Childhood Obesity
...child is obese if their weight is more than 20% higher than the ideal weight for a boy or girl of their age and height. Studies have shown a dramatic rise in the number of obese children in the last few decades in this country. Between 1980 and 2000 obesity rates doubled among children and tripled among teens. In the United States alone there are approximately 25 million overweight children and adolescents. Many of these are considered obese and the others are at risk of becoming obese. This paper will explore this phenomenon, why it is happening, its causes and what we can do to combat this problem.
There are several reasons why children are becoming obese. Many studies have shown that there is not a big difference in the amount of food eaten and physical activity between obese and non-obese kids. Probably small differences in eating and activity over time really add up and lead to weight gain. Obese children do tend to eat larger portions or higher calorie foods, like high-fat foods.
Physical activity and inactivity are very important factors. Many studies have shown that kids who spend more time watching television and playing video games are at higher risk of becoming overweight. One in three high school youth do not engage in vigorous physical activity. Less than 30% attend daily gym class. Dangerous neighborhoods and sprawling development also discourages physical activity and makes walking and biking difficult or dangerous is also a factor.
The risk of becoming obese is greatest among children who have two obese parents. This may be due to powerful genetic factors or to parental modeling of both eating and exercise behaviors, indirectly affecting the child's energy balance. One half of parents of elementary school children never exercise vigorously. Heredity has recently been shown to influence fatness, regional fat distribution, and...
View Full Essay
