Childhood Obesity

Obesity among children is increasing at a rapid rate. This increase is attributed to changes in technology and lifestyle. Various researchers have carried out study on the cases, effects, and preventive measures that parents should do to help prevent high cases of obesity. The paper delineate on the studies of various researchers point of view about the topic of childhood obesity.

Wickins, D. & Williams, G. (2010). Ethical and public policy aspects of childhood obesity: opinions of scientists working on an intervention study. Obesity Reviews. 11(18):620-626.

According to Wickins and Williams (2010), the major causes of obesity among children are environmental factors as opposed to genetics. They affirm that the changes in the living styles and lack of physical exercises contribute to the increasing cases of obesity among children. Furthermore, it is not enough for parents and children to be given the responsibility of ensuring that they help reduce the prevalence of the disease, rather, all stakeholders should come on board to fight the disease that continues to affect many families. Therefore, it is imperative that both long term and sensitive policy measures be put in place instead of overreliance on quick method such as miracle pills. It is also important that media assists by passing out positive message to the audiences on the best practices to help curtail prevalence of the disease. Other intervention measures may include, political debates, and setting up of effective and helpful policy measures as well as considerations of social economic factors.

Haemer, M. et al. (2011). Building Capacity for Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment in the Medical Community: Call to Action. Supplement 2, 128: 71-77.

Many medical systems are not fully equipped with appropriate strategies of treating and preventing obesity among children. For instance, the US medical system has some gaps that need to be filled to ensure that best policies are adopted in dealing with the problem. It is also appropriate for childhood obesity specialists to partner with professionals and schools of medicine and other organizations to provide quality and improved obesity treatment and preventive services to the affected children. Most important is that the strategies chosen should be able to realize positive results in the fight against obesity among children.

Puder, J. J, & Munsch, S. (2010). Psychological correlates of childhood obesity. International Journal of Obesity. Supplement 2, 34: 37.

According to Puder & Munsch (2010), Obesity in children represent a dynamic process whereby emotional regulation, cognition and behavior interact mutually with each other. Family context and structure which includes family and parental attitude, nutritional patterns, activity, family stress contribute to the onset and maintenance of obesity and overweight among children. Therefore, emotional and behavioral problems are associated with most of the obese children. Hence, to prevent obesity in children, early detection of these psychological factors that contribute to its development is important to be considered.

Robert S., & Zsolt, C. (2011). The Effect of Childhood Obesity on Social Welfare. Journal of Modern Accounting & Auditing. 797):758-766.

According to Robert & Zsolt (2011), fast food or foods with high levels of fats, sugar and salt causes obesity and are the most populous diets by young people. For instance, 12% of young people visit fast food restaurants on regular basis. Despite warnings of the health, hazards on consumption of fats foods, many people especially parents and young people and children continue to feed on these foods. It is also important to note that the cost of treating an overweight person is higher by 42% compared to a person with normal weight. Therefore, children should not be provided foods that have a lot of fats, junk foods, sugary and salty as they cause obesity leading to increased in costs of seeking medical attention.

Kuku, O., Garasky, S., & Gundersen, C. (2012). The relationship between childhood obesity and food insecurity: a nonparametric analysis. Applied Economics. 44 (21):2667-2677.

In US and developing countries, childhood obesity and food security are a major concern by public health. Varied studies suggest that food security has direct correlation with the childhood obesity while others oppose this paradigm. The differences varies in terms of gender, level of income and race or ethnicity, however the relationship between childhood obesity and food security still remains important policy implications.

Datar, A., & Nicosia, N. (2012). Junk Food in Schools and Childhood Obesity. Journal of Policy Analysis & Management. 31(2):12-337.

In US it is estimated that one-third of children are overweight. According to Datar & Nicosia (2012), regardless of limited medical evidence, there is a growing concern that availability of junk food in schools contribute to children obesity. In the study conducted, despite the fact that children feed on junk foods, only a few number of children were found to have affected by such foods.

Maher, J., Fraser, S., & Wright, J. (2010). Framing the mother: childhood obesity, maternal responsibility and care. Journal of Gender Studies, 19(3):233-247.

In most developed countries, the prevalence of obesity among child has stimulated both social and institutional responses. The responsibility of ensuring normal weight amongst children has elicited mixed reactions. Mothers are at the center stage in ensuring that they monitor their children weight. Maternal responsibility of mothers should entail such duties in order to ensure that obesity among children is well fought.

Au, N. (2012). The Health Care Cost Implications of Overweight and Obesity during Childhood. Health Services Research. 47(2):655-676.

According to Au (2012), children under the age of 5 years who suffer from obesity are associated with increased pharmaceutical costs and medical care costs. Therefore, it is important that preventive measures are provided to ensure that children do not become obese at their tentative years. This will reduce the financial burden incurred by healthy providers.

Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC). (2012). Adolescents and school health. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm

According to Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) (2012), childhood obesity has tripled for the last 30 years with the percentage of children aged 6-11 years that were obese in US increasing from 7% in 1980 to 20% in 1980. The major cause of obesity is due to imbalance in calories in the body brought about by consumption of high calories compared to those that are burned. Other causes include genetics, environmental and behavioral factors. Obesity has some health effects to children including causing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, bone and joint problems among others. Long term effects of include heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

Alabama Co operative Extension system. News line: Childhood obesity.

Retrieved from: http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspaper/child-obesity.html

The United States and other countries around the world are faced with problem of obesity with approximately one out of five children aged between the ages of 5-17 being obese. Some of the causes of obesity among children include plenty supply of foods rich in high calories, sugar, and fats and lack of physical exercises. All the stakeholders need to join hands to fight the problem lest it proves difficult.