Causes of Childhood Obesity Essay - 1271 Words

When speaking of her 8-year old daughters obesity, a prideful mother replies Oh its no big deal, she just still has her baby fat. Unfortunately, chances are that the daughters obesity is not caused by her baby fat, but can be contributed to a combination of diet, genetics, and a sedentary lifestyle. Studies show that obesity among children 6-17 years of age, has increased by 50% in the last 20 years, with the most dramatic increase seen in children ages 6-11 (Axmaker, 1). This obvious epidemic has raised great concern in the medical community because widespread childhood obesity has increased the prevalence of the once rare juvenile diabetes and pediatric hypertension (Bastin, 45). This concern has prompted intense investigation†¦show more content†¦These poor food choices are contributing to the increasing epidemic of childhood obesity. Everybody knows the child that can eat any type of food all day and never seem to gain weight. This occurrence has led researchers to investigate the role that genetics plays in childhood obesity. Not all children who are inactive or who eat poorly are obese, much in the same way that some obese children eat fairly healthy, and exercise moderately. Heredity has recently been shown to influence body fat percentage, regional fat storage, and the body?s response to overeating (Rush, 1). Children who have obese parents are 80% more likely to be obese than their lean parented counterparts (Buffington, 16). This familial correlation is contributed to genetics as well as the parents eating habits. Children with obese parents typically aren?t taught the correct way to choose when and what food to eat, leading to poor eating habits and eventually obesity. Many genetic defects can have a significant effect on obesity such as variable thyroid activity and pituitary defects. Abnormalities in any one of these regulators could be responsible for appetite abnormalities and weight gain. Furthermore, obesity leads to defects in appetite regulation, hormone production, and metabolic events (Oklahoma Cooperative, 4) that are responsible for further weight gain,Show MoreRelatedCauses of Childhood Obesity630 Words   |  3 Pageshowever, can be a problem to many children. This is referred to as obesity, when it occurs among children between ages 2 and 8 it is called childhood referred. Childhood obesity has been on the rise for the past few decades and it is making the lives of children shorter. Childhood obesity can be the outcome of many influences. Economic factors, an unmonitored environment, and lack of activity, are some effects of childhood obesity. To start with, the first and major reason causing children to beRead MoreThe Causes Of Childhood Obesity1937 Words   |  8 PagesCauses of Childhood Obesity Imagine yourself walking into a kindergarten class, and all you see are obese children not walking, but moving on wheels because they simply cannot walk anymore due to their excess body weight. Their legs are so weak since they have to handle so much more weight than what they are designed to do. This vision may no longer be fictional if the world keeps ignoring the issue of childhood obesity. Nowadays, not only adults, but the number of children who are obese are incrediblyRead MoreCauses of Childhood Obesity Essay1291 Words   |  6 PagesCauses of Childhood Obesity Works Cited Axmaker, Larry. Childhood Obesity Should be Taken Seriously. Online Posting 24 November 2004. Accessed 9 April 2005. 1-4. Bastin, Sandra. Perils of Childhood Obesity. American Academy of Pediatrics Quarterly. Volume 31 (11/2001): 44-49. Retrieved Medline 9 April 2005. 1-5. Buffington, Cynthia. Causes of Childhood Obesity. Beyond Change: Information Regarding Obesity and Obesity Surgery. Volume 17 (12/2003): 12-17. Retrieved AcademicRead MoreThe Causes And Implications Of Childhood Obesity873 Words   |  4 Pagesargued that childhood obesity has gained a lot of attention in the recent years especially in the 21st century. It has the ability to affect a child in many ways, including physically, mentally, sociologically and psychologically. Childhood obesity is a serious health concern that is partially causes by the careless decisions about food intake, physical activity and lack of parental concerns and knowledge towards a child’s health. According to World Health Organization (WHO) childhood obesity is definedRead MoreWhat Causes Childhood Obesity?1368 Words   |  6 PagesWhat Causes Childhood Obesity?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the American Heart Association, as of January of 2013, one in three children in America is overweight or obese. That is three times that of only fifty years ago. Although we all know some underlying causes for childhood obesity, I am focusing on three major causes. These are parents and the perpetuation of unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits, the over consumption of fast food, and lastly, children and their decreasing physical activity levelsRead MoreCauses and Impact of Childhood Obesity1335 Words   |  5 PagesChildhood Obesity Childhood Obesity Obesity is a burgeoning and threatening epidemic that is becoming more pervasive in the United States and around the world as time goes on. While life expectancy in the United States continues to rise, the incidences of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and cancer are rising alarmingly fast as well. Children are among the hardest hit as they are some of the more vulnerable members of society due to their inability to care for themselves in many waysRead MoreThe Leading Causes Of Childhood Obesity2675 Words   |  11 Pagesbe looking into the leading causes in childhood obesity. Obesity can be defined as when an individual is really overweight in which can affect their overall health. It has come to our concern that obesity among children has become a major problem, which needs to be confronted. Childhood obesity is continually expanding instead of decreasing, which is frustrating because it’s a difficult task for children to eat healthier in society with obesity haza rds. Childhood obesity is a huge problem, which hasRead MoreWhat Causes Childhood Obesity532 Words   |  2 Pages Childhood obesity has become a more and more important issue in today’s world. There are genetic factors that are coming into play with people changing their lifestyles and culture changes have been a great influence on children around the world. Children are generally not as healthy as they were many years ago. Obesity has been the main cause of all these changes. There is a difference between being overweight and obese. Being overweight not necessarily means your obese. People who lift weightsRead MoreEssay on Causes of Childhood Obesity2188 Words   |  9 PagesIn the past few years obesity among children has increased and has now become a major issue in this nation. Over twelve million children in the United States are obese and seven percent of those children are at risk of having type 2 diabetes. Obesity has become a burden to the United States economy and it is costing America $147 billion dollars a year. Are parents to blame for obese and overweight children or is society at fault? Obesity has been around for many years but has always been known toRead MoreBusy Parents : The Real Cause Childhood Obesity1201 Words   |  5 PagesIn the article â€Å"Busy Parents: The Real Cause of Childhood Obesity,† the author points out the fact the as childhood obesity has tripled over the past thirty years we continue to blame the packaged food industry or what is called a sedentary lifestyle; a lifestyle with no or irregular physical activity. Author, Suzanne Venker states that those points do matter but it wouldn’t matter as much if parents were home to have a certain control on their children’s lives. The author came to the conclusion