Addressing Childhood Obesity

Addressing Childhood Obesity

Chelsea Harris

Soc120

Samone Norsworthy

March 7, 2011

There are many issues in this generation taking a major toll on today's society. One I will focus on deals with childhood obesity; which has become a serious problem in the United States, and other countries worldwide. It occurs when a child is well above his/her normal weight for their height and age. It can also cause low self-esteem and depression in children. Due to the extra pounds, children become more prone to eventually developing health problems most common during the adult stage of life such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It has also affected me on a personal level since I have a close relative taking steps to overcome this battle after suffering from it for years. From watching him make an effort to get healthy as well as accepting the motivation and support from myself and others, I know this can be medical condition we as a nation can diminish.

Childhood obesity has been a problem in the nationwide and has grown considerably throughout the years. It has more than tripled in the past 30 years. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey also known as (NHANES) the prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%. If a person's bodyweight is at least 20% higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese. There is a higher rate of obesity in children with a lower economic status because of environmental, behavioral, and health issues.

One can tell if they are obese by using a measurement called body mass index, or BMI, to decide whether your weight is dangerous to your health. The BMI is a combination of your height and weight. If you have a BMI of 30 or higher, your extra weight is putting your health in danger. Although it is considered to be a useful way to estimate healthy body weight, it does not measure the percentage of body fat. The BMI measurement can sometimes be misleading - a muscleman may have a high BMI but have much less fat than an unfit person whose BMI is lower. However, in general, the BMI measurement can be a useful indicator for the 'average person'.

The environment plays a major role in childhood obesity. Children learn their eating habits at home. If the family eats a diet heavy on processed foods, convenience foods, fast food and other unhealthy meals, that's what children will want to eat. "Research indicates that parent's selections are related to demographic characteristics of the family. Single parent households and households with both parents working fulltime have a tendency to favor the consumption of prepared food items, which tend to be high in fat and sodium." (Crockett & Sims, 1995) Children with a low economic status may live in an environment that is unsafe. An environment such as the projects or other urban areas may be exposed to drugs, and gang violence. So, it is difficult for a child to play outside to burn calories or ride a bike. It is safer to stay inside and watch television and video games. In a study of 200 neighborhoods, there were three times as many supermarkets in wealthy neighborhoods as in poor neighborhoods leaving fast food restaurants as the most convenient meal option for many low income families. (Emax Health, 2010)

Behavioral factors play a role with children causing them to become obese. "The evidence is compelling that the obesity epidemic is largely caused by people's eating unhealthy food, consuming bigger portion sizes, and engaging in less physical activity. These unhealthy behaviors are not just, or even mainly, a matter of poor decisions individuals make; rather, the environment in which people live determines behavioral choice. If fresh vegetables are not available and affordable, people cannot buy them. If playgrounds are unsafe, parents will not let their kids play there. If children are bombarded by ads for fast food, they will fill up on junk. People cannot be expected to exercise choices they do not have." (Stephen & Swartz, 2010)

For many households, the lack of money can contribute to both hunger and obesity. This apparent paradox is driven in part by the economics of buying food. Households without money to buy enough food often have to rely on cheaper, high calorie foods to cope with limited money for food and starve off hunger. Families try to maximize caloric intake for each dollar spent, which can lead to over consumption of calories and a less healthful diet. Families that are struggling with a low income are possibly on food stamps. Food stamps are generally money from the government to help low income families with buying groceries. Families receive a certain amount of money on a card (similar to a debit card) monthly. In order to reserve money from month to month, one will need to buy less expensive, but non-healthier food products. For an Example, Raman Noodles cost ten to twenty-five cents a pack. Each pack although cheap, includes 910mg of sodium. A bag of cheetos generally cost twenty-five cents to a dollar have 160 calories and 290mg of sodium. (Everyday Health Inc. 2010).As a result, one may know that the Cheetos or noodles are not healthy but is cheap they will decide to buy them instead of toss salad mix, few bananas, and healthier types of food.

. Obese kids also may be prone to low self-esteem that due to being teased, bullied, or rejected by peers at school, home, or any social atmosphere. Many obese children suffer sleep apnea, which is a pause of breathing while sleeping. Sleep apnea causes oxygen levels in the blood to fall .The side effects are loss of memory, poor concentration, irritability and mood swings (NHLBI). These symptoms can lead to poor school performance.

I did a brief interview with a teenage family member who suffered with obesity as a child. He was raised in a single-parent, low income home and he admits that at times, Raman Noodles were all his family had. "I don't remember how old I was when I officially became obese, I just remember the kids on the bus not wanting to sit beside me, and my classmates that would tease me because I was a big dude. I won't lie, It got to me at times