Childhood obesity: Future directions and priorities - Research Paper Example

?Running head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY Childhood Obesity Introduction Childhood obesity is a disorder that is continually on the increase, especially in the United States. The effects of this disorder range from economic to social, and victims are often faced with various challenges as they go on with life. It is estimated that the cost of childhood obesity is $139 billion, a large figure by all accounts. Childhood obesity is also a precursor to future obesity for the people involved. The disorder plays a major role in the development of certain diseases such as heart attack. The causes of childhood obesity range from socio-economic conditions to environmental influences. Since curative measures of the disorder are yet to be available, preventive measures have to be put in place to ensure that children do not suffer from this disorder. Childhood obesity poses a serious threat to the development of society as well as to the person involved. This paper will explore childhood obesity, its effects, prevalence, and the dangers it poses to the society. Literature Review The number of children suffering from childhood obesity has been on a steady increase (Hill & Trowbridge, 1998). This increase poses a major threat to the economy of the country, as well as to the lives of the obese children. The number of children diagnosed as obese in 2006 stands at 17%, a sharp contrast to the 6.5% rate that was present in the 80’s (Li & Hooker, 2010). The high prevalence of obese children in the country may be an indication of the changing lifestyle in the country. This is because obesity is mostly associated with the lifestyle of a person. A CDC report indicates that approximately 45% of the children are not exclusively breastfed for the first six months, meaning that they are fed on other foods. Another report shows that approximately 10.9% of the children aged below 4 months are already being fed supplemental foods (Dolinsky, Siega-Riz, Perrin, & Armstrong, 2011). These changes in lifestyle have, therefore, been a catalyst in the increment of obesity in children in the United States. Sugar is a form of food that provides the body with energy. However, when taken in excess, the sugar can be dangerous to the body and can cause obesity. Sweetened beverages and other forms of intake that contain sugar have become common with the changing lifestyles. Their continued intake can become a source of childhood obesity (Dolinsky, Siega-Riz, Perrin, & Armstrong, 2011). In addition, supplemental foods also play a great role in bringing about childhood obesity. All these factors are caused by changes in lifestyles, a major contributor to the increment in childhood obesity. The effect of childhood obesity is a serious problem that must be catered for. Children suffering from this disorder are at a higher risk of premature death. In a study involving approximately 5000 American children, 166 deaths were recorded. Children with higher BMI were twice as likely to die before reaching the age of 55 (Franks, Hanson, Knowler, Sievers, Bennett, & Looker, 2010). Their deaths were found to be related to the obesity. Another research has shown that children suffering from obesity are more likely to suffer from obesity as adults, which has long been considered a precursor for heart attack. This means that having obesity as a child increases the risk of acquiring other diseases which may be catastrophic (Scherer, 2009). In addition, obese children are at a higher risk of developing hypertension which is mostly associated with diabetes type II. These researches have shown that if left unchecked, the disorder can be dangerous to the health of the victim and to the economic conditions of the country. The economic effects of child obesity are startling. As of 1990, this disorder was estimated to cost the economy $69 billion, a figure that has increased to $139 as of 2003 (Li & Hooker, 2010). These figures illustrate the extent to which the disorder afflicts the country. Most of the costs incurred by the disorder are mostly health costs. The disorder may bring about direct and indirect costs to the economy, either through its treatment or the treatment of other diseases that are brought about by the disorder. These costs are, however, only health costs. Obese people have reduced output meaning that they cannot achieve their full potential in terms of work, and thus the country suffers losses in terms of loss of manpower. The exact costs of such losses are hard to quantify given that few people suffer from obesity to the extent of seeking help before the situation gets out of hand. Childhood obesity can also be acquired through inheritance (Watson, 2008). A person is likely to become obese if their parents were obese. This hereditary trait mixes with other environmental factors, and the result is obesity in children. However, healthy eating, coupled with other measures such as exercising, can reduce the chances of a person being obese. Most traits found in people run in their families. As children, females are more prone to obesity. In addition to this, there is a great disparity in terms of race and people who are obese. White children are least likely to develop obesity as opposed to their Black or Hispanic counterparts (Watson, 2008). Childhood obesity varies with age and gender of the child (Li & Hooker, 2010). This means that these two factors play a major role in the development of childhood obesity. According to Li and Hooker (2010), these factors interact with the environment and this brings about different obese results in children (Li & Hooker, 2010). In addition, family also plays a role in the development of obesity in children. Lawrence, Hazlett and Hightower (2010) contend that family plays a vital role in the development of the child and, therefore, may be contributing factors to childhood obesity (Lawrence, Hazlett, & Hightower, 2010). The causative factors of obesity in children are, however, multidimensional and cannot be grouped together. Such factors include the environments in which children grow. These environments play a crucial role in the development of children and thus cannot be taken for granted. Children spend time away from home and these new environments also play a role in the development of the child. School going children are likely to develop behaviors based on influences from their peers. Conceptual Framework There are many social psychological theories that may be used to analyze the problem of obesity. The Economic Transition Theory seeks to explore how the epidemic can be curbed in society. The theory states that due to advancement in lifestyles, unhealthy foods have become cheaper than healthy foods and this means that people have opted for the cheaper foods (Kopelman, Caterson, & Dietz, 2009). As has already been noted, lifestyle is one of the contributing factors towards obesity. The implication is that as people grow more industrialized, they become more reliant on factory foods. The spread of American fast food outlets in the world has seen an increase in access of these foods. Lifestyle changes have, therefore, been partly catalyzed by access and influences. Parents, unable to find time because of the tight schedules at work, have turned to fast foods and supplemental foods to replace breastfeeding. Providing children with such foods has increased the rate of prevalence for childhood obesity. However, the same theory can be used to tackle the problem as people can use their financial ability to access healthier foods, and in the process improve their lives. The Cognitive Dissonance Theory explores the circumstances that arise when an attitude in a person conflicts with events in the current time (Matthey & Regner, 2011). In obesity, the need to eat cheap food, which is mostly seen as unhealthy, conflicts with the need to stay healthy. In addition, the need to overeat also conflicts with this goal. In such a situation, the person involved makes a choice between the alternatives. In this case, a person can choose to breastfeed her child or give supplements, which put the child at risk of developing obesity, but provide the parent with free time to engage in other activities. These alternatives are the dissonance in this case. The theory can curtail the increment of childhood obesity through understanding of the consequences of certain actions commonly held as the norms. If people were to learn which choices to make during such circumstances, then the rate of childhood obesity would ultimately go down as the risk factors would be reduced. For this study, the Cognitive Dissonance Theory will be used as a preventive theory. This is because it captures the essence of childhood obesity and also gives measures that can be taken to avert it. It is important to note that cognitive dissonance perceives childhood obesity as a matter of choice rather than forced circumstance. This study will discuss its results using this theory. Problem Statement Childhood obesity poses a threat to the health of the children and also to their economic and social lives. The cost of childhood obesity in terms of health and other costs, such as acquired diseases, are proof that the disorder can have serious effects on the economy. This study posits that choice between alternatives is the major cause of childhood obesity and will seek to find measures that can be put in place to reduce its prevalence depending on the group of people affected. The literature review will enable the research to find measures that can be put in place to curb the development of childhood obesity. Methodology Sample The sample to be used in the survey to find out the causes of obesity in given groups of people will be representative of the current prevalence of the disorder in that group. The whites have fewer children suffering from childhood obesity but the Hispanics and Blacks have a higher prevalence. The sample group will consist of 100 people drawn from each representative group. To avoid selection bias, it is important to divide the target group into different quotas which are representative of prevalence rates in that particular group. The whites will, therefore, consist of 20 subjects with the Hispanics and Black people providing 40 subjects each. For this study, the research will define children as those aged 13 years and below. The economic background of each of the participants will be verified, although they will be selected at random. Economic factors play a major role in the determination of whether a child can be obese or not, since poor people tend to have poor eating habits. This is because of the economic conditions experienced by the family. Sampling Technique The number of groups involved in the study is quite large, and picking people randomly out of convenience may lead to non-representative results. It is, therefore, important to find a sampling technique that will represent all groups involved. The quota sampling technique will be used in this study as it will enable the researcher to divide the people into different groups. In addition, environmental factors play a role in the development of the child. Obesity in children may be linked to the environmental factors and thus it is important for the study to select different environments to prove that the environment is actually a culprit in childhood obesity. In addition, the study will be able to list favorable factors that will lead to healthy children. Since the aim of this study is to find out measures that can be put in place to curb children obesity, this would be of great importance. Type of data to be collected Quantitative data will be used as it enables the study to analyze the data in a more meaningful way. The type of data to be collected will come from the subjects in the study. Subjects will provide their names, age and their weight. Their background information will also be collected. This information is vital in determining what the causative factors in childhood obesity are. Since the children may be too young to answer questions effectively, the presence of a guardian or parent will play a great role in data collection. Apart from the information about the background of the subject, the study will also collect information on the diets that a subject is most likely to consume, and the reason such a diet is appropriate for him. To ease analysis, the study will record this information in numerical values. This will enable the researcher to find out which factors play the greatest role in childhood obesity. Instrument to be used Questionnaires A questionnaire is a useful tool in any kind of research as it is cost effective and gives the researcher time to conduct the study in a thorough way. The questionnaire to be used in this study will consist of open and closed-end questions. This is because some factors cannot be generalized and will, therefore, require individual answers on the subject. The open-ended questions are qualitative in nature but will be quantified during data analysis. The questionnaire will be administered to the subject in a controlled environment. Using questionnaires in this research will provide subjects with privacy as they will answer the questions on their own, and this will reduce anxiety or expectations from the subject. Information Protection Participant privacy and confidentiality will be protected throughout the study. The information provided on the questionnaires will only be used for the purposes of this study. This information will not be provided to third parties by the researcher, either with malicious intent or to profit from the information. All confidential data will be secured and will only be published if required by law or with consent from the information owner. This will ensure that the information is only accessed by authorized parties and will only be stored as required by law and discarded thereafter. Data security is one of the most important aspects in any research. Providing security to the information collected in research is important because subjects can only provide information if they are assured of confidentiality. For this research, data will be secured since no personal information will be published with the results of the study. This will ensure that information does not get to third parties who are unauthorized to access it. Procedure The study will administer questionnaires to subjects in a private manner. All subjects will be interviewed privately. This will enable the research to provide privacy and confidentiality. In addition, obesity can be stigmatizing, and this means that the study has to boost confidence in the subject. Before administering the questionnaires, the participants will be debriefed on the purpose of the study and how they stand to benefit from it. This will be done during the piloting process in which the participants will be identified and their consent sought. The study will not pay the participants and they are expected to engage in the study from their free will. The debriefing will involve informing the participants about childhood obesity, the role of the subject and what purpose the research aims to achieve. The actual research will involve administering questionnaires to the participants in a private setting. To increase confidentiality, the questionnaires will be administered in a setting that is convenient for the subject such as at home. The researcher will introduce the questionnaire and proceed to explain to the subject how the questions are structured. Since most questions will be closed-end, the participant will be informed on what each of the answers provided presents. For qualitative questions, the participant will be provided with examples of how such questions will be answered. The presence of the researcher will be required in order to clarify unclear issues in the questionnaire. The researcher will welcome questions from the subject after the study. After the questionnaire has been administered, the researcher will thank the subject and leave. The information collected will be analyzed, with all possible causes of childhood obesity being rated. This rating will be done at the end of the study. The rating will use a Likert scale modified to suit the study. A scale of 1-4 will be used with 1 representing a weak factor and 4 representing the strongest factor. Quantifying the results using this scale will enable the researcher to analyze the data and provide definitive results. In addition, the age of the participants will also be used as factors in the analysis. Given the quotas used, the study will examine whether children from each quota experience similar or different factors. Factors playing a role in childhood obesity in all the quotas will be examined independently and compared with other quotas to determine the differences. The results of the analysis will then be submitted for review by relevant authorities. Discussion Implications The findings of the research are expected to highlight the main causes of childhood obesity. Specifically, the factors expected include lifestyles and environmental factors. These factors will change certain psychological factors such as those of lifestyles. Eating sweetened foods is only a catalyst to obesity in children, and if this research proves that continued intake of such foods poses a risk to children, the society can change its attitudes towards this kind of foods (Wisman & Capehart, 2010). In addition, the notion that obesity is a factor of genes is not in doubt, but this research will prove that this factor can be inhibited and thus change the social attitude towards hereditary behavior. The results are expected to challenge the economic transition trait, as some people in a similar economic group are still healthy. If people can control their lifestyles by recognizing the negative effects of some habits, then this research will support the cognitive dissonance theory. This is because it will argue that providing people with a conflicting choice, the society will choose the better option, in this case, health. It is, therefore, expected that this research will train people on good health issues and with regard to childhood obesity and reduce occurrences of the disorder. The study is also expected to debunk the myth that genes are the only culprits in childhood obesity. Applications The results from the study can be used to train people on childhood obesity, its causes, and how it can be prevented. This would have a great impact on health issues and if successfully implemented, it would reduce the cost of childhood obesity to the nation. In addition, the research can be replicated in other disorders which affect the nation. It would, therefore, be applicable to other lifestyle disorders faced by the society. Adult obesity, which has been linked with childhood obesity, can also benefit from this study as people will learn of preventive measures that can be taken to reduce chances of obesity as adults. Weakness Given the large number of people affected by the disorder, this study uses a sample that is too small and might not be representative of the whole group. This weakness may render the results insignificant if the study was done in a larger population. The assumption that choice is the major cause of childhood obesity leaves out the investigation of other possible causes of the disorder and thus, the study is limited in its scope. This may, therefore, lead to results that are partial. Future Research One of the weaknesses of this research is the reliance on a small number of subjects. This means that over a large population, the results may differ significantly. It would be important that this research be replicated in a larger population with larger quotas. This study can also be improved through use of professionals in data analysis. This would improve the results as they would be compared with current data on childhood obesity. In addition, the study has left gaps such as the influence of genes on obesity. Studying the effect of genes on a large scale research would provide a better overview of whether it plays a major role in the determination of childhood obesity. This is because it has been proved that hereditary traits such as the likelihood of this kind of disorder can be inhibited, and thus reduces their impact on the health of a person. Factors that play a role in inhibiting such traits can be identified and this information disseminated to enable people to play a preventive role rather than a curative one in fighting childhood obesity. Conclusion The cost of childhood obesity is too great to be ignored. The disorder has become one of the main problems for the society despite its being preventable. The cognitive dissonance theory explains how choice between alternatives can affect the health of a child. The research is expected to identify lifestyles and other environmental factors as the main culprits in childhood obesity. The importance of this study will be to provide information on the causes of this disorder and thereby lead to measures that can be put in place to prevent its occurrence. Some of the shortfalls in this study include lack of a larger group of participants, meaning that the results may not be fully representative. In summary, the study is expected to provide useful information which can be used to prevent childhood obesity as well as other health disorders. References Dolinsky, D. H., Siega-Riz, A. M., Perrin, E., & Armstrong, S. C. (2011). Recognizing and preventing childhood obesity. 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