Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity: Major Epidemic

Corina Alfaro, Veronica Carrillo, Eva Cavazos, Luis Closner
University of Texas at Brownsville

A Paper Submitted
In Partial Fulfillment for the Course
NURS 6322
Moral and Ethical Issues in Nursing
Dr. Nora Montalvo-Liendo

November, 30, 2012 Childhood obesity is a condition where excess body fat negatively affects a child 's health or wellbeing. As methods to determine body fat directly are difficult, the diagnosis of obesity is often based on BMI. Due to the rising prevalence of obesity in children and its many adverse health effects it is being recognized as a serious public health concern (Kopelman, 2005). What was once known as a disease of adults has become a crisis in children.
The Problem
Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic not just in America but worldwide. In 2010, forty-three million children under the age of five were classified as overweight (Rabbitt & Coyne, 2012). According to the World Health Organization (2007) over 60% of children who are overweight before puberty will be overweight as adults, not to mention the array of health problems that arise. There are also many physical as well as psychological consequences that follow this disease.
Much more startling than the rates in which this epidemic is occurring are the many physical and psychological consequences that accompanies it. Many obese children have a negative self-image and self-esteem, which in turn leads to lack of confidence. The chance of being ridiculed and discriminated by peers is much higher. These children have a higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol levels, insulin resistant type 2 diabetes, asthma as well as shortness of breath and sleep apnea. The extra weight on the body can also cause discomfort on the musculoskeletal system causing muscle and bone disorders (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). Unfortunately, if this is not corrected by diet and exercise, these illnesses will continue to plague them as they grow into adulthood.
Some of the biggest influences in childhood obesity include environmental, behavioral and genetic factors. Environmental activities include everything that surrounds the child. Children born in low-income families have less chances of having healthy eating habits due to lack of resources and funds. In a survey done between the years 2003-2004 seventy percent of the overweight or obese Hispanic children lived in households with annual incomes less than 150% of the federal poverty level (“Factors associated with obesity in Latino children: a review of the literature”, 2011, p.132). One of the biggest and most variable elements in the cause of childhood obesity is that of behavioral factors. These include daily intake and lack of physical activity. With an increased intake of foods high in sugar and energy-rich foods combined with a sedentary lifestyle, children are stuck in a vicious cycle that can be very difficult to escape. Genetic factors also play a role in this disease (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). In white families with two obese parents, there is an 80% that their child will become obese (“Factors associated with obesity in Latino children: a review of the literature”, 2011, p.131). With all the mounting factors that lead to childhood obesity, it is no wonder that this problem is continually expanding throughout the world.
The Problem: At Home There is an alarming percentage of children in the Rio Grande Valley who are classified as obese. In the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas, a local pediatrician from Brownsville, TX estimates that approximately one-third of all children in the region are suffering from obesity (Finley, 2012). It is estimated that children in the valley snack up to seven times a day on foods that are high in sugars, fats, and sodium. It is no surprise that with the high amounts of snacking combined with lack of exercise, children are gaining weight and acquiring health problems that were once only seen in adults. The mortality rate from diabetes in Hispanics is 1.5 times higher than in non-Hispanics. Within the past two decades, the rate of type 2 diabetes has nearly doubled in the Mexican-American population along the U.S.-Mexico border. The increase in type 2 diabetes is also found in the children of these populations and the rates for all ages show no sign of slowing, says McCormick who is on faculty at the UT Graduate School of Biomedical Science (GSBS)( McCormick, 2008). Unfortunately the parents of many of these children do not believe their children have a weight problem being that they themselves many times are overweight. It is unfortunate that parents are not looking out for the best interest of their children. It is also unfortunate that parents are not setting an example by eating healthy and exercising. A local pediatrician came up with “5-2-1-0 Rule” and encourages his young patients to go by this rule: five fruits and veggies a day, no more than two hours of sedentary activity, this includes being on the internet or sitting in front of the TV, one hour of physical activity is a must and no sodas or juices at all, zero! The doctor says water is best (Finley, 2012).
Health Policy Obesity is influenced by physical inactivity and poor diet (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Television and media is a factor that takes time away that could be spent in physical activities. Children 8-18 years of age spend about 7.5 hours a day on TV, cell phones, video games, or movies (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). At home, parents need to support what children are taught in school regarding physical activity and healthy eating by providing healthy choices and limiting time spent in television. If obesity is decreased by at least five percent, health care savings can be more than $29 billion (National Conference of States Legislatures, 2012). Two aims of the government are to encourage the general welfare and establish justice (Davis, Fowler, & Aroskar, 2010). Public policy is created using these goals as a structure (Davis, Fowler, & Aroskar, 2010). Keeping this in mind, Congress has passed acts for educational agencies such as the Healthy-Hunger Free Kids in which nutrition guidelines to reduce childhood obesity were implemented (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Considering that schools have implemented nutrition guidelines and physical education, a way to combat childhood obesity is for Congress to make it a domestic initiative. This implies educating parents. Parents cook food at home. Decisions on eating out of the house are mainly made by parents. Parents need to set a time limit on the amount of time spent watching TV, playing video games, using computers or watching movies. Our first education is at home. Having a domestic initiative implies teaching provided to parents on childhood obesity during well baby visits or when they take their child for checkups. The education should include health consequences of obesity based on food choices and leading a sedentary lifestyle. Education should include the quality of life a person may have due to obesity. Congress should pass a legislation that obliges all restaurants to list calories on the menu and maintain portion sizes as recommended per serving without increasing portion sizes. Knowing the amount of calories food have will guide the public to make better choices on the food they consume.
References
Factors associated with obesity in Latino children: a review of the literature. (2011). Hispanic Health Care International, 9(3), 127-136. doi:10.1891/1540-4153.9.3.127
Karnik, S., & Kanekar, A. (2012). Childhood Obesity: A Global Public Health Crisis. International Journal Of Preventive Medicine, 3(1), 1-7.
Kopelman, P.G (2005). Clinical obesity in adults and children: In Adults and Children. Blackwell Publishing. p. 493. ISBN 978-1-4051-1672-5.

Rabbitt, A., & Coyne, I. (2012). Childhood obesity: nurses ' role in addressing the epidemic. British Journal Of Nursing, 21(12), 731-735. World Health Organization (2007) The Challenge of Obesity in the WHO European Region and the Strategies for Reponse. WHO, Copenhagen.

References: Factors associated with obesity in Latino children: a review of the literature. (2011). Hispanic Health Care International, 9(3), 127-136. doi:10.1891/1540-4153.9.3.127 Karnik, S., & Kanekar, A. (2012). Childhood Obesity: A Global Public Health Crisis. International Journal Of Preventive Medicine, 3(1), 1-7. Kopelman, P.G (2005). Clinical obesity in adults and children: In Adults and Children. Blackwell Publishing. p. 493. ISBN 978-1-4051-1672-5.  Rabbitt, A., & Coyne, I. (2012). Childhood obesity: nurses ' role in addressing the epidemic. British Journal Of Nursing, 21(12), 731-735.   World Health Organization (2007) The Challenge of Obesity in the WHO European Region and the Strategies for Reponse. WHO, Copenhagen.