Childhood Obesity Research Essay
Childhood Obesity
In the last hundred years, childhood obesity has gone from nearly nonexistent, to something we deal with each and every day (Larson, June 2010). In just the last decade however, it has tripled. Seeing children running in their yards used to be something normal, but now, it is something rare. Instead, 25% of our children are watching over 4 hours of television a day. Childhood obesity has become more common over the years, and it is only going to continue. Becoming involved with your children, and encouraging them to exercise will reduce their risk. There are multiple causes of obesity in children, some are things they can’t help; such as genetics, or their families having a low income. Others, are lifestyle habits that, with a little time and effort, can be changed. Genetic characteristics are passed from parent to child, and many of them can lead to weight gain. Maybe the child was born with diabetes, or perhaps a slow metabolism. Obesity is more common to run in family trees, than it is to only affect one person in their immediate family. Another cause of obesity is screen time. Sedentary behaviors in front of the television or computer, such as playing video games, watching movies or DVDs, or just surfing the net, are not helping the child burn enough calories. (Larson, June 2010) Also, low income families are a major cause of obesity. Not enough money can set up a barrier to the child’s food options. A proper diet is extremely important in a growing child, and not having fresh fruit and vegetable around the house can greatly affect a growing child. To prevent child hood obesity one can make a habit of taking a daily walk with their children, or introducing new foods that are healthy and appealing. Serving a wide variety of foods is just as important as getting the needed exercise, children must have a proper diet to ensure healthy development and growth. The dietary and physical behaviors of children are wildly influenced by parents,
In the last hundred years, childhood obesity has gone from nearly nonexistent, to something we deal with each and every day (Larson, June 2010). In just the last decade however, it has tripled. Seeing children running in their yards used to be something normal, but now, it is something rare. Instead, 25% of our children are watching over 4 hours of television a day. Childhood obesity has become more common over the years, and it is only going to continue. Becoming involved with your children, and encouraging them to exercise will reduce their risk. There are multiple causes of obesity in children, some are things they can’t help; such as genetics, or their families having a low income. Others, are lifestyle habits that, with a little time and effort, can be changed. Genetic characteristics are passed from parent to child, and many of them can lead to weight gain. Maybe the child was born with diabetes, or perhaps a slow metabolism. Obesity is more common to run in family trees, than it is to only affect one person in their immediate family. Another cause of obesity is screen time. Sedentary behaviors in front of the television or computer, such as playing video games, watching movies or DVDs, or just surfing the net, are not helping the child burn enough calories. (Larson, June 2010) Also, low income families are a major cause of obesity. Not enough money can set up a barrier to the child’s food options. A proper diet is extremely important in a growing child, and not having fresh fruit and vegetable around the house can greatly affect a growing child. To prevent child hood obesity one can make a habit of taking a daily walk with their children, or introducing new foods that are healthy and appealing. Serving a wide variety of foods is just as important as getting the needed exercise, children must have a proper diet to ensure healthy development and growth. The dietary and physical behaviors of children are wildly influenced by parents,
References: Larson, M. (n.d.). Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Childhood: Problem - DNPAO - CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved December 27, 2012. Johnson, H. (n.d.). Preventing Obesity in Children, Causes of Child Obesity, and More. WebMD Children 's Health Center - Kids health and safety information for a healthy child. Retrieved December 27, 2012. Gavin, M. (n.d.). Obesity-Related Health Problems in Kids . KidsHealth - the Web 's most visited site about children 's health. Retrieved December 27, 2012. Wolfenstetter, S. B. (2010). Economic aspects of obestiy and physical inactivity(1. Aufl. ed.). München: Hut.