Obesity
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- Category: English
- Date Submitted: 06/03/2011 12:44 PM
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The Epidemic of Childhood Obesity
In today's society, Americans are faced with many critical issues: issues on health, career, money, and drugs or alcohol problems. One of the biggest problems we face as a society is childhood obesity. There are so many questions being asked as to why we are having this problem and who is responsible.
Obesity or excessive fatness is a rising epidemic in the United States and in some parts of the world, at an alarming rate across all ages, race, and gender categories. No single group is immune to the causes and occurrences of obesity. Obesity affects 31 percent (one-third) of children and adolescents ages 6-19 years old (The George Washington Medical Group, 2005). Since 1980, childhood obesity has skyrocketed from 6.5 percent to a staggering 17 percent, leaving the adult obesity rate at 34 percent (Cynthia, Ph, Margaret & M, 2010). Making two out of every three Americans overweight or obese (Richard H. Carmona, 2003).
To get a better understanding as to how this has become such a global epidemic, and see how this has increase to where it is and who is responsible. I will identify the major causes of childhood obesity, contributing factors, the effects that obesity will have, and what we can do to help prevent and control this epidemic.
Major Causes of Childhood Obesity
Obesity is being 20 percent or more overweight is considered a disease because it is associated with so many health problems. The medical impacts of obesity during childhood are similar to those seen in obese adults. Children who are obese, have a 70 percent chance of being obese as an adult and carry a much higher risk of serious illness than those of normal weight (Brownell & Horgen, 2004, p. 4). This is why it is so important to keep kids from becoming overweight and to help obese kids lose weight (Joel, Ph & M, 2010). Many contributing factors have raised concerns regarding both the physical and psychological health of our nation’s youth....
In today's society, Americans are faced with many critical issues: issues on health, career, money, and drugs or alcohol problems. One of the biggest problems we face as a society is childhood obesity. There are so many questions being asked as to why we are having this problem and who is responsible.
Obesity or excessive fatness is a rising epidemic in the United States and in some parts of the world, at an alarming rate across all ages, race, and gender categories. No single group is immune to the causes and occurrences of obesity. Obesity affects 31 percent (one-third) of children and adolescents ages 6-19 years old (The George Washington Medical Group, 2005). Since 1980, childhood obesity has skyrocketed from 6.5 percent to a staggering 17 percent, leaving the adult obesity rate at 34 percent (Cynthia, Ph, Margaret & M, 2010). Making two out of every three Americans overweight or obese (Richard H. Carmona, 2003).
To get a better understanding as to how this has become such a global epidemic, and see how this has increase to where it is and who is responsible. I will identify the major causes of childhood obesity, contributing factors, the effects that obesity will have, and what we can do to help prevent and control this epidemic.
Major Causes of Childhood Obesity
Obesity is being 20 percent or more overweight is considered a disease because it is associated with so many health problems. The medical impacts of obesity during childhood are similar to those seen in obese adults. Children who are obese, have a 70 percent chance of being obese as an adult and carry a much higher risk of serious illness than those of normal weight (Brownell & Horgen, 2004, p. 4). This is why it is so important to keep kids from becoming overweight and to help obese kids lose weight (Joel, Ph & M, 2010). Many contributing factors have raised concerns regarding both the physical and psychological health of our nation’s youth....