Childhood Obesity
...that carry on into adulthood. Obesity is typically defined in terms of body mass index; this reflects the ratio between weight and height. While there are various criteria, a BMI at or above a certain percentile (85th or 95th) for age and gender is often employed to define overweight and obesity (Wicks-Nelson & Israel, 2003, p.382). Normal BMI is 19-25, overweight is 25-30, and obesity is deemed to exist when BMI exceeds 30 (Morrissette & Taylor, 2002, p. 19). Excessive overweight in puberty was associated with higher than expected morbidity and mortality in adult life (Morrissette & Taylor, 2002, p. 19). When you think of childhood disorders you think of ADHD and conduct disorders, but rarely is childhood obesity brought into that realm of disorders. Before deciding to do research on this subject for my paper, I sadly never really thought of childhood obesity as possibly genetic and so prevalent.
According to the Surgeon General (2005), risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, occur with increased frequency in overweight children and adolescent compared to children with a healthy weight. Type 2 diabetes, previously considered an adult disease, has increased dramatically in children and adolescents. Overweight and obesity are closely linked to type 2 diabetes. Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This increases to 80% if one or more parent is overweight or obese.
There are many factors that contribute to causing child and adolescent obesity: Lack of regular exercise, bad eating habits, sedentary behavior, environment and genetics (American Obesity Association, 2002). Television, computer and video games don't help in the children's inactive lifestyles. 43% of adolescents watch more than 2 hours of television each day and children, especially girls, become...
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