Chances of obesity and cases of overweight in children is an increasing phenomenon in the North American region and even globally. Statistics show that about 22 million of children who are at an age of below 5 years worldwide are suffering from overweight ( Tahphaichitr, ). In the United States alone, it has been observed that for the past thirty years, the number of overweight children has been doubling up. Similar trends are observed worldwide and that this case affects both the developing and the developed countries. It has been observed that overweight and obesity in children also comes along with other complications in children. Among the most common are high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and other insulin-related complications (Kida). The cases of increased mortality rates and morbidity in the entire lifecycle of an individual are closely associated with overweight and obesity as the primary factors. It has been observed that obesity in childhood may increase the prevalence of deaths in the later stages of development, hence the epidemic of adulthood obesity is closely linked with the childhood obesity.
There has been a consistent increment in the obesity prevalence in children both in their pre-school age and at their adolescence stage (Freedman). This increment has been observed in almost all tongues and kindred all over the world according to the statistical records of National Health and Nutrition Surveys (NHS) of the United States, shows that currently, nearly 8% of the total number of children in the United States are overweight. This study also shows that the feminine gender is more affected than the male gender (Freedman). The same study shows that for over a span of 20 years, there has been a double increment in the prevalence for obesity and overweight in girls while that in boys have been found to be less than 25%. This prevalence increment, however, is noted to increase by two-fold in boys as well as in girls who are in the age of 6 years and above (Freedman).
This increment is also largely affected by the ethnicity of the individual. For instance, the study shows that the prevalence of overweight is highest in children from the Mexican American ethnic group and lowest among the children of the non-Hispanic whites (NJ, A., Jacques,). Another case study in Louisiana showed that the prevalence for overweight among children of between the age of 5 to 24 years from a biracial society increased by double for a period of 21 years: that is from 1973-1994.
Other alarming trends are also witnessed in a civilized and industrialized environment. For example, in Japan, the prevalence of overweight children who are in the pre-school age increased from 5% to 10% within a span of 20 years from 1974 to 1993 (NJ, A., Jacques,).. Under the same period of time, the prevalence of children suffering serious obese condition increased from 1% to 2%. However, obesity and overweight in children cannot be generally attributed entirely to the level of technology a given country has attained. This is because similar alarming trends of increment have been witnessed in developing countries as well. In countries such as Malawi, South Africa, Egypt and some of eastern Asia countries, have a number of overweight children than in the United States (Williams, L, 2001).
Childhood obesity and overweight lead to adulthood obesity.
Many studies have been done on this topic and prove that occurrence of obesity in children can be used to predict the chances of overweight in adults (Williams). According to the study done by Goran (2001), shows that the chances of obesity at the age of 35 for children with the Basal Metabolic index during the 85th – 95th percentiles did increase with a proportional increase in the age. Hence he concluded that the chances of overweight in adult directly depends on the age at which overweight was present in the child. According to (Whitaker), the chances of adult obesity is greater when at least one of the parents of the child is obese or overweight (Williams).
Prevention of the childhood obesity.
It has been noted that continual intake and consumption of energy with less engagement of physical activities are the primary causes of overweight in both adults and children (Williams). Exercise is always considered to be the best treatment for obesity and overweight, however, this can only apply in the early stages. In regard to the childhood obesity, we can engage in a three-stage model of prevention. There is primordial prevention, whose primary objective is to maintain the BMI at a constant level throughout the childhood and adolescence stage, primary prevention; which is aimed at already overweight children and preventing them from becoming obese and finally the secondary prevention which is majorly concerned about treating obese children (Williams). One of the key requirements in the obesity prevention and cure is the abstinence from foods which are energy dense and promoting the consumption of vegan diet (Williams).
Childhood obesity: causes and consequences
Childhood obesity is basically a situation of possession of excess fats in the body. It is one of the serious health problems affecting our age. This is a global problem affecting both the developed and the developing countries. Statics shows that the total number of overweight children globally by the year 2010 was 34 million in the developing countries; which is only one million less than the overweight children in the developed countries.
It is not debatable that generally, obesity is caused by the disproportional consumption of foods rich in high energy to their expenditure. This is entirely associated with the lifestyle of an individual and the dietary preferences (Onis, M., Blössner). However, some studies show that childhood obesity may also be associated with the genetic makeups of an individual. The following are some of the causes of childhood obesity.
Genetics. The genetic make-up of an individual is closely associated with the high risks of obesity in individuals. This is as a result of some study that suggests that the Basal Metabolic Index of an individual is about 25% to 40% inheritable (Onis, M., Blössner). However, for the genetic factor to effectively affect the BMI, then the environmental factors, as well as behavioral factors, needs to be involved. Research shows that genetics contributes only up to less than 5% of the chances of obesity in children.
Another potential cause of Childhood obesity is the Basal metabolic rate. This is the rate at which the body spends its energy on the normal body activities (Williams). In adults, about 60% of the total energy is used during metabolism and thus it has been suggested that obese individuals or children have low basal metabolic rates (Onis, M., Blössner). Hence basal metabolic rates are likely to be responsible for the increasing obesity in children.
Dietary factors have been keenly studied and found out to be responsible for the chances of obesity in children and even of overweight. Dietary factors such as consumption of sugary beverages, relatively fast food consumption, snacking and portion sizes have been regarded as senior causes of overweight and obesity in children (Williams).
Fast food consumption has been in recent past associated with childhood obesity. It has been found out that most families, especially families where both parents are working class like fast foods places in that they are convenient in time-saving and are less costly. They then expose their kids to such places at a tender age not knowing that the foods that are being served there contain a high amount of energy with less nutritional value (Williams). When this process continues without the parents engaging their children in rigorous physical exercise to burn up the excess calories, then there would result in a drastic imbalance in the consumption of calories and the expenditure. This will, in turn, leads overweight or obese in children.
In the consumption of sugary foods and beverages, increases the basal metabolic index. This study was conducted from 1996 to 1998 among children of the age bracket of 9-14 years (Williams, L, 2001). These sugary beverages have been noted to be very potential causes of childhood obesity. Many people have always thought that sugary drinks are only sodas and their products, however, all other sweetened drinks are embraced in this topic (Goran). In the studies which have been done on the relationship between sugary drinks and weight, it has been found out that sugary beverages lead to overweight.
Snack foods. This is another factor which has been found out to cause obesity. Snack foods comprise of any food which does not form part of the main meal (Goran). They are usually eaten between meals. Snack foods comprise of all manner of foods such as biscuits, chips and such like foods. Snacking has been observed to increase the overall calorie intake. Since they are associated with high calories, then it follows that chances of obesity from these meals are high. However, there is no current study which shows the true position of snacking and overweight.
Environmental factors. The environment in which a child is raised may have a direct impact on the health status of the individual. Use of media devices and extensive watching of television are some of the activities which have replaced physical exercise (Goran). There has been less time spent in doing bodily physical activities. Many children are being driven to school by their parents hence less time to walk for long distance as a means of conducting a physical exercise. The study shows that such children are more prevalent to obesity than children who are not driven to school (Goran).
In conclusion, overweight and childhood obesity is an alarming health epidemic which needs to be addressed. There has been a consistent increase in the prevalence of overweight and childhood obesity both in developed and developing countries. It has also been noted that obesity and overweight are closely linked with the insulin-related complications. There are various causes of childhood obesity, ranging from environmental factors to dietary (Goran). When these factors are closely and keenly taken into account then the chances of obesity in children may be eradicated (Goran).
Work cited.
Kida, K., Ito, T., Yang, S. W., Tahphaichitr, V. (2001) Effects of western diet on risk factors of chronic diseases in Asia. Bendich, A. Deckelbaum, RJ eds. Preventive Nutrition: The Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals 435–446.2nd ed., Humana Press Inc Totowa,
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Williams, C. L. (2001) Can childhood obesity be prevented? Bendich, A. Deckelbaum, RJ eds.Primary and Secondary Preventive Nutrition 185–204. Humana Press Totowa, NJ.
Freedman, D. S., Srinivasan, S. R., Valdez, R. A., Williamson, D. F., Berenson, G. S. (1997) Secular increases in relative weight and adiposity among children over two decades: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics 99: 420–426.
de Onis, M., Blössner, M. (2000) Prevalence and trends of overweight among pre-school children in developing countries. Am J Clin Nutr 72: 1032–1039.
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