Obesity in America among Children

  Health is essential for the everyday activities of a country’s growth. The developmental years of a person define their future health, and thus children require more attention as regards to keeping them healthy. Childhood obesity in America has become a significant challenge that is threatening the nation’s future capabilities (Seaman). This paper reviews childhood obesity, its effects and a plan to counter the problem. Obesity refers to a medical condition that arises from the excess accumulation of body fat that leads to health problems. A person above 19 years old is considered obese if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is more than 30kg/m2 . For children, those that lie between the 95th to 100th percentiles are said to be obese (Dawes 73). Childhood obesity can arise from some factors such as overeating, the absence of exercise, depression and obesity history in the family. Obesity in children presents health risks such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and breathing problems. This condition can also cause emotional problems such as low self-esteem that lead to anxiety and depression (Langwith 48). American childhood obesity is becoming a significant challenge because of the increasing rates of obese children (Seaman). The difficulty in treating this condition means that many lives are lost in the process. Also, managing obesity is very expensive. The attitude that people have towards obese persons also makes curbing the condition a considerable challenge (Patel and Rushefsky 193). Surname 2 Childhood obesity can be dealt with through the establishment of particular measures. The school curriculums should include compulsory physical education and time for exercise. Secondly, Security factors need to be addressed to allow children to walk or bike to and from school. Thirdly, the type of food they are given and their eating habits should be monitored. Finally, parents should control the amount of time their kids spend watching TV and playing video games (Poskitt and Edmunds 1). In conclusion, childhood obesity is a significant challenge as seen by the effects previously stated. Adopting the suggestions can help alleviate the problem. The health of our children is the responsibility of the whole society. Keeping this generation healthy assures the safety of the future of our nation. Surname 3 Works Cited Dawes, Laura. Childhood Obesity in America, 2014. Print. Langwith, Jacqueline. Childhood Obesity. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Print. Patel, Kant, and Mark E Rushefsky. Health Care in America, 2015. Print. Poskitt, E. M. E, and Laurel Edmunds. Management of Childhood Obesity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Print. Seaman, Andrew. 'U.S. Childhood Obesity Rates Have Increased Over The Past 14 Years (STUDY).' The Huffington Post. N.p., 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.