Childhood Obesity in Australia - Report Example

Insert full names Instructor’s name Insert Course name 4th April 2012 Executive summery Childhood obesity has become increasingly prevalent in Australia. There are different myths going on regarding the main cause of childhood obesity, some arguing inactivity leads to obesity while others believe that it is obesity that leads to inactiveness. This has brought about the need to study obesity in children, its causes and effects and how it can be prevented or treated. It is evident that modern way of life has impacted greatly on the increase in childhood obesity but there is still room for improvement despite the changing cultures in terms of leisure and the food we eat. Physical exercise as a means of reducing childhood obesity carries different views according to different scholars. Introduction Obesity in children is constantly increasing in Australia and in the rest of the world. Obesity though is confused with overweight, but being overweight can also lead to obesity. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is used as a reference for the obesity status. The BMI uses the height and weight of the child to measure how much fat an individual has. There is a special BMI calculator designed for children which is normally used when by doctors parents suspect their children being overweight. When the BMI of a child is more than the 95th percentile in terms of their sex and age then the child is considered to be overweight. Obesity results in dangerous health issues that can complicate a child’s life for the rest of his life. This report examines the causes of childhood obesity and the ways in which it can be treated particularly with the use of physical exercise and sports. Obesity, Exercise and Sports Most obesity cases in Australia, just like in many other parts of the world, are brought about by the modern way of living. Children of the current era are eating too much but exercising very less. There are various causes associated with obesity in our modern lives. Firstly of all is the technology advancement which is meant to make things easier and do away with human labour. Technology has also been used for entertainment for instance the use of computers, televisions and video games. There is a direct relationship between physical exercise and childhood obesity (Corbin & Pangrazi 23). Out of 39 countries under study, 29 of them revealed a very strong connection between media use and child obesity, and also the use of media and decreased physical activities. It is also noted that watching television is associated with the consumption of energy-dense food. Many children spend most of their working hours, approximately 75%, being inactive and only around 12 minutes doing vigorous exercise in a day (Janssen et al 46). Inadequate physical exercise is another cause of obesity. This is one of the most contributing factors of the rapid increase in childhood obesity. Physical exercise has reduced with the decrease in physical education activities in schools. In addition, children are no longer playing like the way they used to play in the past years (Burdette & Whitaker 57). They assert that the present prominence to increase physical activity in children in dealing with the issue of obesity is less important than emphasising on the need for the children to play more. Environmental factors are another cause for obesity. According to Ebbelling 68, monitoring the changes in the environment in which the child is plays a vital role in the child’s physical exercise behaviours in the present age as compared to the previous years. These environmental factors that are likely to affect the child’s physical exercise may include the cost of engaging in some physical exercises like sports, parent’s inadequate time to facilitate the active interests of the child, and the concerns about playground safety and neighbourhood. Many schools are reducing the physical activity programs and those who offer the programs are not providing as much physical exercises. High access to high-calorie and high fat foods as a modern way of living has left many children with obesity. These poor eating habits are usually passed from generation to generation and are on the increase from one generation to the other. This has also led to an increased exposure to marketing for snack and fast foods. This is seen as an easier means of survival, saving oneself from the hustle of cooking with the busy lives being experienced by the parents. Modern education has led everyone to the white collar working industry and so they find themselves having less time to attend to their children by cooking and so they opt for fast foods and snacks (Baur 20). Obesity is a dangerous conditions that cause other serious problems including; social and psychological problems which are mainly attributed to trauma and being teased by fellow children, reduced self esteem, and metabolism problems, worsening asthma, high levels of cholesterol, orthopaedic, adult obesity, and risks of diabetes. There are various strategies to prevent obesity in children like teaching children good eating habits when they are still as young as possible to avoid the use of junk and fast foods later in their lives. Healthy eating habits are appropriate for the child’s growth. Limiting television watch and other media use devices is also important. There is also the advocacy to protect the environment and the spaces available for recreational use. This can be associated with the development of parks, safe playgrounds and bike paths (Nicholas 24). The use of exercise and sports is what is going to be discussed at length as a means of preventing obesity in children. It is evident that obese or overweight children tend to be inactive. This means that obviously, there is a strong association between physical exercise and childhood obesity. It therefore begs the question, between obesity and fatness which one comes before the other? There have been different views on this; some think inactiveness is what leads to obesity while others argue that it is obesity that leads to inactiveness (Sears 19). A study carried out by Sears on children over the age of 4 to measure their physical activity levels and fat for seven consecutive days, revealed that lack physical exercise was not associated with increased body fats, but increased body fat lead to decrease in physical exercise. This is not to say that exercise and sports do not have any benefits on obese children. The same author in fact argue that while exercise had limited impact on the loss of fats in the body, it plays a major role in reducing resistance in insulin in the child’s body. Today children find themselves ain “sedimentary alternatives” (Epstein 32). For instance, they ride in a car to school or take school bus, they have limited physical education in school, and they watch television a lot and have less freedom to play on their own in the playgrounds. There is evidence that young children nowadays are becoming less active and more overweight or obese. It is believed that lack of physical exercise has contributed to 100% increase in development of obesity in children since 1980 (Corbin & Pangrazi). The International Council for Physical Education and Sports Science asserts that physical education and school sports enhances the development of respect on children on their bodies and that of others, it contributes towards the development of body and mind. The children are able to understand the role of sports and physical activity in their health, thus enhancing their self esteem and confidence in them. Physical exercise also enhances cognitive and social development and better performance in academics (ICSSPE 58). According to Burdette & Whitaker 44, unstructured outdoor play is very essential in children. It enhances the improvement in social, emotional, physical and cognitive well being of children. Parents of the obese children sometimes associate physical exercise and sports with failed attempts at losing weight, which contrasts with the positive benefits they might be having with exercising. There needs to be strategies meant to increase physical exercise with overweight children across the globe, in an effort to reduce the increasing rates of obesity in children. In an effort to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity, most guidelines encourages the normal children or youths (including those who are overweight) to dedicate 30-60 minutes of their time everyday to physical exercise that will lead to the production of sweat. The concept of ‘tailoring’ or designing physical exercise to children is very essential (Jassen 55). For example developing 10,000 steps per day for the child as an incentive program may entail different strategies for children in areas that are very urban and those that are very suburban. Physical exercise and sports provide a chance for the children to meet and socialize with other children, hence taking diverse social roles and learning specific social skills like respect for other people and tolerance. They also adjust and become team players and thus providing an experience of emotions that is not there in the rest of life (Graham et al 34). Physical activity and sports is not only important in reducing the risks connected with obesity in children but also for other reasons. It helps children develop and maintain bones that are healthy, joints as well as muscles; this reduces fats, prevents high blood pressure, reduces depression and anxiety, and through its improvement in mental fitness, it may increase the child’s performance in school (Baur 31). Conclusion Childhood obesity in Australia is really on the increase. It brings about both social and psychological problems to the child and it is upon all of us to take responsibility in preventing its prevalence. It has been said that “children learn through movement (Graham et al 33).” In addition to the health benefits of exercise and sports, movement in children is also essential. It is important to set some time for physical exercise of the child. Guidelines suggest that a child should have 30-60 minutes of physical exercise every day. As much as physical exercise is important, dietary modification that enhances healthy eating habits are also essential for the growing kid, and provision of maximum nutrition for maintaining the well being of the child is also very essential. Physical exercise and sports cannot work alone. Works cited Bowman, Janssen. “Comparison of overweight and obesity prevalence in school-aged youth from 34 countries and their relationships with physical activity and dietary patterns”. Obesity Reviews, 6: 123-132, 2005 Cara, Ebbeling.” Childhood obesity: public-health crisis, common sense cure”. New York:Lancet,2008 Epstein, Valoski M., & Vara, McCurley. “Effects of decreased sedentary behavior and increasing activity on weight change in obese children”. Health Psychology, 14, 109- 115, 1995 Heather, Graham & Robert,Parker.”Children Moving”, 5th edn. Mountain View:MayfieldPress, 2005. ICSSPE .” World Summit on Physical Education.” (Berlin, International Council for PhysicalEducation and Sport Science), 2001. Joan, Baur.“Child and adolescent obesity in the 21st century: an Australian perspective.” AsiaPacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 11, S524–S528,2001. Lucy, Burdette & Robert,Whitaker. “Resurrecting free play in young children.” Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine, 159: 46-50, 2005. Morris, Nichols. “Moving and learning: The Elementary School Physical Education Experience.” St. Louis: Mosby, 1994. Peter, Corbin & Robert, Pangrazi. “Physical activity for children: A statement of guidelines. Reston.” VA: NASPE,1998. Sears,William. “Toxic Fat”. Thomas Nelson: Nashville Read More