Child Hood Obesity

Childhood Obesity

Joshua Johnston

June 2016

        Obesity is a problem America has seen take a drastic increase over the past several years. Obesity is the condition of being grossly overweight. A specific problem with obesity is the alarming number of children that are obese. Childhood obesity is on the rapid incline, and there are an alarming number of contributing factors to the condition.  There are medical conditions that are a factor, but there are also a number of environmental concerns that are fueling the health concern.

Childhood obesity a health concern that has a number of faces and sides to it. Much like obesity in adults, childhood obesity can be the result of behavior, genetics, and the environment. “Behavior can include dietary patterns, physical activity, inactivity, medication use, and other exposures.” ("Center For Disease Control", N.D.) Genetic disorders can be anything from an inherited thyroid problem, to a naturally slow metabolism. The genetic disorders, while a contributing factor, are not the most alarming factors of childhood obesity.

Probably the most detrimental factor of childhood obesity is the environment that children grow up in. Society, community, family, schools, and video games are all elements that can push the less than healthy habits into a child’s life that lead to obesity. Society has become extremely fast paced. Everything seems to be centered on the quickest and easiest way to do everything. Food has been swept up in that façade and unfortunately, the faster the food, the less healthy it gets. Fast food joints thrive on making their greasy and unhealthy meals not only fast, but cheap as well. Tying back into the fast paced lives that most families are a part of, children are often subjected to that menu on a regular basis. Not because the parents are neglecting their responsibilities, but because it is easier.

Community influences are pretty impacting when it comes to childhood obesity for a couple different reasons. Communities that do not have any sort of booming industry may be populated by lower economic classes. This means that the families are forced to live within a strict budget. A strict budget often means those less expensive, and unfortunately less healthy foods are a regular part of the diet for those families. In communities that crime is high, or public funding is low, there may not be anywhere for the children to play outside safely. “Half of the children in the United States do not have a park, community center, and sidewalk in their neighborhood.” ("Center For Disease Control", N.D.) Lack of exercise is another contributing factor to obesity, potentially fueled by the community.

Family and schools can also be unfortunate influences of obesity. Families eat dinner together, so naturally there is a pretty high risk that if that family is not eating healthy, then all members of that family run the risk of being obese. Schools have little to no regulations on what food can be advertised. The unhealthy choices are often highlighted and they target children. So both are contributing factors to childhood obesity.

Now that we have discussed the factors that can contribute to childhood obesity, it is just as important to shed light on the affects obesity can have on a child’s health. Heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, asthma, and even social discrimination can all be the result of obesity for children. Social discrimination can present in the form of depression.” ("Let’s Move", N.D.) The psychological stress of social stigmatization can cause low self-esteem which, in turn, can hinder academic and social functioning, and persist into adulthood.” The stress that extra weight places on the circulatory system can lead to weakened arteries and even a weakened heart. Diabetes can develop with obesity as the body struggles to regulate the added sugar from an unhealthy diet. With the added weight, breathing issues such as asthma and sleep apnea can be an issue. All of the medical conditions that come with obesity are terribly detrimental to the life of the child suffering from the disease.