Childhood Obesity: Causes, Impacts, and Prevention

Childhood obesity is a condition in which excess body fat impacts the health and wellbeing of a child. This article explores the causes, impacts, and prevention of childhood obesity. It also discusses the relationship between childhood obesity and cancer, social determinants of health, and upstreaming approach to nursing care.

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Childhood obesity
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Childhood obesity
Childhood obesity is a condition in which excess body facts impacts the health and well-
being of a child. This is determined by measuring the body mass index of the child. Obesity in
children is caused by different factors. These include behavioral factors like overconsumption of
processed foods, eating large portions of food and spending too much time watching television,
environmental factors like having easy access to high calorie food and few physical activity
opportunities, and medical conditions like genetic syndromes and hormonal conditions.
Additionally, childhood obesity can be as a result of genetics and medications being taken
(Sahoo et al. 2015).
significance of childhood obesity
The increased obesity among children is a pressing concern which affects children and
adolescents. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2016), 17% of 2 to 19-
year-old of American children are obese, triple the percentage since 1970. Moreover, the number
of obese infants and young children aged between 0 and 5 globally increased from 32 million in
1990 t0 41 million in 2016 (World Health Organization, 2016). Childhood obesity is alarming in
light of the fact that it begins children in the way of medical issues. This has negative impacts on
the individual children, family members and the community. Children with obesity risk social
and emotional complications like low self-esteem and being bullied, behavior and learning
problems and depression, and physical complications like asthma, diabetes, sleep apnea, liver
diseases, cancer and metabolic syndrome. Childhood obesity affects the family social life,
influences the family dietary and also makes family members spend a lot of money taking care of
the children. Furthermore, childhood obesity leads to unhealthy community as well as increased
costs of care.

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relationship between the health issue and at least one of the Australian National
Health Priorities
Childhood obesity is related to cancer, one of the Australian National Health Priorities. In
terms of morbidity, mortality and cost, cancer highly impacts the Australian community. Cancer
is a disease which results when cellular changes cause uncontrolled growth and division of cells.
Although being obese does not necessarily mean that one will develop cancer, the chances are
less if one is of healthy weight. According to Lauby-Secretan et al. (2016), the body fats are
associated with increased risks of cancers. This is because obese people have low chronic-
inflammation which can cause a damage to DNA overtime hence cancer. Children who have
obesity are likely to have disorders that may lead to cancer. The fat tissues in obese children are
may also produce excessive amounts of oxygen which risks endometrial, breast and ovarian
cancers. Additionally, fat cells may directly or indirectly stimulate the growth of cells. As one of
the Australian National Health Priorities, the rates of cancer can be reduced by preventing
childhood obesity. Childhood obesity can also affect the cancer risk by changing the mechanical
properties of the body as well as altering the immune responses (De Pergola and Silvestris 2013).
Therefore, to help stack the odds against cancer, parents should ensure that their children do not
gain more weight or try reducing their weight.
relationship between childhood obesity and three of the Social Determinants of
Health
Childhood obesity is a key concern in the public health which is affecting children
worldwide. Obesity is also influenced by the social determinants of health. The social
determinants of health are the non-medical issues which influence the health of an individual.
The aim of social determinants of health is to create a conducive social and physical environment

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that promote good health. The prevalence of the social determinants of health however differs
according to an individual child’s stages of obesity. One social determinant of health related to
childhood obesity is the food preferences. This is because some food has high calories while
others have low calories. The food that children consume will determine their health. Unhealthy
eating habits like consumption of large portions of food as well as eating junk food causes
childhood obesity. Exercise and physical activities are also a social determinant of health. Lack
of exercise infrastructures as well as safe play areas contribute to childhood obesity. Some
communities do not have access to playgrounds and parks where children can play and exercise.
This dormancy in children can result into obesity. Additionally, psychological issues are also
related to childhood obesity. Obese children are highly likely to suffer from depression, anxiety
and low self-esteem. In most cases, obese children are bullied or discriminated hence elevating
the levels of depression. It is important to note that the social determinants of health can be used
to form policies which aims at improving the health of the children with obesity.
relationship between the chosen health issue and an upstreaming approach to
nursing care
Upstreaming approach to nursing care involves identify the root cause of the problem
(Huang, Wan Mohamed Radzi and Salarzadeh Jenatabadi, 2017). In caring for obesity in
children, nurses must be able to identify its cause so as to offer the best remedy. To be able to
effectively care for obese children, nurses must be able to determine the social, economic, and
environmental factors that contribute towards childhood obesity as per the upstream approach
nursing care requirement. The care plan for obese children should be able to connect to the
resources that these children need beyond the hospital facility (Prince-Paul and DiFranco 2017).
Childhood obesity and upstreaming approach to nursing care are related in that, the interventions

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in the upstreaming approach to nursing care focus on improving the important factors which
contribute to childhood obesity by reducing the hinderances and enhancing the support that these
children require so as to achieve their potential of full health. It is important to note that
upstreaming approach to nursing care determine the health outcomes of childhood obesity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, childhood obesity should be prevented by all means possible. This is
because obese children risks being obese in adulthood. Furthermore, obese children risk other
diseases that leads to high mortality and morbidity. Nurses should also use the upstreaming
approach to care for obese children so as to ensure the desired health outcomes.

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References
Center for Disease Prevention and Control (2016) Childhood Obesity retrieved on 6th April 2019
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De Pergola, G. and Silvestris, F., 2013. Obesity as a major risk factor for cancer. Journal of
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Huang, H., Wan Mohamed Radzi, C. and Salarzadeh Jenatabadi, H., 2017. Family environment
and childhood obesity: a new framework with structural equation modeling. International
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Lauby-Secretan, B., Scoccianti, C., Loomis, D., Grosse, Y., Bianchini, F. and Straif, K., 2016.
Body fatness and cancer—viewpoint of the IARC Working Group. New England Journal of
Medicine, 375(8), pp.794-798.
Prince-Paul, M. and DiFranco, E., 2017. Upstreaming and Normalizing Advance Care Planning
Conversations—A Public Health Approach. Behavioral Sciences, 7(2), p.18.
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in Mexico: social determinants of health and other risk factors. BMJ case reports, 2018, pp.bcr-
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Sahoo, K., Sahoo, B., Choudhury, A.K., Sofi, N.Y., Kumar, R. and Bhadoria, A.S., 2015.
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World Health Organization (2016) Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity retrieved on April
6th 2019 from https://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/facts/en/

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