Health Condition and Childhood Obesity - Assignment Example

AssignmentChildhood ObesityObesity is a health condition of having excess body weight for a specified height from bone, fat, water, muscles or combination of these factors. Obesity is the result of “Caloric imbalance”, a situation where fewer calories are consumed than is expected, and this is because of a number of factors such as behavioral, environmental and genetic factors. Health statistics identify that childhood obesity has tripled in the adolescent and doubled in children, for over the past 30 years (CDC, 2013).

Additionally, the percentage of obese children aged between six to eleven years increased from 7 percent, in 1980, to 18 percent, in 2010 (CDC, 2013). Obesity or overweight is a significant health issue, which must be dealt with accordingly due to its risk factors, for cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Stanhope and Lancaster (2012), in chapter 28 and 29 of Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in Community, identifies and describes some family health risks one of them being a child and adolescent health.

These authors also identify that obesity is one of the most significant health issues affecting both young children and teenagers. Childhood obesity, in children and adolescent, has both short-term and long-term effects on well-being and health, which makes it a public health challenge. Obese teenagers have higher risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and their health related conditions than adults are. For instance, according to CDC report, 70 percent of teenagers, in 5- to 7-year-olds, had a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CDC, 2013).

Additionally, obese adolescents are at higher risks of having prediabetes, which is a health condition where blood glucose level shows high chances of developing diabetes. Obese children and teenagers are also at higher risk for joint and bone problems, and psychological and social problems such as poor self-esteem and stigmatization (CDC, 2013). Obesity’s long-term effects, which make it a public health challenge, include the likelihood of children and adolescent becoming obese adults and its related health conditions such as osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, stroke and several types of cancer.

Moreover, overweight is associated with increased risk factor for a number of cancer such as kidney, colon, breast, ovary, prostrate, cervix, bladder and pancreas cancer (CDC, 2013). Ophthalmologists being medical practitioners need to understand the effects and prevention of obesity in children and adolescent. The primary prevention strategy for this health condition is adopting healthy lifestyle habits. These include having regular physical activity and adopting healthy eating as these can lower the risk of developing obesity and related diseases (CDC, 2013).

Secondary prevention is by establishing healthy eating habits both at home, and school since these institutions significantly influence children and adolescent’s physical activity and dietary behaviors. Lastly, tertiary prevention may involve letting schools and other learning institutions establish safe and supportive environment with practices and policies, which support healthy behavior (CDC, 2013). The U.S. government has proposed a number of interventions in response to the increasing level of childhood obesity.

Planned interventions primarily target the imbalance of calorie expenditure and consumption. This was primarily focused to increase physical activity and improve diet. School and family-based interventions are also being encouraged to implement change strategies. The other intervention strategy is the use of advertising campaigns aimed at children and adolescents to regulate the impacts of the food industry (CDC, 2013). This is because fast food industry has been determined as one of the key influencers of childhood dietary behavior.

ReferencesCDC. (2013). Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. Adolescent and School Health , 1.Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community. Maryland Heights, Mo: Elsevier Mosby