Child Obesity Essay examples

Submitted By ninernation
Words: 1334
Pages: 6

Child Obesity

Nearly tripling the recorded number in 1980, more than twelve million children in the United States suffer from obesity today. It is these individuals who are more likely to suffer from obesity in their adult years as well as in their childhood. Obesity, often associated with several common diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and some cancers, can be very hard to overcome. Is there a direct cause to this worldwide issue? Obesity is the result of caloric imbalance, but could there be other common relationships or personalities between most people suffering from obesity? When taking a look into this case, many other causes come into play, in which could all be avoided if looked at carefully. Many people blame parents when considering reasons for child obesity; however, it is a team effort. Children are too young to have self-discipline, while parents may feel sorry for their children when forcing them to eat a certain way. Children go for foods that pertain to be high in sugars and fats, and simply that taste appealing to them. It is a natural instinct for a mother to love seeing her child eat, and when the child is satisfied with what they are eating, parents are generally happier. This is where the situation can begin to get out of hand. Technology also comes into play when observing child obesity, as many children during this time are locked into all sorts of gaming devices. Back in the day before all of these new electronics were introduced, children spent hours running around outside, playing with their friends. This worked as a good source of exercise, creativity, and imagination. These values followed the children throughout their lives and helped their thought process as well as artistic abilities. Being adventurous as a child builds confidence and helps them to be more adventurous in their adult life. When it comes to exploring today, most children become lazy and unwilling. At a time, physical activity was a big part of a child’s life whereas in today’s society, there seems to be no motivation. This could be an effect on how society says people should look. Self-image comes into play early in a child’s life today, more so than it once did. Children used to exercise because it was fun whereas now they might feel pressured when it comes to exercising because they are expected to look a certain way. Children are too naive to understand a healthy exercise and dieting plan, therefore do not attempt to keep up with themselves. This is another area where their weight can get out of hand. A factor of obesity that is commonly overlooked is genetics. If the parents of a child are obese, it is more than likely for their child to become obese as well. In order to develop and maintain a healthy weight, a child has to be living under certain standards in a particular environment. Hormones can also be a contributing factor that comes into play for child obesity. Children can suffer from depression and or other feelings that may encounter a stage where they have no motivation at all. If children gain an amount of weight that makes them become self conscious, this can always lead into more weight gain, considering how some children may depend on food as a source of comfort. A couple of years ago 12-year-old Mason Harvey of Oklahoma was living with obesity, as are a third of children in America today. Mason weighed two hundred and six pounds when he was only in the sixth grade, which made him an easy target to various bullies at his school. Mason no longer wanted this unhealthy and embarrassing lifestyle, therefore decided to make a change. He began with small steps that included exercising at a gym and giving up unhealthy foods until eventually, he had lost eighty-five pounds in a year. Mason now understands the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly, as he now snacks on carrots and nutritious salads. This story shows how obese children can make a huge