Child Abuse and Obesity
Child Abuse- A Cause of Adult Obesity
Abstract Child abuse can create an emotional hurt that never goes away. It creates a need that never seems to be met. In my paper I plan to show with the research, how child abuse can cause a person to develop an addiction to food and become obese as an adult. I started my personal battle with food as a young teen around the age of twelve when a classmate introduced me to crash diets. I thought if I could get thin enough someone would love me. Prior to that, food had always been a comfort, suddenly it became my enemy. Unfortunately, my Mother’s abuse never stopped so I turned back to my enemy, food, for comfort. I have had a love- hate relationship with food since. Food is now my addiction, and I am an obese adult.
Literature Review
Obesity is one of the most important public health problems facing the United States. 1 According to recent estimates, almost one third (32.2%) of adults are obese. 2 Public health initiatives intended to curb the current epidemic are focused primarily on improving nutrition and increasing physical activity,3 which are likely to be effective for many individuals.4–8 However, promoting these strategies alone may not be sufficient to prevent and reduce obesity among certain subgroups of the population because other factors may interfere with an individual’s ability to achieve nutrition and activity goals. Studies have suggested that exposure
Child Abuse and Obesity to child abuse and neglect is associated with adult obesity. 9, 10
Unfortunately, exposure to child abuse is highly prevalent in the United States, 11 and for these individuals the sequelae of child abuse may significantly interfere with the adoption and maintenance of lifestyle changes recommended to reduce obesity. Exposure to trauma early in life is associated with multifaceted
Abstract Child abuse can create an emotional hurt that never goes away. It creates a need that never seems to be met. In my paper I plan to show with the research, how child abuse can cause a person to develop an addiction to food and become obese as an adult. I started my personal battle with food as a young teen around the age of twelve when a classmate introduced me to crash diets. I thought if I could get thin enough someone would love me. Prior to that, food had always been a comfort, suddenly it became my enemy. Unfortunately, my Mother’s abuse never stopped so I turned back to my enemy, food, for comfort. I have had a love- hate relationship with food since. Food is now my addiction, and I am an obese adult.
Literature Review
Obesity is one of the most important public health problems facing the United States. 1 According to recent estimates, almost one third (32.2%) of adults are obese. 2 Public health initiatives intended to curb the current epidemic are focused primarily on improving nutrition and increasing physical activity,3 which are likely to be effective for many individuals.4–8 However, promoting these strategies alone may not be sufficient to prevent and reduce obesity among certain subgroups of the population because other factors may interfere with an individual’s ability to achieve nutrition and activity goals. Studies have suggested that exposure
Child Abuse and Obesity to child abuse and neglect is associated with adult obesity. 9, 10
Unfortunately, exposure to child abuse is highly prevalent in the United States, 11 and for these individuals the sequelae of child abuse may significantly interfere with the adoption and maintenance of lifestyle changes recommended to reduce obesity. Exposure to trauma early in life is associated with multifaceted
References: LaPota, H., Donohue, B., Warren, C., & Allen, D. (2011). Incorporating a healthy living curriculum within family behavior therapy: A clinical case Example in a woman depression in middle aged women. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32878-887. [Felitti et al., 1998 and Green, 1993]; Gustafson & Sarwer, 2004) Williamson, Thompson, Anda, Dietz, and Felitti (2002) American Journal of Medicine. Alvarez, J, PhD, Pavao, J. MPH, Baumrind, N. PhD, MPH, Kimerling, R. PhD, (2007), The Relationship Between Child Abuse and Adult Obesity Among California Women, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) (American Psychiatric Association, 2000)