Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity
CHILDHOOD OBESITY
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Childhood Obesity
Childhood Obesity
Introduction
Australia has experienced significant changes in diet and physical activities in the recent
past, which have translated to high rates of overweight and childhood obesity among its
upcoming generation. The Australian Government Department of Health (2019) defines an
obese child as one having excess weight above the normal due to excessive storage of fats in the
body. The major concern with childhood obesity is that it progresses with the person to
adulthood and can be a major cause of age-related conditions such as cardiovascular diseases.
This creates a need for an early intervention at the childhood level to avoid having an obese
nation. According to Australia’s Institute of Health and welfare (IHW), 24.5% of cardiovascular
diseases in children are linked to overweight and obesity. Prevalence of this condition affects the
child as an individual, the community, and the national health priorities. This paper analyzes
childhood obesity as an issue of concern for the Australian community and nation as a whole.
Childhood Obesity and its Significance on the Individual, Family, and the Community
Childhood obesity affects the child as a person, but the consequences of an overweight
and obese child trickle to the community and the nation as a whole. At the individual level, the
child is at risk of carrying the condition to adulthood and this increases the chances of
developing cardiovascular diseases. Children who are obese are likely to stay unhealthy and this
could attract untreated stress and depression. According to Avsa, Ham, and Tanous (2017),
obesity does not go away automatically. Children who are obese are likely to be victims of
bullying and low self-esteem compared to their counterparts in the same age group. Children
who are obese are also likely to feel lonely as their colleagues in classrooms avoid them. They

Childhood Obesity
may struggle to fit into groups when others fill comfortable to associate and make friends in
social environments.
Prevalence of childhood obesity poses significant impact to the community of the child
and the nation at large. Obesity has been linked to high chances of cardiovascular diseases and
diabetes which attracts significant amount of medical costs from the national government and the
community. High expenditures on health sector affect taxpayers in terms of resources and
financial burdens. According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the family of the
child incurs medical expenses in diagnosis and treatment of diseases linked to obesity. The
national and local governments spend financial resources that could be channeled to other
national development programs. This stresses the health department and the community as a
whole in terms of financial resources and human resource in healthcare setting.
The Relationship between Childhood Obesity and Australia’s National Health Priority
Area (NHPA) Cardiovascular Health
The National Health Priority Areas (NHPA) has goals to achieve for its community.
However, prevalence of childhood obesity poses significant challenge to NHPA. This is because
obesity works directly against the goals of NHPA. Currently, NHPA faces significant challenges
of combating cardiovascular diseases and addressing the increasing costs of expenditures in the
healthcare sector. A higher rate of children who are obese is a direct threat to NHPA. This is due
to the fact that having an obese childhood population increases the chances of developing
cardiovascular diseases which NHPA is determined to fight. According to Brown, Smith,
Bhopal, Kasim, and Summerbell (2015), cardiovascular diseases account to many deaths and
medical costs in Australia compared to any other disease or injury in the country’s population.
The primary concern is that an obese population of children is likely to develop into an obese of