Childhood Obesity and Obesity

Childhood Obesity

Obesity in young ones is a major public health issue in the U.S. as the figure of overweight teenagers has tripled over the last thirty years such that 17%, that is, 12.5 million of children and teenagers aged between 2 and 19 years are currently categorized as obese on the basis of BMI (body mass index) (Jackson, 2). CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) defines childhood obesity as a body mass index above or at the 95th percentile for kids and teenagers of similar sex and age. This paper reviews childhood obesity, outlining the causes, lifetime consequences to a kid, diagnosis, management strategies, and measures to prevent it.

Causes

The main cause of obesity is an imbalance of energy between calories consumed and those burned. Worldwide, the rise in energy- laden foodstuffs high in sugar and fat but short of dietary value together with decline in physical undertakings resulting from transportation modes, sedentary lifestyle, and urbanization have all added to this energy disparity (Mchugh, 95). Childhood obesity seems to be linked with maternal dietary status, low socio-economic status, low level of education and single parenthood status. It has also heightened with the increasing use of hand-held devices and media games, mass media promotion of junk foodstuffs and insufficiency of stay-at-home parenthood.

It has moreover been associated to ethnicity, gender, and age. According to WHO (World Health Organization), since the year 1976, the Caucasians kids exhibit the lowest obesity rates in all age brackets. In comparison, Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Australians are 1.9 times likely to be obese similar to other non-indigenous Australians (Mchugh, 95). In Australia, female and male native teenagers have been recognized through study to have preferred and pursued gaining weight as an expression of success and health, encouraged and reinforced by their parents.

Strong connections have been founded between obesity in female adolescents and neglected healthy living promotion targeting this age group. Studies indicate a higher rate of obesity in single parented girl kids aged between four and nine since they lack exercise. The study proposes that single parents find their neighborhoods insecure for their girls and reduce their outdoor movements (Mchugh, 95). Additionally, obesity possesses deep environmental, social, cultural and economic roots, all of which require to be considered when searching for manners to tackle the child obesity issue.

Diagnosis

BMI, stated as kg/m2, that is, weight over height, is most frequently applied to define obese and overweight conditions. Using a growth graph, the pediatrician of a certain child will compute the child's percentile, together with how he/she contrasts with children of the same age and gender. The categorizations linked to obesity according to CDC are; 85th -94th percentiles -- overweight, and 95th percentile and over -- obese, and those 1.2 times the 95th percentile -- exceedingly obese.

Implications on the child

The health effects of obesity on children are well documented. It might cause cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and musculoskeletal, joint, and arthritic health conditions. It breeds depression, anxiety, social stigma, and bad self-image. It also decreases life expectancy and happiness. Childhood obesity results in breathing difficulties, hypertension, insulin resistance and apnea, increased blood fats, fatty liver, behavioral problems and low self-esteem. There is a 50% to 80% chance of a child who has obese parents being obese and infancy obesity results in adulthood obesity and earlier commencement of these disorders. It is therefore vital to start early to tackle the health risk of childhood obesity (Mchugh, 95).

It is clear that obesity only pose health effects not only for an individual, but also has huge social and economic ramifications globally and nationwide. According to several studies, obesity results in costs of around 58 billion dollars a year in Australia and leads to 7200 deaths. Research has come to a conclusion that over 200 lives and 51.5 million dollars a year in Australia, could possibly have been saved only if child obesity had been dealt with in 2004/5 (Mchugh, 95). Obesity also results in indirect costs through welfare, caregivers, taxation, and lost productivity. It is estimated that the indirect costs caused by obesity are 3.3 times higher than the direct costs it brings about in Australia.

Treatments

Nowadays there is much concern over factors for obesity and on ways to tackle the problem. In the year 2004, WHO came up with a worldwide policy on obesity for decreasing unhealthy foods and increasing the rate of physical activity, especially among children. Australia also adopted such a strategy. Since the 80s, intervention by the government has included social marketing advocacy funding, new recreation and sport facilities as well as healthy diets and physical exercise in schools (Mchugh, 95). The 2008 project "It's your Move project" was a study on obesity intervention in Australian secondary schools, which took three years to complete. It had positive outcomes in adolescent obesity prevention. Unfortunately, the change in the childhood obesity rate remains abysmally low.

For child obesity to be tackled there is need to reconsider what and who is targeted. This may need changes in the law. In spite of the recent government plans for healthy food consumption, the food companies continue to be unregulated and maintain practices intended to maximize consumption of their products, including junk foodstuff marketing to young ones. Australia's ongoing slack legislation in this issue, based on allegations of loss of independence from Primary Foodstuff industry and several sections of the public, are to blame.

Obesity control also needs individual identity reflection, culture and age and individual identity. Exercise regimes and healthy eating can bring about confusion and conflict for teenagers under the control of families with contradictory ideals, particularly within native communities (Mchugh, 95). Blame forced by societal and personal stigmas limits involvement in healthy activities by obese kids requiring parent permission, and by the obese grown-ups, which hinders both development and research projects.

If effective management of obesity, we must know and deal with our cultural and social structures along with its core physiological nature. If strategies are to be successful, they must come from relevant and accurate research. According to studies, cause of action related to obesity in New Zealand and Australia has always advanced without this essential input.

What is being done to prevent it?

Introducing a soft drinks industry levy

Children are known to ingest excess calories, particularly those that contain to sugar. It was previously a treat, but currently, sugar is part of children's life; mostly those found in soft drinks. Taking soft drinks with sugar is said to cause diabetes (type 2) as well as weight gain among children (Glasper, 985). With this in mind, the Government wishes to charge taxes on the manufacturers of soft drinks. The increased revenue will be spent in investing in initiatives countrywide, which are meant to address increasing rates of obesity among children. The funds will be used for school-based physical exercise programs and nutritionally balanced and improved school meals (Wetter and James Hodge Jr., 359). There is a lot of attention being given to utilization of the levy funds to improve the physical activities conducted in schools.