In the recent past, childhood obesity has become a serious health issue in the U. S. More than 23 million children (<20 years) are obese. A child is termed obese if his or her body mass index falls at or above the 95th percentile as guided by the child’s age and gender. Children with a BMI falling below the 95th percentile but above the 85th percentile are referred to as overweight according to the National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (n. d.).
There have been calls to reduce the number of overweight and obese children by Healthy People 2010 as noted by the National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (n. d.), but nothing has been achieved as far as these calls are concerned. This is illustrated by Ogden, Carroll, Kit & Flegal (2002), who show that the trend of obesity has been increasing since 1980. The effects of obesity are serious and of public concern, because they adversely affect one’s health status. This paper will discuss the situation of obesity in Children in the U.S. while giving the associated outcomes and consequences.
In the last 30 years, childhood obesity has continuously increased despite conference talks and debates showing its adverse effects. In young children (between 2 and 5 years), it has more than doubled as shown by an elevation of 12.4% from 5.0%. In children aged 6 to 11 years, it has almost tripled (6.5% to 17%) while among the adolescents, it has more than tripled rising from 5.0% to 17.6% (National Center for Health Statistics, 2012; Ogden, Carroll, Kit & Flegal, 2002).
This increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity is attributed to changing lifestyles. In the contemporary world, fast foods are considered the best option. These foods are inexpensive, tasty, and high in calories and because of these factors, individuals consume these foods in large portions. In the current world, there are a wide variety of sweets that are readily available and accessible. In addition, sugar-sweetened beverages are popular among children compared to healthier beverages like water or low-fat milk.
Effects
There are both short-term and long-term effects of childhood obesity. Obese children possess risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. These factors include high cholesterol levels and/or high blood pressure. Freedman, Zuguo, Srinivasan, Berenson & Dietz (2007) showed that 70% of children aged between 5 and 17 years in a population-based sample were exposed to at least one risk factor. There is a strong likelihood that obese children will have prediabetes, which is an indicator for diabetes (Li, Ford, Zhao & Mokdad, 2009).
Prediabetes is similar to diabetes because it is characterized by high blood sugar levels. However, in severe cases, it is associated with insulin resistance leading to diabetes. According to the Office of the Surgeon (2010), diabetes is now evident in early life as opposed to the initial notion that it only occurs among middle-aged and older adults.
Obese children tend to suffer from social and psychological problems because other children their age make fun of them. In addition, they have sleep apnea and are at high risk for bone and joint problems. The Office of the Surgeon (2010) states that 112,000 deaths that could otherwise be prevented, occur. Too much weight has an overload effect on the joint cartilage, hence the occurrence of osteoarthritis (Pottie et al., 2006). Pottie et al. (2006) also present recent data, which shows that osteoarthritis is a systemic disorder that is characterized by dysregulation of lipid homeostasis.
In the long term, obesity may persist if nothing is done. Childhood obesity is a main attributive factor for degenerative adulthood diseases. During adulthood, the situation becomes worse because the risk for CVDs, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and osteoarthritis is higher. In a study by Freedman et al. (2005), obese children at an age of 2 continued to be obese even when they became adults.
Racial Differences
Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic children are more likely to be obese compared to non-Hispanic white children. According to data obtained from NHANES 2003-2006 (Ogden, Carroll, Kit & Flegal, 2002), non-Hispanic black and Hispanic girls aged between 12 and 19 years were overweight and obese (28% and 20% respectively) compared to non-Hispanic white girls (14.5%). The same case was evident for boys, however, a difference occurred because more of the Hispanic boys than non-Hispanic black boys were likely to have a higher BMI for age (Ogden, Carroll, Kit & Flegal, 2002).
Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics are deemed a minority group, hence social exclusion is an evident phenomenon. In addition, these minority groups are of low socioeconomic status, hence parents are not able to provide their children with sporting facilities within their homes as opposed to the non-Hispanic white parents. Even if sports activities are available within the neighborhoods of these minority groups, these neighborhoods are unsafe and parents will not let their children out to take part in these activities in fear of putting the lives of their children and that of their families in danger.
Causes
The cause for obesity is an energy imbalance, that is, there is more positive energy than negative energy. Positive energy is the energy obtained from dietary intake, while negative energy is that which is spent in physical activity and metabolism. The causes of obesity are many and diverse. However, the most modifiable risk factors are physical activity, diet, and living habits. There is a significant relationship between physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. An integrated increase in physical activity and decrease of sedentary habits leads to reduced rates of obesity (National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research, n. d.).
Different studies show that children and adolescents are not very active and spend most of their time watching television and related media like video games. In addition, the distances to school are short because parents will either opt to take their children to a boarding school or one which is within their convenience. In addition, only “2.1% of high schools, 3.8% of elementary school and 7.9% of middle school” offer physical education daily (National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research, n. d.). Therefore, at the end of the day, most children do not engage in adequate physical activity to burn the excess calories they may have accumulated within the day. Duke, Huhman, & Heitzler (2003) indicate that children between 12 and 17 years are likely to consume 700 to 1000 excess calories in a day.
Prevention
The main preventive strategy for obesity is a healthy lifestyle, one that is characterized by healthy eating and engaging in physical activity (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2005). Different age groups should evaluate their lifestyles and RDAs so that they do not consume an excess of their RDAs. There is a great need for children to engage in physical activity because it is a healthy way to avoid obesity.
After all, they tend to consume a lot of sugary foods. It is important to cut down the consumption of fast foods and processed meat products because of their associated effects with obesity. Also, the chemicals and preservatives in processed meats may trigger cancer. Home-made food is the best option because one can select healthy foods for a balanced meal. Obese children should take less of the carbohydrates and more of the vegetables.
Recommendations
A child’s weight must be continuously monitored to ensure that his or her weight stays in check based on the BMI. This can be achieved by ensuring that one’s child’s weight is regularly determined in a health clinic so that if it is not within the acceptable range, guidance can be provided by a health professional, a nutritionist to be precise. Children spend most of their time in school, therefore regular visits to schools by a health professional should be carried out to promote healthy eating and exercise engagement by the children.
Health education should be given both at the community level and in schools. Parents and their children need to understand the importance of a healthy weight. Teachers and school headteachers should also be made aware of the need to allow time for physical activity because much as the nation needs intellectuals, they should be healthy to live a long life.
Conclusion
Childhood obesity is a serious condition that leads to the occurrence of preventable degenerative diseases. Parents should be aware of the health percentiles and associated healthy weights for their children so that any slight deviation can be redressed using either one of the above-mentioned preventive measures. Preventing childhood obesity is a gate pass to an increased life expectancy and a high-quality life.
References
Duke, J., Huhman, M., & Heitzler, C. (2003). Physical activity levels among children aged 9- 13 years- Unites States, 2002. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 52 (33), 785- 788.
Freedman, D. S., Kettel, L., Serdula ,M. K., Dietz, W. H., Srinivasan, S. R., & Berenson, G. S. (2005). The relation of childhood BMI to adult adiposity: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics, 115, 22–27.
Freedman, D. S., Zuguo, M., Srinivasan, S. R., Berenson, G. S., & Dietz, W. H. (2007). Cardiovascular risk factors and excess adiposity among overweight children and adolescents: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Journal of Pediatrics, 150 (1), 12–17.
Li, C., Ford, E. S., Zhao, G., & Mokdad, A. H. (2009). Prevalence of pre-diabetes and its association with clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors and hyperinsulinemia among US adolescents: NHANES 2005–2006. Diabetes Care, 32, 342–347.
National Center for Health Statistics. (2012). Health, United States, 2011: With Special Features on Socioeconomic Status and Health. Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research. (n. d.). Childhood obesity in the United States. Web.
Office of the Surgeon General. (2010). The surgeon general’s vision for a healthy and fit nation. Rockville: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M. (2012). Prevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among US children and adolescents, 1999-2010. Journal of the American Medical Association, 307 (5), 483-490.
Pottie, P., Presle, N., Terlain. B., Netter, P., Mainard, D., & Berenbaum, F. (2006). Obesity and osteoarthritis: more complex than predicted! Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, 65, 1403-1405.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2005). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005 (6th edition). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.