Childhood Obesity

 
The world is experiencing a surge in childhood obesity due to nutritional and dietary
changes. According to Bhadoria et al. (2015), obesity has reaching damning levels in developed
countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and China. Obesity cases are also rising
rapidly in emerging nations and the fifth leading cause of death in the world (Di Cesare et al.,
2019). Importantly, childhood obesity is an issue of public health due to its harsh consequences
and alarming prevalence since the extent of childhood obesity worldwide is at 18.5% (Di Cesare
et al., 2019). Most of the obesity cases witnessed in adulthood originate from childhood. Obesity
is a severe condition that could cause physical and psychological issues that would require the
collaboration of community and families for effective management. Therefore, this paper’s focus
is childhood obesity, contributing factors, consequences, and prevention mechanisms.
Bhadoria et al. (2015) defined obesity as the accumulation of excessive body fat on one’s
body. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2018), overweight or obesity
occurs when a person has a body mass index (BMI) of 95 and above. Importantly, childhood
obesity poses a substantial threat to children. In most cases, obese children have surpassed being
overweight and are at risk of different chronic health issues. The issues of childhood obesity are
likely to proceed into adulthood. Childhood obesity affects not only physical health by exposing
the victims to type 2 diabetes and other conditions but also poses psychological consequences
such as poor self-image and self-esteem (Bhadoria et al., 2015).
Notably, Dabas and Seth (2018) indicated that obesity often results from an imbalance
between intake of energy and expenditure, where positive energy balance increases due to the
lifestyle adopted by a victim and the dietary preferences. A person’s genetics may predispose
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them to obesity and like conditions. The chances are that one would develop the disease in
situations where one member of their family has a history of obesity. According to Bhadoria et
al. (2015), about 25-40% of BMI is inheritable. However, the extent of obesity from genetic
factors is minimal. From this, one can see that although genetics have a role in causing obesity. It
is not the cause of the alarming increase in childhood obesity.
Asides from genetic predispositions, other factors such as dietary intake, physical
activity, and sedentary behavior lead to childhood obesity. In particular, Bhadoria et al. (2015)
indicated that a person’s metabolic rate could cause obesity. The metabolic rate is the energy
used in normal resting functions (Di Cesare et al., 2019). In sedentary adults, metabolism
accounts for 60% of the total energy expenditure (Bhadoria et al., 2015). With this in mind, it is
worth noting that obese people have lower basal metabolic rates. However, this issue cannot
definitively explain the rising obesity cases in the world today.
The prevalence of obesity in the world today is attributable to a poor diet. Diets
consisting of high fat and sugar levels are prevalent among most children and young adults. Fast
foods are plenty in almost every town and city of the world. Obesity rates increased from 0.7 to
5.6% in girls and 0.9 to 7.8% in boys between 1975 and 2016 (Di Cesare et al., 2019). Similarly,
the consumption of frozen and canned foods, among other convenient foods, has become
prevalent in most parts of the world. Such foods are unhealthy and contribute to weight gain.
Most parents are increasingly busy in their various workplaces. As such, they hardly have
enough time to prepare healthy and decent foods. Moreover, a majority of people cannot afford
fresh vegetables and fruits, which aid in diet regulation