Childhood obesity is a medical condition affecting adolescents and children. It typically occurs when a child is above the usual weight for his/her age and height. This type of obesity is predominantly troubling since the extra pounds regularly start children on the trail to health problems that were at one point confined to adults like hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity can as likewise lead to reduced depression and self-esteem (Shield et al., 509-539).
Childhood obesity has reached double standards in children. In adolescents, it is quadruple in the last 30 years. Children aged between 6-11years in the US who were obese amplified from 7% in the year 1990 to almost 18% in 2012. Similarly, the adolescent’s percentage of the ages 12-19 who were obese escalated from 5% to nearly 21% in the period (Hammer, 196-202). In 2012, children and adolescents more than one-third were obese or overweight.
The greatest causes of obesity in children are the lack of physical activity, factors related to genetics, unhealthy eating habits, or a combination of all these factors. Occasionally, the children obesity can be caused by conditions related to medicine such as hormonal disorders. However, one of the main strategies to reduce this epidemic is improving the diet and exercise habits of the entire family (Shield et al., 509-539). Treatment and prevention of this situation also help in protecting the children health in the present and the future.
Lastly, as a teacher in the classroom, talking about children obesity can affect the children esteem. Therefore, a lot of consciousness and care should be observed when discussing such a sensitive topic as it is much related to their age group. Therefore, a teacher has the responsibility to assist in reversing the epidemic in children while they endeavor in improving the academic excellence of children.
Work Cited
Shield, Julian, and Carolyn Summerbell. "Obesity in Childhood." Obesity (2014): 509-39. Web.
D., Hammer Lawrence. "Childhood Obesity: Treatment or Prevention?" Childhood Obesity Prevention (2013): 196-202. Web.
