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Stacey Luneke
Prof Cassel
ENG 1201
27 February 2016
Are Children Victims Of Obesity?
It is easy for one to see an obese child and wonder how or why they look the way they do
being abnormally overweight. If they are at Wendys eating a super-size meal and large slurpy,
one may think their condition is self-inflicted. One
may look at their parents and notice that they are also
obese. With that being said, does this mean that
obesity could be part of our DNA or is it caused by
poor parenting habits or lack of education? Many
people feel that parents of obese children should be held

Fig.1 Obese young child eating

a Super-sized meal at
McDonalds.

accountable for their childrens obesity.

When babies are born they are completely dependent on their parents; however, as they
grow older, they gradually develop their independence by learning habits from those around
them. Heather Grossklaus and Donna Marvicsin, authors of Parenting Efficacy And Its
Relationship To The Prevention Of Childhood Obesity, state, Children are highly influenced
by, and model themselves after those around them regarding proper diet and exercise (1).
Parents have a responsibility to be good role models for their children. Searching through
definitions of parenting all sources list and define in very similar ways. According to American
Psychological Association; Parenting is defined: Ensuring childrens health and safety,
preparing children for life as productive adults and transmitting cultural values. A high-quality
parent-child relationship is critical for healthy development. Adapted from the Encyclopedia of
Psychology.
Obese parents need to improve not only their own eating habits but for their entire family.
It is extremely difficult for a child to improve their diet when everyone around them is eating

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unhealthy foods. Amanda Thompson, author of Intergenerational impact of maternal obesity

and postnatal feeding practices on pediatric obesity claims, maternal obesity plays an important
role in child obesity due to the types of food they eat and their eating habits. Studies suggest that
obese mothers may be less aware of their childs
fullness cues as a result of not being aware of
their own fullness cues (S58). Mothers play a
significant role in the early
development of their children based on the way
they feed them.
Some parents believe that their
childrens health is out of their control. They
feel that they have no control over their own

Fig.2 Food Pyramid

replaced with dinner

obesity so their children will most likely suffer obesity as well.

Grossklaus and Marvicsin explain locus of control as whether a person believes they have
control over their lives or they believe something else is in control such as fate. Parents who
believe in internal control are more likely to take responsibility of the situation, and people who
believe in external control tend to demonstrate incompetence in parenting (7). There are many
things that can cause obesity; some are medical conditions that are out of their hands as parents,
but they still need to have an internal locus of control and promote healthy habits for their
children. It is unethical for a parent to believe they have no control over their childrens health.
Even if their child has a medical condition, the parents should do everything they can to promote
heathy habits for their children. Why wouldnt one want to strive for their own childs health to
make them the best they can be and give them the chance to be great? To give them any and
every opportunity that comes their way they would be capable of grabbing and embracing to full

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fill their dreams? They cant and wont be able to do so being obese, sick, and not having the
ability to move.
According to the APA, the rates of obesity in American children and youth have tripled in
the last quarter century. Approximately 18% of our youth are now overweight. Preschool-age
children are becoming more obese at alarming
speeds today. Studies show low-income
minority children have greater risks of being
overweight or obese. Their physical activity
also shows to be decreased. The causes seem to
be related to the genetic, metabolic,
physiological and environmental factors. Being
able to afford healthy food and providing safe
environments for physical activity.
Fig. 3 2-19yrs of age obesity prevalence

Parents are ultimately responsible for their childrens health and well-being, but what if
the parents are doing the best of their knowledge and assume it is fate or DNA causing their
childrens obesity? Who is responsible for educating the parents? Grossklaus and Marvicsin state
Lack of knowledge regarding proper diet and exercise, medical disorders or conditions, and the
environment in which we live in all play a role in the obesity epidemic (1). Many studies have
suggested that educating the parents plays an important role in the treat and prevent child obesity.
PCPs, school nurses, teachers, gym teachers, role models, such as older children, athletes of the
higher classes need to do a better job talking to the parents and the children about childhood
weight gain and physical inactivity. At doctor's appointments, parents can ask their pediatrician
how their child's weight is. If they find out their child is overweight or obese, parents can ask
what they can do to help a child eat better and be more active. Children should have the

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opportunity to ask older role models in school questions of how they get the way they are
athletes, baseball players, football, soccer players etc.
Parents are not able to monitor their children twenty-four hours a day so they need to rely
on others, such as the schools. New York City has taken a stance against child obesity. Thomas
Farley and Deborah Dowell, authors of Preventing Childhood Obesity claim, New York City
has undertaken several interventions to improve nutrition in public schools in the past decade,
including elimination of sugary drinks from vending machines in 2003-2004, shifting from
whole milk to 1% fat and skim milk in school meals, in 2005, increasing fiber in school meals
and introducing water jets in 2008-2009, and limiting calories in beverage vending to less than
10 calories per eight ounces in elementary and middle schools in 2010-2011 (2). New York City
also implemented changes to the WIC food package and Day Care food and physical activities
(2). The results of the city wide initiative to treat and prevent obesity have shown a significant
decrease in obesity over the last decade. Although it is difficult to determine what the most
effective method is, it is believed that our society is partially responsible for the obesity
epidemic, and likewise, should be responsible for treating and preventing it. If New York can do
why cant Ohio? Why cant more states take this initiative to better our children and people?
The relationship between children and their parents has been known to affect children in
several ways. One way is parents being overprotective. Handcock et al. states; If parents believe
the world is becoming more dangerous they are more likely to shelter their children to try to
protect them. The more the children are sheltered the less physical activity they have. They also
claim that based on their research the household income, maternal BMI, maternal mental health,
and maternal education has an effect on the childs BMI (8).
Most of these strategies, teachings, educators are at our fingertips. Teachers, peers, older
students. These kids are already at school surrounded by 100s of educated adults. Taking gym

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classes out of school, or only having half a year, this quarter only, because music and art need 30
minutes a day. Which these kids can listen to music and doodle on free time at home on their
electronic devices. Yet, paying all these monies to teachers and professors, thousands of dollars
to educate these already educated educators to learn to teach other ways of learning such as
Common Core that most seem to despise. Its hard to understand why people cant already use
the resources that are already in-house and in use to educate on more health, nutrition, and
exercise. Lifetime effects, knowledge and goals start with ones own well-being. WHY isnt this
a priority? Why does Health class not start until Junior High years? When most of the children
that are already obese, they may not have the motivation or care and have already been subjected
in these poor lifestyle patterns they will think theres no chance of changing. Some of them may
have been obese for 10 years by this point and have zero self-esteem, disease, diabetes, and/or
deep depression.
The APA has a great resource tool of using the ABCs of life. Parents should be more
aware of these great FREE highly credible online resources. ABCDE stands for Act Boldly to
Change Diet and Exercise. Good nutrition and plenty of exercise are the building blocks for
strong growth, healthy development and lifelong wellbeing for children. The APA states Children
are not eating enough healthy food- an estimated one in three children are overweight and about
one in six (ages 6-17) are obese. Only thirty percent of children (aged 6-17) participated in 20
minutes plus of vigorous physical activity on a daily basis. Based off the CDC and AHA
(American Heart Association) the recommended physical activity of children and adolescents
should be 60 minutes or more of moderate or vigorous-intense physical activity. Inactive children
are likely to become inactive adults.
In extreme cases of obesity the state can take whatever action necessary to protect the
child. Although the state recognizes that parents are responsible for the well-being of their child,

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sometimes parents are not taking the required action to treat and prevent obesity. In order to
determine what action is required, the state will evaluate the case and place it in one of four
categories. Goldbas describes them as: Category 1 is where the child has no comorbid (existing
simultaneously with and usually independently of another medical condition) symptoms and is
considered low risk due to the child not being in immediate danger; therefore state intervention is
not necessary. Category 2 is where the child has comorbid symptoms but may be reversible in
adulthood, and is also considered low risk and does not require state intervention. Category 3 is
where the child has comorbid symptoms that may not be reversible in adulthood. This category is
where the state could intervene due to medical neglect, especially if the parents are
uncooperative. Category 4 is the most severe category where the state is most likely to intervene.
This is where the child is obese, and has serious comorbid illness or is at immediate risk of harm,
and the parents are unwilling or unable to help (39). In these extreme cases the child may be
removed from the home to seek medical treatment while the parents are participating in
mandatory counseling to learn what care their child needs. If the parents are unwilling to
participate they risk losing legal rights to their child. The state understands the potential
emotional and psychological harm that could be caused by the separation of the child from the
parents so their end goal is to reunite the child with the parents if the parents learn the
importance of their childs health and are willing to provide a healthy life style for them.
Making people aware of the health risks associated with obesity is very important to all
of us, not just the individuals that are obese. Insurance companies are constantly raising their
rates based on the amount of claims they pay. Many of these claims are preventable if the patient
or parent of the patient is willing to learn how to live a healthier life style.

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Parents are ultimately responsible for their childrens

Fig. 4 Obesity Infants to

health; but if the parents were not properly taught, they

Preschoolers

most likely will not be affective in teaching their children

healthy habits. What logic could a parent possibly have for
allowing their child to become obese without intervention?

Work Cited

Ellin, Abby. Teenage Waistland. New York: PublicAffairs 2005. Print.

Farley, Thomas, A., and Deborah Dowell. Preventing Childhood Obesity: What Are We Doing
Right? American Journal Of Public Health 104.9 (2014): 1579-1583. CINAHL
Complete. Web. 14 February 2016
Goldbas, Abbie. Childhood Obesity: Can It Really Be Child Neglect?. International Journal
Of Childbirth Education 29.2 (2014): 37-40. CINAHL Complete. Web. 15 February2016.
Grossklaus, Heather, and Donna Marvicsin. Parenting Efficacy And Its Relationship To The
Prevention Of Childhood Obesity. Pediatric Nursing 40.2 (2014): 69-86.
Academic
Search Complete. Web. 15 February 2016.
Grube, Matthias, et al. Obese ParentsObese Children? Psychological-Psychiatric Risk Factors
Of Parental Behavior And Experience For The Development Of Obesity In Children
Aged 0-3: Study Protocol. BMC Public Health 13.(2013): 1193. MEDLINE with Full
Text. Web. 15 February 2016.

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Jones, Deborah J., et al. Should Child Obesity Be An Issue For Child Protective Services? A
Call For More Research On This Critical Public Health Issue. Trauma Violence & Abuse
15.2 (2014): 113-125. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 February 2016.
Lang, Kelly R. Parents Of Obese Children And Charges Of Child Abuse: What Is Our
Response?. Pediatric Nursing 38.6 (2012): 337-340. Academic Search Complete. Web.
10 February 2016.
.The CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Childhood Obesity Facts. 27 August
2015 Web 19 June 2015. < http://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm>
American Psychological Association (2009).
Retrieved from Promoting healthy behaviors to prevent obesity and unhealthy weight
control in our youth. Washington <.http://www.apa.org/topics/children/healthyeating.aspx>

The American Heart Association (2016). The AHA's Recommendations for Physical Activity in
Children.<http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyKids/ActivitiesforK
ids/The-AHAs-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-in
Children_UCM_304053_Article.jsp#.Vsn9k8v2ais>

Hoffman, Jan. Parents Denial Fuels Childhood Obesity Epidemic. The New York Times 16
June 2015:D1
Obesity in Infants to Preschoolers. 2014. Infographic. The American Heart Association.

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Web.25 February 2016

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyKids/ChildhoodObesity/Obesit
y-in-Infants-and-Preschoolers-Infographic_UCM_467593_SubHomePage.jsp

5 Reasons to Never Let Your Kids Eat McDonalds. Care2Causes. 2015. Photograph. Web. 25
February 2016. <http://www.care2.com/causes/5-reasons-to-never-let-your-kids-eatmcdonalds.html#ixzz41WRBSojA>

Prevalence of obesity among youth aged 219 years, by sex and race and Hispanic origin.2014.
Infograph.United States. CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey. Web. 25 February 2016.<http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db219.htm#
Fig4>

Choose My Plate. Build a Healthy Eating Style. 2015. Photograph. USDA. Web. 27 February
2016. <http://www.choosemyplate.gov/MyPlate>