The current study focuses on the problem of inadequate school-based physical activity among children, which has a direct impact on the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity. Therefore, there is a need for reform and interventions that have the potential to contribute to problem resolution. This research project deals with the impact of school-based physical activity on childhood obesity. This problem is a burden of modern society and has some related issues to consider.
For example, the epidemiological issue of obesity is of interest because it allows evaluating the seriousness of the problem as well as assessing the effectiveness of the suggested interventions. Secondly, there is an aspect of childhood obesity that is rarely addressed by researchers, which is the complexity of economic issues related to obesity. Thus, this part of the project covers two perspectives of inquiry, the scientific and mathematical/analytical ones. The level 1 research question for the scientific perspective of inquiry is “What are the epidemiological issues of childhood obesity?” The level 2 research question for the scientific perspective of inquiry is “How the knowledge of epidemiological data can be applied in resolving the problem of childhood obesity?”
The level 1 research question for mathematical/analytical perspective inquiry is “What are the economic issues related to the problem of childhood obesity?” The level 2 research question for this perspective is “How can data about economic aspects of obesity be utilized for reducing childhood obesity incidence in the future?”
Scientific Perspective of Enquiry
The scientific perspective of inquiry related to childhood obesity in the current project involves epidemiological issues. It is characterized by an increasing prevalence of this health-related problem in the United States. For example, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018), there is 18.5 percent of obese children aged 2-19 in the country. Moreover, the number of overweight and obese children is increasing exponentially with the greatest effect on such population groups as Hispanics with 25.8% percent and non-Hispanic blacks with 22.0 percent of obese children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018).
Another significant issue is obesity incidence, which can be used to plan appropriate interventions aimed at obesity reduction. For example, age-specific incidence of obesity allows revealing the peaks of problem development and thus increase the effectiveness of interventions and reduce care costs (Cheung, Cunningham, Narayan, & Kramer, 2016). Research provides evidence that the annual incidence of obesity is the highest for infants. Still, preschoolers and school-aged children demonstrate a high obesity rate and thus should be the target of the planned interventions.
One more factor that has a substantial impact on obesity incidence is a demographic one. For example, children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families as well as certain racial and ethnic minorities are characterized by higher median obesity incidence than white citizens (Cheung et al., 2016).
Also, racial and ethnic disparities can be treated as causes of childhood obesity. This issue combines a genetic background as well as nutrition peculiarities. Still, genetic factors can be responsible only for the development of obesity while its increasing incidence is explained by such factors as the consumption of sugary beverages, snack foods, portion size, activity level, environment, socio-cultural aspect, family, and psychological factors (Sahoo et al., 2015).
On the whole, the knowledge of epidemiologic issues such as obesity prevalence and incidence can be used to plan interventions aimed at addressing the problem and increase of their effectiveness. Nevertheless, epidemiologic data are not enough for effective interventions. There is a need for awareness of causes of obesity to develop interventions able to reduce their adverse effect. Still, epidemiologic issues and the collected statistical data as well as childhood obesity tendencies to increase stress the urgency of this problem for society and medical science.
Mathematics/Analytical Perspective of Enquiry
The mathematical/analytical perspective of inquiry within the selected research topic involves economic issues relevant to the problem of childhood obesity. First of all, it should be mentioned that socioeconomic factors are among those that determine the prevalence of childhood obesity (Kumar & Kelly, 2017). Thus, there is evidence that obesity is more typical for low-income populations. This idea is supported by research by Rossen (2013) who claims that disparities in pediatric obesity, for example, are caused by inequalities in the social and physical environment.
Moreover, area deprivation also contributes to obesity prevalence among low-income population groups. Some other economic factors that have an impact on obesity development are as follows. First of all, the evolution of food prices led to a situation in which healthy fruit and vegetables became more expensive than sweets and sugar. As a result, children prefer buying cheaper high-calorie foods that are less healthy and, as a result, increase their calorie intake.
Secondly, the development of the food and entertainment industries resulted in the growth of advertising aimed at children, which causes an increase in consumption of the advertised products because children are easy to influence. Also, the overall increase in wellness and prosperity leads to higher consumption of IT products for entertainment. Thus, the Internet, game consoles, iPods, and iPhones that are available to a broader range of children from an early age result in more screen time and a related sedentary lifestyle, which is a direct cause of obesity.
Nevertheless, the knowledge of data about economic aspects of obesity can be used to reduce childhood obesity incidence in the future. Ananthapavan, Sacks, Moodie, and Carter (2014) provide evidence of the application of past economic experiences for contributing to addressing the problem of obesity. Firstly, the government should be aware of the necessity of health economics and support interventions that have the potential to change the obesogenic environment. Using the research findings of the negative impact of economic factors, the government should develop policies to reduce the negative influences.
Secondly, it is the authority of local governments and community centers to fund specific interventions that can mitigate economic obesity factors. Finally, the economic concern to consider is that prevention of obesity is more cost-effective than its treatment (Ananthapavan et al., 2014). The issue is that obese children grow up to become obese adults and obesity increases the incidence of diabetes and heart problems, which lead to high treatment expenses and negatively influence the workforce.
Conclusion
On the whole, childhood obesity can be studied from multiple perspectives. For example, the scientific perspective discloses the epidemiological issues of obesity and the importance of their knowledge for the resolution of the childhood obesity problem. At the same time, attention to the mathematical/analytical perspective allows identifying the economic issues that have an impact on the problem of childhood obesity. Moreover, the analysis of these issues provides an opportunity to develop interventions that can address the economic aspects of obesity and mitigate their negative influence on the burden of childhood obesity in the future.
References
Ananthapavan, J., Sacks, G., Moodie, M., & Carter, R. (2014). Economics of obesity — Learning from the past to contribute to a better future. International Journal of Environmental Research And Public Health, 11(4), 4007-4025. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Childhood obesity facts. Web.
Cheung, P., Cunningham, S., Narayan, K., & Kramer, M. (2016). Childhood obesity incidence in the United States: A systematic review. Childhood Obesity, 12(1), 1-11. Web.
Kumar, S., & Kelly, A. (2017). Review of childhood obesity. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 92(2), 251-265. Web.
Rossen, L. (2013). Neighbourhood economic deprivation explains racial/ethnic disparities in overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in the USA. Journal of Epidemiology And Community Health, 68(2), 123-129. Web.
Sahoo, K., Sahoo, B., Choudhury, A. K., Sofi, N. Y., Kumar, R., & Bhadoria, A. S. (2015). Childhood obesity: Causes and consequences. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 4(2), 187–192. Web.