Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE

Childhood Obesity on the rise

DiAsia Frazier
Coastal Carolina University

Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE

DiAsia Frazier
April 27, 2016
CSCI 101-01
Spring 2016
Childhood obesity on the rise
Childhood obesity is an increasing issue in American society because of the long term
effects of poor diet, a low income household, and lack of education about healthy eating;
therefore, the level of childhood obesity cases in America will continue to rise until families are
able to afford nutritious foods and children are properly educated about living a healthy lifestyle.
A combination of taking in fewer calories and obtaining more exercise will result in an increase
of physical productivity and a decrease in the possibility of becoming unhealthy.
To begin, when children are more physically active they have a greater attention span
because their brains are engaged, which insinuates better knowledge comprehension in classes.
Studies have shown that brain breaks (ten to thirty minutes of light physical activity) during
classroom learning sessions help students focus and engage more in future lessons because
physical activities help form connections in the brain. Poor nutrition leads to poor performance
with academics at school. Children who are unhealthy or obese are prone to have more sick
days or absent days than a healthy child during the school year (Health Education, 2001).
Inactivity and poor diet are the top two causes of childhood obesity. Some of the risks
associated with obesity are hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes, heart failure, and even some
cancers (Health Education, 2001). Chronic diseases that used to only be found in adults are now
being found in children which is quite alarming to physicians.

Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE

Furthermore, studies have shown that children who are overweight during their
adolescent years are more than likely to also be obese as adults. This is due to continuous
behavior of overeating, poor diet, and not enough physical activity. The Center for Disease and
Control (CDC) does an annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). This survey includes
questions that vary from diet to academics and physical activity (Center for Disease and Control,
2016). This test helps determine behaviors in children which may include: overeating, more
intake of calories then calories burned, and mental health. The studies are then publicized so that
the public is aware of these concerns and can become advocates for maintaining a healthy
lifestyle for young children (WebMD, 2016).
In addition to lack of inactivity, another major cause of childhood obesity is lack of food
in their household. Many people do not take into account that it is not the childs fault that he or
she is obese, it is the parents. Some children are born into low income families. Many low
income families cannot afford fresh fruits and vegetables for their children. If a parent has to
work long hours or had multiple jobs, many children are left to fend for themselves or the parent
will pick up fast food on the way home. Children living in poverty are at a much greater risk of
having lack of nutritious wholesome foods to eat in their homes. There are programs in place
such as the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) which helps aids mothers to purchase
groceries and other necessities for their families (Obesity Action Coalition, 2016). In 2009, The
USDAs Food Insecurity in Households with Children Report, shown that 85% of homes with
lack of food for their children had one more parents in the home (Obesity Action Coalition,
2016). These results were quite shocking. This study demonstrates how the price of groceries,
employment, and wage levels play a factor/ key role in how often and what a child eats.

Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE

Furthermore, dietary and physical activities patterns play a key role in obesity amongst
youth. Childhood obesity is a product of a healthy diet, an imbalance of calorie intake and
physical activity, hormone imbalance, genetics, or a metabolism imbalance (WebMD, 2016).
All of these factors cannot be placed as a single cause because theyre all interact
interchangeable, in children due to their different growth patterns. No one child is the exact same
as another. Doctors has studied average growth spurts, weight, and mental capabilities, but not
every child fits into a categorical average box. Large amounts of sugar in a diet is very
unhealthy for a child. Advertisements of foods and other consumable products that are directed
towards children are often very high in sugar, calories, and high fructose corn syrup; all of which
contribute to an unhealthy diet (Obesity Action Coalition, 2016). The issue is that some parents
dont just buy these products as treats and instead keep them in the household at all times. If a
childs eating habits are not monitored then overeating can get out of control very quickly.
Also, studies have shown that children are not getting the right recommended amount of
physical activity per day. Children should have up to 60-80 minutes of physical activity per day
in order to maintain a healthy body weight (WebMD, 2016). The right recommended amount of
physical activity for children will lead to better gross motor and fine motor development,
thinking skills, a good level of blood pressure, and good bone strength. Some of the reasons
behind children not getting the proper amount of physical activity per day includes: lack of
recess in school, no safe place to play at home, sedimentary activities, and not being involved in
sports.
Year after year, recess in schools has either been cut down to a small amount of time or
completely cut out of class schedules. Cutting back on recess is due to the large focus on core
curriculum and standardized testing (Health Education, 2001). School officials as well as other

Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE

educators push for more emphasis on testing scores and teachers doing whatever it takes to gets
students learning and passing. Wanting students to be all they can be and to gain knowledge is a
great mentality, but not at the cost of them being physically inactive and becoming unhealthy.
For some children the only time they have to play or exercise is during recess at school.
In addition to children not being able to have recess, some youth do not have a safe
environment to play in outside of school. Studies have shown that children who are obese are
more than likely to not go outside as much to play or exercise (Health Education, 2001). This
could be due to living in a dangerous neighborhood or not having anyone to watch the child as
they play outside. Children who do not get to spend time outdoors are more than likely to be
sedentary and play indoor games (Health Education, 2001). Another issue could be that the
child parents do not feel comfortable with them being outside.
Moreover, in most recent years studies have correlated that children have become more
sedentary. Sedentary means to spend much more time seated and inactive (WebMD). There has
been a sudden rise since the 90s with electronics such as: video games, computer games, cell
phones, music devices, and even some board games. The gaming industry is a multibillion dollar
industry. The more electronic systems within a household, the less likely a child is to get up and
do physical activity (Childhood Obesity Coalition, 2016). Scientists have suggested that video
games are linked to more connections being formed in the brain and they can also help build
problem solving skills (Health Education, 2001). The problem is that oftentimes those types of
games do not involve getting up and moving around. Some video game devices such as the Wii
Fit, promote physical activity to get up and get moving. Video games and board games do not
have to all be sedentary.

Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE

Lastly, children are at a higher risk of obesity if they are not involved in sports. Youth
sports play a key factor in developing adolescents. Sports teach children teamwork, problem
solving strategies, and most importantly sports gives children a chance to be active (Childhood
Obesity Coalition, 2016). There are a variety of youth sports. It is important for adolescents to try
out different sports to learn what best suits their capabilities. Youth sports helps to give parents
an advantage because their children may not see playing a sport as exercise, but rather as a fun
activity.
Moreover, nutrition standards in elementary and middle schools have not been meeting
statewide and government official standards. Schools are lacking funding to promote healthy
eating campaigns (Health Education, 2001). If children do not learn the proper amount of food
that should be on their plate in one sitting, they will be more prone to over eating. The quantity
of food on the plate is just as important as the quality of food on the plate. In 2010, the US
Department of Agriculture initiated the My Plate food guidance system. My Plate is a go to
diagram which shows depictions and explanations of what types of foods should be on your plate
and how much of it should be on your plate. My Plate also functions as a tool to help regulate
and maintain a balance between calorie intake and sustaining a healthy weight. Many school
systems lack funding for proper nutritious school lunches. Several school lunches have been
found to be filled with heavily processed, greasy, high sodium, and high concentration of sugar
rich foods (CDC, 2016). Some schools serve mainly fast food type lunches for quick
convenience instead of healthy wholesome lunches.
Furthermore, schools lack funding and time to promote healthy eating and to teach the
importance of an active lifestyle. In high school, adolescents get to partake in a health class
which teaches various things about the human body and health. Children in elementary in middle

Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE

schools may not have access from their schools or teachers to learn about being healthy. A child
has to be taught not to overeat and what foods are good or bad for them. A child must also learn
that its okay to eat sugary foods, but in moderation. A lot of children are visual learners;
therefore, it is important to advertise healthy habit posters around a learning environment.
Healthy habits include washing your hands frequently, getting enough sleep, how to handle
emotions, and having a healthy diet.
As a resolution, with childhood obesity being on the rise, there is hope for it to come to a
decline over the next few years and for years to come. Childhood obesity affects children in
several ways including poor academic performance, low self-esteem, and further health problems
into adulthood. Lack of knowledge of how to live a healthy lifestyle will continue to keep the
level of childhood obesity cases in America on the rise. Until families are able to afford
nutritious foods and children are properly educated about living a healthy lifestyle, childhood
obesity will continue to be an issue. When the parent, community, and school system come
together to create and produce ways in which children can be happy and healthy, then we could
possibly see an end to this epidemic.

Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE

Source Citations
Telljohann, Susan Kay, Cynthia Wolford Symons, Dean F. Miller, and Dean F. Miller. Health
Education: Elementary and Middle School Applications. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill,
2001. Print.
"Childhood Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 27 Aug. 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Preventing Obesity in Children, Causes of Child Obesity, and More."WebMD. WebMD, n.d.
Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
"Obesity Action Coalition What Is Childhood Obesity?" Obesity Action Coalition What Is
Childhood Obesity Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.