Childhood Obesity in the US - Research Paper Example

Running Head: Childhood Obesity in the US Childhood Obesity in the US [Institute’s Childhood Obesity in the US Obesity is an ever-increasing problem that poses health risks to the lives of many individuals. Contrary to popular belief, obesity does not remain limited to adults. Childhood and adolescent obesity has increased from the past thirty years (Caprio, et. al., 2008). There is no agreement on the definition of childhood obesity. The Body Mass Index remains the most commonly used method to measure obesity. Other professionals also assert that a 20% higher weight of an individual of a certain height and age constitutes obesity. Others also maintain more than 25% for boys and 32% in girls (Emedicine Health, n.d). Obesity is not a problem of the under developed world. People in third world countries face the problem of malnutrition. Obesity, therefore poses health risks to the lives of people in the industrialized world. In United States alone, sixty percent of adults and fifteen percent of children come under the definition of obesity (Tessmer, Hagen, Beecher, 2006). The health hazards related to obesity create problems not only for adults, but also for children (Caprio et. al., 2008). The issue of childhood obesity remains a very challenging one. The problem of childhood obesity is of increasing prevalence. Obesity does not only affect the weight of a person, it destroys the self-esteem of a person. “Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, and depression are some of the dangerous risks of obesity” (Tessmer, Hagen, & Beecher, 2006). Different reasons are associated for this ever-increasing problem. The paper attempts to discuss those various factors. Certain factors that deserve due respect include that of cultural factors, biological factors and socioeconomic ones, as mentioned in the topic. However, these factors are not solely responsible for obesity. Specifically, parental influences and attitudes also account for an increase in youth Obesity. Many experts claim that the environment that individuals live in play an important part in determining the lifestyle of a certain person. The environment consists of culture. Sociologically, culture is a system formed by a common understanding. It also shapes the perspectives of different individuals inhibiting a certain society. With regard to obesity, different cultures have different interpretations. Some may consider obesity as a health problem, while others may not. Culture also shapes the eating and working habits of individuals (Caprio et. al., 2008). Illness and deviance form a major part of culture, therefore obesity has a strong cultural background. In some societies, obesity may come under consideration of deviance. Deviance is a divergence from certain norms and values of the society. Different ethnic groups also form different societies within a certain society, in this case the United States. Different cultural factors of various ethnic groups play a major role in a diverse society such as the US. In a country like United States, which supports different types of ethnic groups, different perspectives are most likely to occur. Culture variation therefore occurs due to migration. In addition, in the increasingly globalised world of today, culture has had a profound impact. Certain eating habits have developed because of increased international trade. Promotional food marketing has also occurred due to increased communication. Such patterns have contributed to unhealthy eating habits in the US (Caprio et. al., 2008). Values remain an important part of the culture of different societies. Although the definition of body size is generalized, different ethnic groups and populations have different perceptions about body size. Different ethnic groups reside in the US, for example, African Americans, Fijians, and sub-Saharan Africans among others. Generally, these groups prefer larger body sizes compared to Europeans. Therefore, perceptions of obesity differ. These perceptions have led to an increase in child obesity (Waters, Seidell, & Swinburn, 2010). Food consumption also plays a very important role in child obesity. Different cultural groups prefer different types of food, for example, Asians have a tendency for fresh food, while others such as African Americans prefer fast food. Targeted Advertising also plays an important role in the cultural beliefs of different ethno groups. Different value systems are created, which increases the tendency for certain ethnic groups to consume fast food. In addition, culture in the United States has also changed to support women working full time jobs. This increases the chances of fast food meals and frozen meals that contribute to obesity in children (Caprio et. al., 2008). Culture also plays an important role in the physical activity of different children. Children belonging to different ethnic groups give diverse meanings to exercise and physical activities. In the United States, some children simply are not willing to exercise. The globalized world has also led to increased technology and gadgets. All these factors hinder exercise regimes. Such cultural perceptions may lead to Child Obesity (Chikalard et. al., n.d). The cultural factor of obesity remains unchallenged, since cultural changes have contributed to the epidemic rising of obesity in United States. Another imperative factor that contributes to Child Obesity includes the biological factor. Heredity has proved to contribute to between “five and forty percent chances of obesity” (Chikalard et. al., n.d). Some studies also suggest that almost fifty to seventy percent of a person’s BMI has genetic influences. Chances of Obesity are likely to be higher if both parents are obese. “If one parent is obese, then there is twenty five to fifty percent chance of the child being obese” (Cawley, 2010). However, a very important fact needs to be established at this point. Cases of monogenic Obesity remain extremely rare. Moreover, only six cases of a single gene defect have been found. The view that genetic weakness may lead to obesity has been challenged. There is no guarantee that having genetic influence will mean that the person will also be obese. In particular, reference to the United States, no co-relation between obesity and biological factors is determined. The genetic composition of the population does not transform suddenly. Therefore, the genes of the parents have not changed rapidly. Hence, this leads to the establishment of the fact that genetics alone have not played any role for Childhood Obesity levels in the United States. It is more likely that other factors such as cultural influences and socio economic reasons have played a major role in the increasing of this health problem (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, n.d). An interesting analysis conducted by Caprio and Associates (2008) found that biological factors may also contribute to the racial and ethnic differences in Childhood Obesity. Certain racial groups especially African Americans face numerous challenges and stress. This leads to an increase plasma cortisol. This further leads to the development of obesity. However, the study itself mentions that this analysis is highly normative. There are chances of it being true. However, there is no concrete evidence to support the argument. “Socioeconomic status (SES) is another factor that plays an important role in contribution of obesity. However, SES has contributed more in adults than in children. There occurs an inverse relationship between SES and Obesity” (Cawley, 2010). It has been an observation that this issue is more common in Hispanic and African Americans, seeing an increase of almost one hundred and twenty percent compared to a mere fifty percent in non-Hispanic Whites. Moreover, children belonging to lower status usually live in areas where there is less space available for exercise and physical activity. In addition, the neighborhoods are not very safe either. There are also no community centers established in these areas. Therefore, physical inactivity also contributes to obesity among children. However, numerous studies also assert that the relationship is generally weaker in children. Socioeconomic status therefore holds true for adults more than it does for children (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, n.d). Keeping aside the view of the racial and ethnic population, economics as a discipline has particularly affected the rates of childhood obesity. A common trend is noticeable in the decrease in the real price of junk food such as Coke and burgers. Such fast food contributes to higher obesity levels in children. Cawley (2010) mentions a research that found reductions in the price of food contributes to around forty-one of the rise in young children’s BMI. The agricultural policy of the government of the United States in particular is also at blame for childhood obesity. One such policy of price support requires producers to give some specific amount of funds to advertising and research. Fast food items are usually advertized, leading to a rise in the chances of youth obesity. Income of certain specific groups also plays a major role in contributing to the increasing trend of childhood obesity. Generally, if income increases, the household will increase their spending on the consumption of healthier foods. However, this view has been challenged with the fact that some households may also substitute a rise in their income by spending more money eating out. This contributes to an increase in the BMI (Cawley, 2010). Therefore, there remains no substantial co relation between income and childhood obesity. The paper has explained in detail all the factors mentioned in the topic. These factors have been refuted with certain arguments that not all the factors contribute specifically to obesity in children, especially in the United States. Some other factors are also worth discussing. These may include parental influences. It is in a child’s innate ability to exercise. However, in today’s modern world, children need constant parental support. This is because the modern world has created many distractions for the children. These include television, computer, video games, and other such gadgets. In addition, children look up to their parents for support and guidance. Research (Collip, 1980) has proved that children who have normal and active parents have very less chances of becoming obese, nearing seven percent. However, children who have obese parents have an eighty percent chance of being overweight as well. If parents are an active role model for children, then the chances of child obesity are likely to become less in the United States (Collip, 1980). Parents play an important role in determining the eating habits of children. Working parents are more likely to provide their children with ready and frozen meals. In addition, different studies have also shed light to the fact that breastfeeding offers a protection against the chances of obesity. The reason for this theory is that bottle formula contains complex sugar and fats that contribute to obesity later in life. Another trend worth mentioning is that of an increase in female employment. The rise in women working outside the house enjoys a positive relationship with weight problems in children. Numerous reasons account for this. Children are less likely to be supervised, and may employ ‘sedentary’ activities. Chances of unsupervised children spending time indoors are likely to be higher. Moreover, childcare centres do not offer nutritional diets (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, n.d). Therefore, studies show that parental attitudes are an increasing factor for an increase in childhood obesity in the United States. Obesity poses numerous risks for individuals, especially among children. Health risks are not the sole concern anymore. Economically, obesity contributes to significant problems such as labor market costs to the obese individual and the employer. Therefore, factors outlined above hold great importance. Childhood Obesity has amplified to such large proportions that it is referred to as an epidemic as well. As discussed in the paper, biological influences play a minimal role in the increase of Childhood Obesity. Cultural factors remain extremely imperative. Socioeconomic factors may also contribute, but just to a certain level. Lastly, the paper has attempted to discuss another factor contributing to Childhood Obesity, refuting the claim that only the three reasons mentioned in the topic play a vital role. Parental influences and attitudes influence youth obesity, and the paper has contributed studies that prove this fact. The paper therefore proves that various factors have contributed to a rise in this epidemic. An economic perspective is also given. This shows that childhood obesity creates variety of problems, relating to productivity and health care costs. References Caprio, S.; Daniels, S. R., Drewnowski, A., Kaufman, F. R.; Palinkas, L. A.; Rosenbloom, A. L.; Schwimmer, J. B. (2008). “Influence of Race, Ethnicity, and Culture on Childhood Obesity: Implications for Prevention and Treatment.” Diabetes Care. Research Library. Cawley, J. (2010). “The Economics of Childhood Obesity.” Health Affairs. (pp. 365-366). ABI/INFORM Global. Chikalard, K., Kauer, M., McKay, S., Pugh, L., & Staples, J. (n.d.). Introduction. Factors that motivate children to stay fit and the role of childhood Obesity prevention programs worldwide (pp. 1-2). Childhood Obesity. (n.d.). Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, HHS. Retrieved June 16, 2011: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/ Obesity in Children: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention. (n.d.). Emedicine health. Retrieved June 16, 2011: www.emedicinehealth.com/obesity_in_children/article_em.htm Tessmer, K. A., Hagen, M., & Beecher, M. (2006). “Looking for Answers.” Conquering Childhood Obesity for Dummies (pp. 7-8). Wiley Publishing Inc. Waters, E., Swinburn, B., & Seidell, J. (2010). “Socio-cultural issues and body image.” Preventing Childhood Obesity: Evidence Policy and Practice (pp. 138-140). Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Limited. Read More