Obesity in Children, Essay Example

Nowadays, there have been a lot of changes within the American culture in terms of food, health and nutrition. Attempts are made by local health authorities to disseminate information about proper eating, exercises and other such preventive measures but it seems that obesity and associated diseases are on the rise despite these measures. In particular, the fast-food economy is continuing to grow and extending its influence to the younger generation. Gone are the days of a home-cooked, nutritious meal. Today, a typical dinner comprises of take-out fast food or dinners that can be heated over the microwave for a few minutes. It is not surprising then that the number of children diagnosed with childhood obesity is on the rise. In addition, diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cardio-respiratory problems are steadfastly increasing over time due to this.

Childhood obesity has become a particularly relevant topic as it is on the rise both here and abroad. Obesity in children is caused by a variety of factors, which manifest singularly or in combination with other factors. First, there is genetic predisposition where the source of the problem can simply be hereditary and runs in the family. Second, there is the emergence of functional and convenience food from the growth of the so-called “fast food culture” which has radically altered traditional eating habits of children. Third, there is the sedentary lifestyle promoted by modern technology where children have now become more preoccupied with computers and video games missing out on traditional outdoor games and the more important needs of their body for exercise. Fourth is apparent parental neglect to develop and form in children good and healthy eating habits. Because of the fast-paced life in cities and urban centers, many hardworking parents have increasingly relied on convenience and fast food for their children’s daily fare which do not only come as cheap but also readily available.

Children who are overweight and obese have a higher risk of acquiring health problems. Aside from health disturbances, overweight children may also be affected psychologically due to the low self esteem and at times, discrimination that they may experience from their peers. These diseases and complications, however, can be prevented through the observance of a routine physical activity and a balanced diet.

Nutritional habits are habits that focus on eating the right food and on undertaking the proper discipline to stay healthy and live longer. Meanwhile, physical fitness is the condition wherein the human body is utilized in several activities that require strength, coordination, endurance and speed while wellness refers to the overall health status of an individual and its risks of acquiring a certain illness or disease. It not only refers to the physical aspects but also encompass the emotional, social, spiritual and mental aspects of human life. To achieve a total sense of well-being or wellness, an individual must live out a positive lifestyle and practice good health habits and routines.

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of hype regarding physical fitness and nutrition. This is due largely to the ever increasing mortality rate that results from a poor physical regimen and an unhealthy diet. The reciprocal relationship between food intake and exercise cannot be denied as each has a direct effect on the other.

The quantity, composition as well as the timing of food intake is known to affect an individual’s performance during exercise, and most importantly, the individual’s health and wellness. During any physical activity or exercise, an individual must be doubly conscious of acquiring enough nutrients and energy from his current diet.

Today, there is an increasing interest in several health issues so that there is also a heightened interest among the public regarding health issues. In the course of our studies on nutritional habits, there are three important things that I learned. First, that proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle are inseparable elements for healthy and longer living. A healthy balanced diet complete with the essential nutrients the body needs to function at its optimal level, together with appropriate physical fitness regimen are the key factors to maintaining good health and a healthy lifestyle.

What and how we eat is most often dictated by habits that have been ingrained in us by our families and our culture and further reshaped by the modern influences around us. Some of us may later discover in life that some of these habits are not actually attuned to the tenets of healthy living and, consequently, feel a desire to change these habits on a long-term basis. This is actually what dawned on me when some members of my family started showing problems with obesity leading to high blood pressure, diabetes and hypertension. Indeed, the family as primary foundation in developing taste and eating habits as well as in inculcating work discipline is crucial to developing nutritional consciousness and shaping habits necessary for children to live a healthy life towards adulthood. Good nutrition and physical activity cannot efficiently work independently but only in combination to promote good health. Take the case of obesity, a growing problem in America today especially among children, which is both a result of poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle.

Secondly, there is no singular effective nutritional diet or exercise formula that applies to all. It would depend to a great extent to age, physical condition, emotional and mental disposition and other factors which varies from one individual to the other.

Lastly and oftentimes overlooked is the importance also of assessing the individual’s eating habits and his predisposition and how this impacts on overall nutrition and healthy living. There are those who eat very quickly and there are those who eat very slowly; all these affect better digestion, which is important for nutrition.

Likewise, physical, mental, economic and social factors can interfere with eating, which can lead to weight loss, poor nutritional status and decreased immunity against diseases. Berardi’s (2003) “The 7 Rules of Good Nutrition” states several rules that appear to be very basic and simple and do not require a drastic modification of any present eating habits. It does not hinder an individual from eating every 2-3 hours or between 5-8 meals a day. However, Bernardi advises to watch out for the kind and quality of foods that are eaten. A serving of lean protein with each meal, fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal and mostly whole foods is recommended as well. Beverages should be limited to non-calorie containing beverages and green tea. Another important thing to remember in nutrition is a good intake of water as it plays an essential role in maintaining the human body’s optimal status. Our inner organs, especially those involved with detoxification and waste delivery, the liver, intestines and kidneys, need a lot of water to function properly. Schubert states that “Water is a natural cleansing solution that flushes through all our parts, acts like a buffer and even strengthens our nerves” (Schubert, undated).

Fitness gives our body the conditioning it needs and works hand in hand with a healthy diet. It also helps prevent and reduce many health concerns. Indeed, lack of physical activity makes us feel lethargic and at times may even cause depression. Exercise strengthens the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, promotes healthy and strong bones and muscles and most importantly, promotes mental health. It builds self esteem and confidence just like those involved in sports and it is a great aid for stress relief, anger and insomnia.

It is important, therefore, that good physical and nutritional habits be formed in an early age. Since the decade of the 1980’s, several studies and researches have proven that children who are not physically fit, will later suffer from an illness or disease as well as disorders that are psychological in nature. Research has proven that health problems may be avoided if children start to maintain a physical fitness routine and adhere to a healthy and balanced diet.

Thus, school educators also play an important role as the children’s health status can be maintained effectively when adults collaborate in determining what is best for the child. Each child should have access to educational programs in the school setting so that they are aware at an early age of the many benefits of exercise and proper nutrition to their life-long health.

Children who are not getting the correct amount of vitamins and minerals appropriate for their age may experience a delay in their cognitive growth and development. In addition, under-nutrition and malnutrition are also associated with problems in their behavior and may also lead to failure to keep up in their respective classes. Undernourised children also have higher incident rates in terms of the mortality and morbidity rate. Even a condition as minor as mild anemia can even result to delaying a child’s mental and psychomotor development.

Another nutritional issue that is of importance today is the increasing number of overweight and obese children in the community. These children may have problems in their eating practices within the family and these could signify even greater health risks that could last until adulthood. An elevated body mass index may be associated with several risk factors for heart diseases that last well into adulthood.

The quality of a typical child’s diet also decreases as they grow older and become adolescents. This is due to the fact that adolescents often skip meals and diet too much to cope with the peer pressure they are experiencing. In addition, there may be less time for the whole family to eat together, thus contributing to a decreased quality in their diet. The adolescent years are also besieged with low levels of calcium intake, thus the development of the ideal bone mass is severely limited and rarely achieved. This in turn leads to a greater risk of experiencing bone problems such as fractures that could also last until adulthood. Eating of vegetables and fruits should thus be encouraged as these are sources of the essential anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals that are sorely needed during the child’s developing years. These can also serve as a good preventive action for other diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Intake of these type of foods that are below the minimum amount are associated with an increased risk for diseases that are chronic in nature (Brown et al., 2007).

As the United States becomes a more racially and ethnically diverse nation, there is an increasing need to respond to the patients’ varied outlook and viewpoint, the values they uphold, as well as behaviors regarding their health and well-being. The social and cultural differences should be managed adeptly in order to decrease the prevalence of the consequences that may occur especially towards those that belong to the minority. In the field of health and medicine, we have seen the advent of the importance of acquiring cultural competency so that the health disparities may be lessened and so as to provide the highest quality of health care (Betancourt, Green & Carrillo, 2002).

Take the case of cultural and linguistic barriers brought by racial and ethnic diversity which often impede the ability of health care professionals to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries. Techniques as well as strategic interventions that are utilized need to be up to date, is relevant to the situation at hand and must take into consideration such critical features as the socio-cultural context of the diverse learner and his family as well as issues related to language and its complexities. In dealing with a multicultural population, free expression of thoughts, views and opinions should be encouraged

Parents, more than anybody else, are to be blamed for children’s increasing predisposition to fast food and junk fare. Parents must take personal responsibility, understand and accept their role in fighting the alarming increase in obesity problems in children. Parents, being a primary contributing factor to children’s unhealthy eating habits essentially hold the key to resolving the obesity problem. Parents are the initial formators of children’s eating habits, hence, shares the greater burden of responsibility in the problem. It is a fact that the home and family are the primary foundation for a healthy nation. Parents need to take responsibility for training and forming their children early in life to develop good and healthy eating habits. We have to admit however that at a certain point in the children’s life, parents will have to allow more freedom in their children making choices and decisions of their own.

In his article, “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home”, Daniel Weintraub categorically said that parents, more than anybody else, are to be blamed for children’s increasing predisposition to fast food and junk fare, which in a way exonerates the state government or any of the fast food companies from the burden of responsibility. In Weintraub’s view, parents must take personal responsibility, understand and accept their role in fighting the alarming increase in obesity problems in children. Parents, being a primary contributing factor to children’s unhealthy eating habits essentially hold the key to resolving the obesity problem. Unfortunately, he said this most important premise is what appears to have been forgotten and sidelined in current efforts by health advocacy groups who are more focused on batting for state intervention and/or regulation against fast food companies. Weintraub argues that the move to put pressure on state governments and to quickly pass the blame to fast food companies is like barking at the wrong tree. First, it sends a wrong message to parents and children alike that “obesity is somebody else’s fault” and not theirs. Second, parents are the initial formators of children’s eating habits, hence, shares the greater burden of responsibility in the problem.

I have no disagreement with Weintraub’s contention that parents must share in the responsibility over the growing problem of obesity in children but I do not think that he is totally right in saying that parents alone should be faulted for it. For a fact, obesity in children is caused by a variety of factors, which manifest singularly or in combination with other factors. First, there is genetic predisposition where the source of the problem can simply be hereditary and runs in the family. Second, there is the emergence of functional and convenience food from the growth of the so-called “fast food culture” which has radically altered traditional eating habits of children. Third, there is the sedentary lifestyle promoted by modern technology where children have now become more preoccupied with computers and video games missing out on traditional outdoor games and the more important needs of their body for exercise. Fourth is apparent parental neglect to develop and form in children good and healthy eating habits. Because of the fast-paced life in cities and urban centers, many hardworking parents have increasingly relied on convenience and fast food for their children’s daily fare which do not only come as cheap but also readily available.

Like Weintraub, I agree that the home and family are the primary foundation for a healthy nation. Parents need to take responsibility for training and forming their children early in life to develop good and healthy eating habits. We have to admit however that at a certain point in the children’s life, parents will have to allow more freedom in their children making choices and decisions of their own. At this stage, the roles of schools, state governments and consumers in general become highly crucial. Schools and the state would be most helpful in initiating and implementing information programs that would educate children and parents alike of the value of proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle. They can also exercise their inherent regulatory functions to promote healthy eating habits. For instance, schools can start a ban on the sale of junk foods in their campuses or provide nutritional meals instead of the usual fast food fare of burgers and French fries (Rossiter, 2007). Consumers can stop supporting unhealthy fast food chains and start patronizing those that provide healthy alternatives.

The responsibility of guiding children and helping them achieve the best lies on proper education, the formation of good habits at an early age and by setting a good example to them. Children often follow the steps of their significant others, thus the influence of parents, siblings and those in the school place such as teachers, classmates and friends are undeniable. Good habits must be fostered while at a young age and the importance of diet, nutrition and exercise should be discussed and taught early on.

Meanwhile, another tool in affecting change is the Transtheoretical Model. This model states that change is a process and subjects progress through each stage until they achieve their goal (Carbine, 2009). Below are the stages in the Transtheoretical Model:

1. Precontemplation stage – wherein people do not realize the problem or are not ready to take action yet.
2. Contemplation stage – recognition or acknowledgement of the problem.
3. Preparation stage – creating an action plan and at times, taking small steps towards the desired change.
4. Action stage – people take an active part to effect the change in behavior.
5. Maintenance stage – the period wherein people have the ability to sustain behavior or actions that support the change.
6. Termination – people have achieved their goal and have no temptation on going back to their previous behavior or unhealthy habit.

I believe that this is not the time for fault finding but a time for finding solutions. There is much hope with the problem increasingly getting into the consciousness of more people. Radical changes, starting from the home, the schools, and the state need to be undertaken to reshape the minds of children and to reorient them to nutritional eating habits and healthy lifestyle. While we do not expect changes to occur overnight, there is no doubt that every little step we shall take now is one step towards a healthier society.

References

Akinbami, L.J and Ogden C.L (2009). Childhood overweight prevalence in the United States: the impact of parent-reported height and weight. Obesity. 17(8), pp. 1574-1580

Berardi, J. (2003). The 7 Rules of Good Nutrition. Retrieved April 8, 2012 from http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/7habits.htm

Brown T, Kelly S, & Summerbell, C. (2007). Prevention of obesity: a review of interventions. Obes Rev;8: pp. 127–30.

Carbine, Michael (2009). Health plans use a variety of strategies to identify and ensure compliance among diabetics. AIS’s Health Business Daily. Accessed April 10, 2012.

Franks PW, Hanson RL, Knowler WC, et al. (2007). Childhood predictors of young-onset type 2 diabetes. Diabetes; 56: pp. 2964-2972

Flegal, K.M et al. (2010). High Adiposity and High BMI-for-age in US children and adolescents by race ethnic group. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 91(4), pp. 1020-1026

Harris KM, Gordon-Larsen P, Chantala K, Udry JR (2006). Longitudinal trends in race/ethnic disparities in leading health indicators from adolescence to young adulthood.. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med ; pp. 160:74–81.

Hedley, A.A. et al (2004). Prevalence of overweight and obesity among US children, Adolescents and Adults 1999-2002, JAMA, 29(23), pp 2847-2950.

Rossiter, M. et al. (2009). School food practices of prospective teacher, Journal of School Health, 77(10), pp. 694-700

Schubert, C. (undated). Balanced Nutritional Habits – The result of many decisions. Retrieved April 9, 2012 from http://www.templatenetwork.org/topaz/09/en/ 09.html