CHILD OBESITY

Child Obesity

Child Obesity

Ever wonder what health risks being overweight might bring? Do worry if you child is getting the right amount of physical activity? Are you on top of keeping up with your child's physical? The questions mentioned are questions committed parents should be concern about with their children. But unfortunately, there are parents not as concerned as others. In the United States, there are many contributing factors, such as poor habits starting at home, lack of physical activity, and timeless TV or computer time, to childhood obesity that can cause future complications, but parents are the principle reason for their child's weight management troubles. If they can't lead by example, then children are only going to perpetuate their parents' unhealthy habits.

Do you know the difference between being overweight and being obese? Generally, overweight is defined as above the normal or desired weight(Stone, McKenzie, 2007). Obesity is a condition in which an accumulation of body fat may negatively affect health. When an individual gets to the point of obesity, they situate themselves in harming their health that is the main difference. There a few different methods to determine the weight status in adults and children. Those are: weight tables, waist circumference, and, the most commonly used, the BMI (body mass index).

Calculating the BMI is used widely by medical professionals and it is used on adults and children. BMI calculates an individual's body weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters(Austin, 2007). It does not measure the exact body fat, but it gives an estimate. The BMI is compared to a growth chart that ranks the weight in a percentage. Weighing between the 85th to 95th percentile puts the individual at the overweight status and weighing over the 95th percentile is considered obese. Using the BMI method alone is not use to diagnose the patient. The physician will, also, use other assessments, such as ethnicity and body type, to do so.

When speaking of a parent's child overweight problem, a prideful parent may reply, “Oh let's not worry about that, it's just baby fat.” Unfortunately, the child's weight problem can be contributed to a combination of genetics, diet, and lifestyle. According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), studies have shown that obesity among children 6-19 years of age, has tripled in the past 30 years, with the most dramatic increase seen in children ages 6-11(Pratt, Woolfenden, 2007).

This widespread childhood obesity has increased the risk of developing high cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory illnesses, orthopedic problems, and juvenile diabetes along with other health conditions. These were once health problems seen once in adults only and now seen in children also. Among these health risks, the child develops psychological and social issues, as well(Austin, 2007). The child is teased and bullied by classmates, siblings, and society, itself.

They face rejection, discrimination, harassment, biases, and stereotype criticism. Facing these battles everyday leads a child to depression and low self-esteem, subsequently lead to eating disorders or suicidal ...