The Childhood And Teen Obesity Epidemic - 1001 Words

The Childhood and Teen Obesity Epidemic Opening There is an obvious reason why kids cannot drive when they feel like it, or go out wherever they choose. Children cannot have a cigarette or a drink either because if they did these things, they would certainly suffer the consequences, perhaps with their lives. It sounds crazy to think of allowing kids to do anything dangerous, yet each day millions of American children and adolescents slowly kill themselves with unhealthy dangerous foods. The past several decades have seen an escalating trend in the rate of childhood obesity. Obesity results from an imbalance involving excessive calorie consumption and inadequate physical activity. Childhood obesity has continued to be a major issue in the public healthcare system, and has more than tripled. Obesity has increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 20% in 2014 among children aged 6 to 11. During the same 30 year period, obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 increased from 5.0% to 18.1%. With that said, America is experiencing a very serious health issue concerning its youth. Definition of the Problem Generally, a child is not considered obese until the weight is at least 10% higher than what is recommended for their age, height and body type. Studies shown that overweight children are more predisposed to the danger of becoming overweight in their adulthood. The main contributors to childhood obesity are consuming too many calories and too little physical exercise. But there are manyShow MoreRelatedChildhood Obesity : A Developing Problem1197 Words   |  5 PagesObesity in America is a developing problem, and not just in adults. Today, one in three American children and teens are either overweight or obese; almost triple the rate previously in 1963. Child obesity has expeditiously become one of the most genuine health challenges of the 21st century (â€Å"10 Surprising Facts About Childhood Obesity†). Physical inactivity, race, junk food in schools, the mass media, and the child’s parents flaws are all factors that have resulted in the prevalence of childhoodRead M oreChildhood Obesity Analysis1473 Words   |  6 PagesCaretakers Obesity in America is literally a growing problem, affecting every age group. Children are the most venerable group because they have no control over where they have dinner or how often they have fast food. Parents and guardians make decisions about food and are responsible for the health of children. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in the last twenty years. This is concerning because Type Two diabetes is a horrible, crippling disease that is affecting children and teens dramaticallyRead MoreTeen Obesity Essay1378 Words   |  6 Pages Teen Obesity Teen obesity is a major issue in the world that is rapidly increasing especially in the United States. It has now become one of the most serious health challenges of the 21st century according to unitypoint.org. In the last 3 decades, teen obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled among adolescents. Why you might ask. Well, children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthyRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Relatively New And Disturbing Term Essay1129 Words   |  5 PagesChildhood obesity is a relatively new and disturbing term. It is an extremely serious problem that many children in the United States face. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), approximately 12.7 million or seventeen percent of children and adolescents aged two to nineteen are considered to be obese (Childhood Obesity). This is an astronomical number and it is only continuing to ris e. According to Schroeder et al. (2016), there is approximately an addition fifteen percentRead MoreChildhood Obesity : An Epidemic876 Words   |  4 PagesChildhood Obesity Childhood obesity is more than a major issue in the United States: it is an epidemic. The number of overweight and obese children in America has increased at an alarming rate over the past years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years [1]. American Heart Association stated, â€Å"Today one in three American kids and teens are overweight or obese; nearly triple theRead MoreThe Family Nurse Practitioner ( Fnp ) Program Online At South University s Online Program865 Words   |  4 Pagesprogram online at South University’s Online Program. The topic that really interests me is childhood and adolescent obesity. I love working out, and I believe in the saying â€Å"you are what you eat†, I know how good I feel when I eat well and perform physical activity, therefore I cannot imagine life without working out. This is what personally attracts me to the issue of childhood and adolescent obesity. In the United States, Healthy People 2020 tracks children aged 2 to 19 that carry a BMI greaterRead MoreObesity has Taken Over Our Children881 Words   |  3 PagesChildhood Obesity has taken over the lives of American children in the United States. Presently, 23 million children and teens in the United States are obese (CDC 2014). This epidemic affects children of all ages and mostly minority children at a seemingly unstoppable rate. For instance, 18 percent of American children age 6 to 11 and teens ages 12 to 19 are obese (Spradlin 2012). When examining ethnicity, Caucasian American children 28.2 percent is far lower percentage when compared to that of theRead MoreChildhood Obesity : Is It The Enemy?869 Words   |  4 PagesChildhood Obesity has become a topic of national concern. There has been an extremely rapid increase in the number of obese children in the recent years. The percentage of obese children from the age of 6-11 has increased from 7% to 18% and for adolescents a ge 12-19, a 5% to 21% in a short span of about 30 years. This epidemic has grown to such a high number that it had been brought to the attention Michelle Obama, the First Lady of America, who then created a plan to try to end this Childhood ObesityRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Problem922 Words   |  4 PagesChild Obesity is a large problem in America. The childhood obesity epidemic is a serious public health problem that increases death and illnesses, and has long term economic and social costs. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that in teens ages 12 to 19, overweight rates have tripled (5.0% to 17.6%) in the last twenty five years; this is a higher percentage than in any other industrialized country. Teen obesity leads to obese adults that are going to have poor health later likeRead MoreObesity And The United States1430 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to an article, â€Å"Obesity in Children†, published through the medicine health website, the issue on childhood obesity in the United States has increased within recent years. â€Å"Today, nearly a third of youths are overweight or obese. That’s more than 23 million children and teenagers,† (Childhood Obesity in the United States). Obesity can eventually lead to different and more serious health issues. Fast food restaurants attract the attention of our younger generation and are some of the main