Introduction / Thesis
The topic chosen for this discussion relates to the prevalence of childhood obesity in America today. Pediatric obesity is a major health challenge today, and the obese children face risks of having metabolic disorders and lower health-related quality of life. There are greater chances of cardiovascular disease risk factors plus psychological and social problems among the obese children. The health-care costs related to pediatric obesity are expected to rise in the United States as asserted by Katzmarzyk et al. (2014). Based on the published information by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), advertisements and marketing of junk food and sugary soft drinks target the children and teenagers particular. It is a debatable issue if businesses and companies have the right to target children in their advertisements and if this should be allowed or intervened by the government. Food of any kind is a marketable product, and it is only natural to see companies advertising their food products to meet their business objectives. Still, one cannot ignore those issues. It is essential to study the interplay of marketing factors as well as social, cultural and individual characteristics that can influence food decisions. The marketing communication, food pricing, packaging and the eating environment are conspicuous marketing actions (Chandon & Wansink, 2012). Nevertheless, it is important to promote consumption of healthier food among children by raising their awareness. Parents and children should give more importance to health over taste, price, and convenience when deciding on food choices. According to Wang et al. (2015), different childhood obesity intervention studies conducted in schools in the United States support the evidence of effective intervention programs and involvement of the home, family, and community to make healthful food choices for childhood obesity prevention.
Thesis: The world is in the middle of a rising obesity crisis. Sugar sweetened beverages like sports drinks, soda, sweetened water, tea, energy drinks, fruit drink are part of children’s diet and a contribution to childhood obesity.
Childhood obesity has a clear definition and the health problems that obesity poses upon children are serious.
Childhood obesity in children is determined by the child’s body mass index (BMI). Compared to children of the same weight and gender, a child is considered obese if his or her BMI is in the 95th percentile (Anderson & Butler, 2006).
Obesity increases mortality and morbidity and presents risks of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, sleep disorders and psychological issues (Papandreou, et al., 2013).
Childhood obesity is at epidemic proportions with nearly 10% of children ages 6-14 with a BMI representing obesity (Papandreou, et al., 2013)
Childhood obesity and the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages are interrelated.
An increased in the consumption of sugar contained in sugar sweetened beverages contributes additional calories which causes weight gain (Anderson. 2006).
Drinking sugar sweetened beverages increases energy intake and obese children have a smaller output of energy thus leaving an imbalanced level resulting in weight gain (Anderson. 2006).
Research has indicated that the consumption of sweetened beverages contributes to the rise in obesity (Hu, 2013),
The consumption of sweetened-beverages occurs in the daily lives of children at home and in school.
Sweetened beverage consumption occurs often during television viewing .
Home environment influences the consumption of sweetened beverages
Conclusion
Childhood obesity is a worldwide epidemic that has been spurred by the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages. Sugar sweetened beverage consumption among children occurs both in the home and at school. The predominate consumption at home for children occurs during television viewing. Thus, both the school and home environment influence childhood obesity.
References
Anderson, P., & Butcher, K. (2006). Childhood Obesity: Trends and Potential Causes. The Future of Children, 16(1), 19-45. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3556549
Avery, A., Bostock, L., & McCullough, F. (2014). A systematic review investigating interventions that can help reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in children leading to changes in body fatness. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 28, 52-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12267
Chandon, P., & Wansink, B. (2012). Does food marketing need to make us fat? A review and solutions. Nutrition Reviews, 70(10), 571–593. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753- 4887.2012.00518.x
Hu, F. (2013). Resolved: there is sufficient scientific evidence that decreasing sugar-sweetened
beverage consumption will reduce the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related diseases. Obes Rev, 14(8), 606-619. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/obr.12040
Katzmarzyk, P., Barlow, S., Bouchard, C., Catalano, P., Hsia, D., Inge, T., Yanovski, J. (2014). An evolving scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity. International Journal of Obesity (2005), 38(7), 887–905.
http://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.49
Mazarello Paes, V., Hesketh, K., O'Malley, C., Moore, H., Summerbell, C., & Griffin, S. et al. (2015). Determinants of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in young children: a systematic review.Obes Rev, 16(11), 903-913. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/obr.12310
Olafsdottir, S., Berg, C., Eiben, G., Lanfer, A., Reisch, L., & Ahrens, W. et al. (2013). Young children’s screen activities, sweet drink consumption and anthropometry: results from a prospective European study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 68(2), 223-228. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2013.234
Papandreou, D., Andreou, E., Heraclides, A., & Rousso, I. (2013). Is beverage intake related to overweight and obesity in school children? Hippokratia, 17(1), 42-46.
van Ansem, W., van Lenthe, F., Schrijvers, C., Rodenburg, G., & van de Mheen, D. (2014). Socio-economic inequalities in children's snack consumption and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: the contribution of home environmental factors. British Journal of Nutrition,112(03), 467-476. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0007114514001007
Wang, Y., Cai, L., Wu, Y., Wilson, R. F., Weston, C., Fawole, O., Segal, J. (2015). What
childhood obesity prevention programmes work? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Obesity Reviews : An Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of
Obesity, 16(7), 547–565. http://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12277
