenting style, inadequate exposure to healthy foods at a young age, availability of unhealthy foods, lack of education and awareness of the side effects and risks, and an increase in sedentary behavior. Obesity is a serious†¦show more content†¦Childhood obesity can affect the child’s health not only at the current time but also in the future. It can lead to many early onset health problems and complications. Obesity in children and teens has been found to be the leading cause of pediatric hypertension (high blood pressure); it increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stress on weight bearing joints, and is associated with Type II diabetes mellitus. But these health complications aren’t the only consequences of childhood obesity. It can also lead to social and psychological problems in the child such as a low self-esteem and affect relationships with peers, which can lead to psychological health disorders related to weight such as bulge eating, bulimia, and anorexia. The child or adolescents life can be put in danger by multiple unhealthy food choices that have lead to this epidemic of childhood obesity. The popularity of television, computers, and video games translates into an increasingly sedentary (inactive) lifestyle for many children in the United States. The sedentary behavior in a child and adolescents daily routine is a major contributing factor to the increasing rates of childhood obesity. The media may decrease the time children spend engaging in physical activities, which in turn lowers the child’s metabolic rates. Several studies have shown a positive association between the amount time spent viewing television and the increase in the prevalence ofShow MoreRelatedObesity Among Children, Adolescents And Adults845 Words   |  4 PagesObesity among children, adolescents and adults has emerged as one of the most serious public health concerns in the 21st century. Being overweight or being considered obese is typically a direct result from daily lifestyle choices, the consequences of which gradually accumulate. Genetics and social factors such as socio-economic stat us, race/ethnicity, media and marketing as well as the physical environment also influence energy consumption and expenditure (KoyuncuoÄŸlu Gà ¼ngà ¶r, 2014). 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