Childhood Obesity Assignment PDF

SURNAME1
Student’s Name:
Course Title:
Instructor’s Name:
Date:
Childhood Obesity
Introduction
There was a time when children who were chubby were viewed as cute. It was assumed
that their baby fat would melt away as soon as they transitioned into adulthood. It is known that
childhood obesity is unhealthy to children not only in Egypt but also globally. Childhood obesity
has the potential to cause not only psychological problems but also health problems (Moore,
William and Debra 828). In analyzing the root causes of obesity, we can come up with measures
to reduce the disease. In this paper, I will discuss the causes of childhood obesity, the effects as
well as the solution of tackling the epidemic.
Causes of childhood obesity
According to the world health organization, obesity, as well as overweight, are described
as the excessive accumulation of body fat which presents a high risk to individual health.
Children who have body mass index (BMI) of more than or level at 95% are deemed as obese.
Obesity is a major risk factor of a host of chronic diseases like cancer and heart-related diseases.
There is the adage which states that a person is a reflection of what he or she eats. Hamburgers
and French fries have replaced vegetables as well as fresh fruits. Most children currently have
not been taught how to eat healthily (Vittrup and Danielle 88). Most of the parents spend most of

SURNAME2
their times bombarding children with sugary meals, fast foods and drink commercials that have
the potential of causing cavities. Some of the major causes of childhood obesity are the genetic
factor, inadequate physical activity, poor or unhealthy patterns of eating of the combination of
the mentioned factors (Nghiem and Rasheda 4817). Children whose parents are obese may suffer
from overweight. However, the main cause of obesity is too little exercise and poor eating
patterns. Some of the behaviors that enhance childhood obesity include eating foods rich in high
calorie, foods with low nutrients as wells as beverages. In the united states of America, the
Department of Health and Human Services have reported that more than 32% of the young girls
and 53% of the young boys take an ounce of soft drinks per day. Little physical activity is also a
cause of childhood obesity (Robinson 220). Exercise burn calories thereby helping children
maintain and have a healthy weight. Thus, children who do not exercise tend not to burn their
calories suffering from obesity.
Effects of childhood obesity
Children who are overweight or have obesity can have high cholesterol and hypertension
which are some of the risk factors for heart-related diseases. They can have enhanced risks of
insulin resistance, imbalance glucose tolerance as well as have type 2 diabetes. They can also
have problems while breathing like sleep apnea and asthma. They are probably to suffer from
joint problems as well as discomfort in muscular skeletal. Psychologically children can suffer
from depression and anxiety, reduced self-esteem and reduced quality of life and social
challenges like stigma and bullying from other people.