Child Obesity

The problem of childhood obesity in the United States has grown considerably in recent years. Between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese.  Obesity is among the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat.  Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year.  The annual cost to society for obesity is estimated at nearly $100 billion.  Overweight children are much more likely to become overweight adults unless they adopt and maintain healthier patterns of eating and exercise.

I feel very strongly about childhood obesity and that is why I decided to write about it. What exactly is obesity? A few extra pounds are not considered obesity. However they may indicate a tendency to gain weight easily and a need for changes in diet and/or exercise.  Generally, a child is not considered obese until the weight is at least 10 percent higher than what is recommended for the height and body type.  Obesity most commonly begins in childhood between the ages of 5 and 6, and during adolescence.  Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult. 

The causes of obesity are complex and include genetic, biological, behavioral and cultural factors.  Basically, obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body burns up.  If one parent is obese, there is a 50 percent chance that the children will also be obese. One reason for this is because you mostly learn from what you see. If a child sees their parents living an unhealthy lifestyle, the child will automatically believe that is ok to live like this.  However, when both parents are obese, the children have an 80 percent chance of being obese.  Although certain medical disorders can cause obesity, less than 1 percent of all obesity is caused by physical problems. Obesity in childhood and adolescence can be related to poor eating habits, overeating, lack of exercise, family history of obesity, medical illness, medication, stressful life events, depression, family and peer problems, and even low self-esteem.