An Overview of Childhood Obesity
Childhood Obesity is an epidemic on the rise in America. Childhood Obesity has many lasting and often detrimental effects on children. Obesity among children and Adolescents is higher than ever before. From children aged 2-19 from 2017-2020, the prevalence of obesity amongst the population was 19.7%. It is less common in children ages 2-5 with an obesity prevalence of 12.7%. However, the prevalence of obesity was 22.2% among adolescents aged 12-19, meaning teenagers are affected the most. Obesity also tends to be more prevalent among certain populations. Hispanic children have the highest prevalence rate at 26.2% being obese. Next comes African American children at about 24.8%, White children at 16.6%, and Asian children at 9.0%.
The health effects of obesity include high blood pressure, joint problems, asthma, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. Because of this, children should understand the effects of obesity, the importance of physical activity, and nutrition, and the understanding of what contributes to a healthy life.
Risk Factors and Causes
Obesity is quite complex. It stems from a combination of environmental factors, genetic factors, and individual factors such as behavior. Obesity involves different connections between a person and their environment making it hard to solve.
One of the main environmental causes of childhood obesity is lifestyle. Kids these days are less active than before. Less than one-quarter of kids ages 6-17 partake in 60 minutes of physical activity every day. In 2017, for example, only 26.1% of high school students got 60 minutes of activity each day. There are some special exceptions such as when children do not have the time or resources for activity because of school or their household and economic situation.
Physical activity is a broad term- it can range from aerobic exercise/ Bone-strengthening exercises such as jumping rope, biking, or swimming which promote cardiovascular fitness to muscle-strengthening exercises like lifting weights. One of the best exercises is walking. If children do not have the resources or time to do any of the activities listed above, walking will work. Walking around for some time will benefit their hearts, lungs, and overall body.
Another risk factor is diet. Fast food is attractive to children because of how it’s advertised on the internet and television, the taste, and the lower price that comes with it. While fast food is okay every once in a while, kids have been eating it daily. Junk food has little to no nutritional value as it has low protein, high fat, and high sugar. Junk food is also extremely high in calories. Because of this, the more junk food eaten, the more weight you will gain which can lead to obesity over time. This is particularly worrisome in children because they are at the biggest stage of their lives to create habits that will stick with them throughout adulthood.
The other main risk factor is genetics. Obesity is an energy imbalance within an individual. Different people have different genes affecting that energy balance. The brain regulates food intake by responding to signals that are received from fatty tissue, the digestive system, and the pancreas. These signals are transmitted by hormones such as insulin. Genes are the building blocks behind those signals and hormones. Small changes or variants in these genes can affect their activity levels. For example, some people might have variants where their pancreas cannot produce insulin, causing type 1 diabetes which can cause obesity over time.
Solutions and Prevention
While socioeconomic and environmental factors play a crucial part in the path to preventing obesity, certain strategies may help in reducing obesity in children and adolescents. Reducing these rates of obesity involves several groups, especially the food industry, and family.
The food industry has shaped the diets and food environment throughout the entire U.S. It has the greatest impact on what food goes where, the nutritious value of food, and who eats it. The best thing the industry can do to help prevent obesity is to improve the quality and nutritional value of food by limiting saturated fat and sugar content in processed foods and by creating nutritious food that is affordable and accessible, as most lower-income families can only afford to buy the junk processed food. They can also create advertisements that limit the usage of sugary, salty, or processed items so kids don’t get drawn to them.
The family also plays a crucial role in obesity prevention. Family members are essential to developing great eating and exercise habits in children. Parents can encourage their children to choose healthier options when grocery shopping or when going out to play. Finding ways for families to create healthy eating patterns will help children maintain their weight and be healthy. Introducing more whole grains, fruits and veggies, and lean protein into family meals will help keep children in good health.
References
Childhood Obesity Facts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC
Childhood obesity – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
Type 2 Diabetes – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
Understanding Childhood Obesity – NASM
Junk food-induced obesity- a growing threat to youngsters during the pandemic – PMC (nih.gov)