Introduction to the Health Issue
One of the notable health issues that remain relevant in the health system today is childhood obesity affecting children between the ages of 2 and 19 years. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016), the total population of children experiencing obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s within the American society. Currently, one out of every five children aged between 6 years and 19 years suffers from obesity (as highlighted in figure 1) (Bariatric Surgery Source, 2016). Obesity results from a situation where the body has excess fat that it is not able to eliminate, thus, leading to an increase in body size and weight.
Figure 1: Child Obesity Statistics by Age and Gender
The main reason why I selected this health issue is that the number of children experiencing childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming rate while the majority of the parents do not have any knowledge on the impacts that this may have on their children. Academic data suggests that children suffering from obesity tend to experience challenges in trying to keep up academically, as some of these children miss more days of school when compared to their counterparts (Trier et al., 2016). In my view, I considered this as a major issue that needed addressing, thus, prompting me to engage in research on the same.
The audience for this handout is parents most of who lack the knowledge allowing them to deal with the health issue at hand as a way of protecting their children from health issues associated with obesity. Providing parents with such information on childhood obesity may help ensure that they take the necessary steps that would allow them to focus more of their attention on creating a healthier life for their children.
Risk Factors and Mitigation Actions for Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity has come about due to several factors, which are important to evaluate in a bid to protect children from a situation where they are exposed to such risk factors. The first key factor contributing to obesity in children is a lack of a proper dietary plan leading to a situation where children consume foods that do not have any nutritional value to their bodies. For example, increased consumption of fast foods has become a major issue of concern among health care providers, as most of these fast foods increase the number of calories within the body system (Mayo Clinic, 2016). Parents must be willing to draw up an effective dietary plan following on the set consumption guidelines, which help in ensuring that children engage in healthy consumption. Figure 2, below, is a dietary plate created by Harvard University specifically focusing on children suffering the effects of obesity.
Figure 2: Healthy Eating Plate
Secondly, childhood obesity has come about due to lack of physical activities engagement among children, which exposes them to situations where the body is not in a position to burn the calories consumed. As highlighted in the previous risk factor, children tend to consume a high level of calories through fast foods, which creates the need for these children to engage in physical activities as a way of burning these calories. However, this is not the case, as some of the parents only encourage their children to engage in video games with little or no consideration of the impacts that this may have on their health (Howlett, Davis, & Burton, 2016). To help in mitigating this risk factor, it would be essential for parents to adopt usage of the physical activity pyramid (presented in figure 3), which would help ensure that children and adolescents engage in increased physical activities.
Figure 3: The Kids Activity Pyramid
Thirdly, a child’s psychological health may also act as one of the key risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of obesity among children. In some cases, children find themselves exposed to personal, parental, and family stress environments, which affects their mental wellbeing (MedicineNet, 2016). Thus, this results in a situation where some of these children may engage in habits that do not conform to what is expected of them including overeating or overreacting towards specific situations. In most cases, parents tend to lack knowledge of the kind of stress that children undergo or parents ignore the fact that children go through stress environments. To help in mitigating this factor, parents must be willing to engage at a more personal level with their children, as this would provide parents with a better understanding of the kind of stress that children go through in their everyday environments. In addition, this would make it easier for parents to identify specific cases where children are going through stress, thus, enhancing the possibility of dealing with the same.
Useful Websites
One of the key aspects identified is that majority of parents tend to lack information on how to engage with their children in a bid to protecting them from childhood obesity. The following websites would help provide parents with information on childhood obesity with an aim of increasing the possibility of dealing with the condition before it affects their children. Some of the useful websites include:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm
Bariatric Surgery Source - http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/child-obesity-statistics.html#child_obesity_statistics_gender-Main
Mayo Clinic - http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-obesity/symptoms-causes/dxc-20268891
MedicineNet - http://www.medicinenet.com/childhood_obesity/article.htm
References
Bariatric Surgery Source. (2016). Childhood obesity statistics & teenage obesity statistics: 1963 to present. Retrieved January 31, 2017, from http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/child-obesity-statistics.html#child_obesity_statistics_gender-Main
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2016). Childhood obesity fact. Retrieved January 31, 2017, from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm
Howlett, E., Davis, C., & Burton, S. (2016). From food desert to food oasis: The potential influence of food retailers on childhood obesity rates. Journal of Business Ethics, 139(2), 215-224.
Mayo Clinic. (2016). Childhood obesity. Retrieved January 31, 2017, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-obesity/symptoms-causes/dxc-20268891
MedicineNet. (2016). Childhood obesity. Retrieved January 31, 2017, from http://www.medicinenet.com/childhood_obesity/article.htm
Trier, C. et al (2016). Effects of a family-based childhood obesity treatment program on parental weight status. PloS One, 11(8), 1-11.
