Childhood Obesity in the UK: A Comprehensive Report

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THE IMPACT OF OBESITY ON THE
HEALTH OF CHILDREN IN UK
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Contents
LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................................4
TITLE..............................................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH................................................................5
OPERATIONAL KEY TERMS DEFINITION..........................................................................6
BACKGROUND OF THE REPORT..........................................................................................6
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM...........................................................................................7
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROBLEM.......................................................................................8
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER...............................................................................................8
CHAPTER 2....................................................................................................................................9
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................9
LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................9
GAPS IN THE LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................12
PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH.............................................................................................12
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK.............................................................................................14
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS............................................................................................15
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER.............................................................................................15
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY............................................................................16
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................16
RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES.................................................................................................16
DATA COLLECTION METHODS..........................................................................................18
DATA SOURCES.....................................................................................................................19
SEARCH TERMS USED FOR DATA COLLECTION...........................................................19
RESEARCH APPROACH OR CRITERIA..............................................................................19
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DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE............................................................................................20
DATA SUMMARY TABLE OF JOURNAL ARTICLES.......................................................21
RESEARCH ETHICS...............................................................................................................22
LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH.....................................................................................23
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER.............................................................................................23
CHAPTER 4 RESULTS................................................................................................................24
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................24
SUMMARY TABLE OF RESULTS........................................................................................24
RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE OBJECTIVES...............................................................25
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER.............................................................................................28
CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION..........................................................................................................29
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................29
DISCUSSION OF THE RESULT.............................................................................................29
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER.............................................................................................31
CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS....................................................32
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................32
CONCLUSIONS.......................................................................................................................32
RECOMMENDATIONS...........................................................................................................33
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER.............................................................................................34
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................35
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS THEORY.....................................................14
Figure 2: RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES......................................................................................17
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TITLE
“THE IMPACT OF OBESITY ON THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN IN UK”
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH
From the last three decades, the problem of childhood obesity and overweight has been increased
in most countries, whether it is high income or low income. Based on the data available it can be
very clear that the rate of obesity in children has risen (Lobstein et al., 2015). Obesity is the
physical disease which could be suffered by anyone from anywhere in the world. Obesity is
nothing but excessive fat consumed by a body through the consumption of more calories which
is more than a body can use.
The report is throwing light on one of the most important problems which many countries
including the UK is facing that is obesity in children. This problem is especially faced by the
United Kingdom’s children. According to the survey and study, it has been seen that 33.5% of
the children in the UK have been found overweight and obese between ages of 9 to 11 years
(Lobstein et al., 2015).
The report also demonstrates that obesity is also responsible for immediate as well as long term
healthiness problems such as physical and mental consequences of health. The causes behind
obesity and overweight among the children across the world were unhealthy diet and improper
dietary behaviour, depression and stress. The key term obesity in other word refers to the certain
increment in the body mass index of the person or more than 30 which is a standard bar (Taylor,
2015).
This project will also try to attempt the research question “what is the influence of youthful
obesity on the health of children in the United Kingdom”. The research will try to provide an
accurate and efficient answer to the question which will be surveyed by the aims and objectives
behind the research. The research will also provide some preventive steps taken by the parents as
well as the government initiatives for childhood obesity in the children.
This chapter of the dissertation will focus on the aims and objectives of the research. The
research chapter will involve the definitions of the key terms like obesity and the research
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questions essential for the research which will define the problem. The report will consist of
justification and contextual of the problem with the implication of the research following the
conclusion of the research (Taylor, 2015).
OPERATIONAL KEY TERMS DEFINITION
OBESITY
Obesity is defined as the fat which is accumulated in the person’s body in an excessive amount
which can last for a long period and results in the form of disease like hypertension,
cardiovascular and types 2 diabetes if it does not take care (Skinner et al., 2016).
EPIDEMIC OBESITY
Epidemic obesity refers to the situation where the person has face his last breath due to
overweight or obesity. In this situation, the person is suffering from the severe diseases like
diabetes, cancer and heart diseases which cannot be recovered easily once they were found in the
person (Williams et al., 2015).
PREVALENCE OF OBESITY
Prevalence of obesity refers to the total number of persons or individuals who are suffering from
the problem of obesity. The term is used here to show how many per cent of people or children
are suffering from the issue of obesity and overweight (Williams et al., 2015).
BACKGROUND OF THE REPORT
The rate of obesity in the last few years has been increased rapidly worldwide in the children as
well as adults. In most high-income countries as well as low-income countries the same problem
has been taking place rapidly (Taylor, 2015). With the surveys from many countries the children
aged below 5 years have been found quite fit but the above that age mostly the children were
obese and overweight. In the USA the average weight of a child has been increased by 5
kilograms. Overweight and obese child has been found as under nutritious. The nutrition in a
child includes some provisions for the supply and consumption of healthy food (Skinner et al.,
2016). Taking into consideration about various countries, the data of the USA about obesity and
prevalence of obesity says that there has been an increase up to 5.8% in the obesity rate in the
children, this shows that the children in the USA between the ages of 5 to 19 years are facing the
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issue of obesity. Talking about obesity in children in the United Kingdom it comes at the fifth
position in the world. All across the world, India is the second-highest rating country which is
having a large number of overweight children in the world with 14.4 million children. The next
country which has the uppermost number of obesity rate in children is China which is 15.3
million of obese children between the ages of 5 to 19 years, which has the first rank in all over
the world. According to a survey in the year 2017, it has been seen that the obesity rate of the
United Kingdom is increasing rapidly in the children (GBD 2015). With this increased rate in
obesity, it is leading the cause of death of people all over the world with 3.4 million deaths.
Child obesity is seen having very adverse effects on the children for the development of their
mental as well as physiological health. In England, the children between the ages of 2 to 15 were
found more obese and based on a survey it has been estimated up to 16%. In Wales, the numbers
of obese children were more disgusting as the rate of obese children was 27 % for the age of 4 to
8 years (Peirson, L., 2015).In Scotland and Northern Ireland, it has been estimated that the
amount of overweight in children in 2016 and 2017 was 23 % for the children between the ages
of 2 to 10 years. This data has been collected from a survey which depicts the growth in the rate
of obesity and overweight in the children of the United Kingdom. This has been seen as a major
issue in the United Kingdom (Ogden et al., 2016).
Obesity does not only comes with the fat in the body but it has several consequences on health in
the form of diseases like blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular. These kinds of diseases are
long-lasting and affect a human being for a long time and in the children, the health issues come
at an early age in the form diseases (Peirson, L., 2015).
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The research question through which the study will be followed and the aim of the research will
be accomplished is "explain the impacts of obesity on the health of children in the United
Kingdom". With the help of statement of this problem, the research will be continued and it will
even include the effects of obesity and prevalence of the obesity in the children of United
Kingdom (Brownell and Walsh, 2017). The research is not done because it is affecting the health
of the children but it impacts the morale of the person while he faces criticism due to the obesity,
this sometimes leads to the severe diseases like type 2diabetes, hypertension and Dyslipidaemia.
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AIM OF THE RESEARCH
The main aim of the research project is to show and establish the impact of obesity on the health
of children in the United Kingdom.
OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
 To evaluate the occurrence eof childhood obesity in the children of the United Kingdom
 The purpose of the research is to assess the impacts of obesity in the children of the
United Kingdom.
 To explore the statistical number of overweight and the prevalence of obesity in the
United Kingdom (Witten, K., 2016).
 To provide the combination of the effects of four multiple behaviours and obesity in
children of the United Kingdom.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROBLEM
The research on “impact of obesity on the health of children in the united kingdom” is been
prepared to know about the impacts or effects of obesity in the person or as well as in a child.
The report will find about the prevalence of obesity in children and the actions which have to be
taken to reduce these problems in children (Witten, K., 2016). The report will help the
individuals, parents as well as the families to prevent their child form obesity by making a
healthy diet, ignoring the junk food and fast food. With the report, it will also be clear that how
do the obese children have to face many issues whether they are mental or social (Ludwig,
2018).
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER
The report has been prepared based on three issues related to obesity in children. The first
problem is how obesity is a very big problem for developing as well as developing countries
(Ludwig, 2018).The second thing which the report has discussed is the properties of obesity on
the mental and bodily health of the children and at last, it will provide the prevalence of the
obesity for the children. The chapter summarises the goals and objectives of the investigation
and problem statement of the research.
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CHAPTER 2
INTRODUCTION
This chapter is going to review the articles, journals and books of various authors with their pre-
existing literature on obesity in children across the world. The literature review will analyse
different statements and articles with which it will be easy to know more about the obesity and
their impacts of the health of children as well as adults (Hales et al., 2017).This chapter will
contain the gaps or issues related to obesity in the children of the United Kingdom. The issues or
the problems will be summarised and explained with some specific models and theoretical
analysis. This chapter will include the aims and objectives for the research and the conclusion by
which this chapter will come to an end.
LITERATURE REVIEW
WHAT IS OBESITY AND HOW DOES IT AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF THE
CHILDREN?
According to Smith et al., (2016), Obesity is the issue which has been faced by every third
individual in the world including children. Obesity or extreme obesity in adults, as well as
children, is related to high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and abnormality in the
fasting. The issue of obesity comes with the ineffective diet, unhealthy food and lack of physical
activities and exercises (Hales et al., 2017). These all are the basic issue through which obesity
starts to take place in a person. Ells et al., (2015), added that the prevalence of obesity in children
across the world is increasing at rapid rate where the children of USA are gaining more and more
weight which has been raised by 5 kilograms and one third part of the children have been
observed as obese and overweight with comparison to their Body Mass Index. With the data and
survey, it has been seen that the number of obesity in children has been continuously increasing
in the USA as compared with another world (Ludwig, 2018).
Zilanawala et al., (2015) demonstrated that the country with high-income group doesn't need to
have the highest obesity rates but contradiction with this statement the countries with low and
medium income level are also having the same numbers of child obesity and it is continuously
increasing in those countries as well (Witten, K., 2016).Not the only United Kingdom but other
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countries like USA, CANADA, and INDIA AND CHINA are facing the same problem. From
the survey, it has been seen that the prevalence of obesity has increased by 28% in children from
1999 to 2013 which estimates up to 857 million people in the overall world. Across the world, at
least 37% of men and 38% of women have exceeded the BMI of 30kg/m (Ogden et al., 2016). in
the survey, it is also mentioned that 50% of the obese and overweight people live in almost 10
countries and some of them are India, China, Brazil, Germany, Pakistan and the United
Kingdom.
Chaput, (2016)pointed out that with the increased rate in obesity the future s aspects of health
and demand for health services will going to be increased. The epidemics of health are also a big
part of obesity in the context of healthy living. The epidemics of health in a particular time have
increased and became a public health crisis issue in the United Kingdom (Altman et al.,
2016).Ward et al., (2017) said that the epidemics of obesity causes due to two main reasons that
are eating too much and exercising too little people even say that obesity or overweight may
cause due to the genetic issue which is not a problem. The person suffering from the epidemics
of health will have low physical activities as these activities help us to put more stress on the
eating habits of the person (Altman et al., 2016).
Paes et al., (2017)stated that the obesity and overweight issues in the United Kingdom are the
results of interaction of many things like metabolic, behaviour, genetic and environmental
influences. The growth and rapidity in the obesity state that behavioural and environmental
influences and factors are more responsible for obesity instead of genetic effects or metabolic
effects (Chaput, 2016). More use of energy consumption and less use of energy spending has
given the negative impact on society and helped in increasing the weight of people in the United
Kingdom.
Upadhyay et al., (2018) Said that despite various arguments and discussions, the health issues
due to obesity in the public has been increasing and the efforts are not worthy of it. With the
concern of doctors, there has been a ray to fight for obesity in people but till then it will get
worse then it gets better and this has been the most difficult and resistible public issues faced by
the society (Bargain and Zeidan, 2019).
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According to National Childhood Measurement Programme assessment, it has been found out
that the obesity rate in children of United Kingdom is rapidly increasing between the ages of four
to eleven years children(Small and Aplasca, 2016).Jain et al., (2018), Agreed to this and stated
the data based on a survey that 23% of children were overweight in England only within the age
of 4 to 8 years in the year 2017; much of this research data has been contained from the deprived
areas where the children are more likely to obese. Based on Childhood Measurement
Programmes of Wales, the data which indicates the obesity rate in children in the year 2016 was
up to 27%. On the other hand, Scotland and Ireland have an estimated number of 23%of obesity
rate in children ((Small and Aplasca, 2016)).
Maggi et al., (2018) described that this has been increasing continuously due to certain specific
reasons like intake of sugar and sweet beverages, use or watching excessive screen time which
increases the obesity in the children such as wasting more and more time watching television and
excessive use of electronic games in daily routine, television (Ceschia et al., 2016).Electronic
games and obesity are interconnected and interrelated to each other because participation in
games and television requires a lot of investment of emotional as well physical activities,
advertising of junk food on television specifically impact the minds of children and enhance the
prevalence of obesity in children as well as in adults (Fruh et al., 2016). The one reason which he
also stated was the reduction in participation of school programmes and sports activities have
enhanced the problem of obesity in children.
Apovian, (2016) said that obesity and overweight, whether it is in the USA or UK affects the
individual badly and it is the independent factor for excess illness and impermanence. Another
reason which could be considered for overweight and obesity is the social status of the people.
The cause of obesity was directly associated with the social status and income of the people but
it proved wrong after some time as the lower income group people or lower social status people
have been suffering from the same issue (Hawkes et al., 2015). Wealth and health or obesity of
the child have been multi factorial like the level of nutrition, neighbourhood food environment,
friends group, education, playgrounds and parks, transportation, fast food restaurants, family
environment etc. these are some of the factors by which the social status of a person has been
defined and which helps the children to gain more and more weight and enhances the obesity in
them (Fruh et al., 2016).
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