A Healthy Perspective

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States.  According to the CDC this has affected 30 percent of children, making it the most common childhood disease.  Obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 40 years. Mayo Clinic defines obesity as having an excess of body fat. Obesity is not just a cosmetic concern.  Being obese increases risk of diseases and other health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Children who become obese are just as likely to have these health problems as their parents.  Children are having to take the same medication as their parents to manage their blood pressure and cholesterol.

Not only are their physical problems associated with childhood obesity but there are emotional problems that can occur as well.  A recent report in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology says that girls as young as five years old are beginning to have issues with body image and girls as young as eight are being diagnosed with eating disorders.  At the ages of five to eight the last thing these kids should be thinking about is their body size.

Today’s environment plays a major role in shaping habits of children and adolescents. Children are constantly surrounded by environmental influences that demote the importance of physical activity.

Such as TV commercials that are promoting unhealthy food and eating habits. According to Obesity Action Coalition, approximately 40 to 50 percent of every dollar is spent on food outside the home. The bad part about that is the food is unhealthy and portion sizes have increased so people are consuming more calories than they would just eating at home.

Children in today’s society have shown a decrease in physical activity.  With computers, video games, and TV becoming more and more popular they tend to spend more time on those things rather than playing outside. Lack of daily physical education in schools plays a role in obesity as well.

According to Obesity Action Coalition only eight percent of elementary school and less than seven percent of middle schools and high schools have daily physical education classes. In the past, physical education was required on a daily basis. Schools play a major role in childhood obesity because that is where the spend most of their time for most of the year. Treating childhood obesity is not as easy as treating adults because they don’t quite understand the risks of what can happen to them if they stay on the same path. It is recommended by the CDC that parents take their child to a nutritionist who specializes in children’s needs.

Schools and parents need to start teaching children at a young age the importance of healthy eating and physical activity.

Parents need to be encouraging their children to be outside playing instead of staying inside playing video games for hours on end. Another thing we as a society we can do to help people who are obese is be supportive and understanding. It is sad that young kids are developing eating disorders because they feel they aren’t good enough for our society.

Childhood obesity is treatable and something that people need to start paying attention to because it is life changing to everyone involved.