thesis statements about childhood obesity

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Childhood Obesity: Thesis Statement

1. introduction.

The obesity epidemic that has swept the Western world has focused attention on a range of lifestyle and environmental issues that may contribute to weight gain. This epidemic is not confined to adults, and rates of childhood obesity have risen alarmingly recently. The negative human and economic costs of childhood obesity to individuals and society have been the focus of a number of public and political announcements and policy positions. High body mass index (BMI) in childhood is associated with a number of long-term chronic diseases including Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and being overweight in adolescence is also associated with a number of negative mental health outcomes, including low self-esteem and body dissatisfaction. The primary aim of this paper is to analyze the link between childhood obesity and comprehensive markers of health and well-being in the UK. Secondly, the analysis that we present in this paper is of both academic and policy interest. The empirical analysis in the paper estimates the relationship between a range of outcomes and high BMI. Since the first estimates of this relationship found a strong negative effect of high BMI on child and young adult outcomes, there has been extensive academic research that has found similar relationships. However, the majority of this research has been of the effects of particular lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, video-game usage, and consumption of fizzy drinks, rather than BMI. These shortcomings in the literature have reduced the value to policymakers of the research and have game implications for the estimation of the rate at which the negative aspects of obesity are rising. Finally, the rate of childhood obesity has risen rapidly over the past 15 years and obesity is now the most common childhood chronic disease. The majority of obese children grow up to be obese adults, with the comorbidities, poor labor-market outcomes, low educational attainment, and low life-satisfaction that this entails. It is therefore important to improve our understanding of the implications of high levels of BMI.

1.1. Background and Significance

Childhood obesity impacts morbidity and mortality in both pediatric and adult populations. Pediatric obesity is associated with diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, early atherosclerosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and psychosocial and musculoskeletal consequences, including bullying, depression, and poor self-esteem. The aforementioned adds significant burden on the pediatric healthcare system. In addition to disease, these children are likely to be less successful in childhood activities, including poor academic performance and reduced athletic abilities. A subset of these children will also be victims of abuse. The National Research Council report on "Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education Programs" acknowledged prevention is by no means a simple task and the inherent difficulties in developing and testing intervention strategies. The American Academy of Pediatrics Intervention for Childhood Obesity reports describe the current state of treatment models and identifies the areas of greatest need for future research. Treatment options, including pharmacologic interventions, have limited efficacy. The need to deploy effective behavior modification techniques cannot be underestimated. Obesity treatment is limited by time, cost, and low insurance reimbursement for services. Screening tools are accurate. However, expert opinion varies regarding which children, age 6 and over, should be accepted by pediatric obesity experts. Is there a medical reason not to treat obese children younger than 2 years of age?

2. Causes of Childhood Obesity

The encouraging trends detailed in the introduction can, unfortunately, not disguise the fact that ever more people, especially children, have problems with their weight. It is estimated that around 8% of children between the ages of 6-12 in the OECD area are obese. Childhood obesity is a particularly worrying condition because it is more often than not carried into adulthood, and badly affects long-term health and well-being. It is likely to lead not only to reduced life expectancy but also to greater vulnerability to illness and disability in adult life. The reasons for the growing epidemic of childhood obesity are many and varied. The basic cause, however, is an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure: the number of calories supplied by food and drink substantially exceeds the number of calories burnt in the various activities of everyday life. Various reasons (lack of physical activity, sedentary lifestyles, consumption of sugary drinks and heavily energy-dense foods) are advanced to account for this increase in the levels of childhood obesity. Its undoubtedly complex and multi-factorial basis needs complex and multi-functional policy responses. These will not only need to act on the diet itself, as well as physical activity, but also take account of the market mechanisms that often push consumers into overeating, via incentives for the production and marketing of cheap but junk food.

2.1. Genetic Factors

Recent studies that have been done on twins have shown that the inheritance of obesity, especially in adults, is largely genetic. Although almost all studies have shown that genetic factors have some contribution to the causes of fatness and obesity, the results of those studies show that genetic factors make a much larger contribution to the causes of fatness among and within individuals. Studies that have been done on adopted children have also shown that adopted children are more like their biological parents than their adoptive parents in regard to fatness levels. Consequently, it has often been argued that adoptive family has little influence on fatness or obesity in childhood. It has been found that the inheritance of fatness is due to an interaction between genetic and environmental factors, and that the component of fatness that is transmitted from parents to children is more likely to be attributed to learned behaviors and environmental interactions than to biological inheritance. Since there has been an increase in the prevalence of obesity in the past 30 years, it is unlikely that the gene pool of the population has changed significantly. What then has been responsible for the recent rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity? Genetic factors also influence variations in body composition in children. Obese children tend to have tall and obese parents, and thin children tend to have short and thin parents. It has also been shown that an increase in weight in normal growing children is accompanied by an increase in lean body mass rather than an increase in fat mass. There is less consistent evidence with regard to whether genetic differences determine the pattern of fat distribution in children. Meta-analysis of studies on the heritability of skinfold thicknesses has shown that the heritability of skinfold thickness is very low in childhood and increases to a moderate level only in adolescence. No MZ-DZ differences in the heritability of waist to hip could be found in a sample of 2299 healthy children.

2.2. Environmental Factors

The development of a healthy diet in infancy is largely dependent on parental feeding practices, especially in early life and the infant's environment. Parental feeding practices in response to child hunger and satiety cues, such as the use of breastfeeding and bottle feeding, or length of feeding, have a major influence on the developing gut satiety and hunger mechanisms. They dictate the infant's recognition of hunger and satiety, while also influencing the quantity and quality of food intake within the infancy stages. Studies have reported improved innate ability of full-term breastfeeding mothers to interpret infant feeding in response to hunger and satiety cues. This, in turn, affects the rapid development of healthy weight regulation. In contrast, infants whose parents used incorrect feeding strategies, such as not feeding in response to the child's satiety cues, were associated with reduced development of the infant's innate ability to regulate intake amounts in response to satiety. Afferent hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin, play an important role in informing the developing satiety and hunger centers in the infant's hypothalamus. Insulin and CCK also have satiety signals. Infants that were a product of a short gestational period have decreased volumes of white and gray matter structures within the hypothalamus, further impacting the development of this appetite regulatory system. Additionally, neural abnormalities have been detected in the desmosome in the adipose tissue of obese infants, permitting contact between astrocytes and adipocytes to rise about the sensitivity of hind brain peptides to circulating nutrients. Providing appropriate parent education aimed at allowing parents to interpret infant signals at mealtimes is imperative in promoting the development of healthy feeding behavior within the infant. This further aids in the prevention of childhood obesity and later obesity in life.

3. Health Consequences of Childhood Obesity

The health consequences of childhood obesity are both short and long term. Children who are obese are more likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, sickle cell anemia, sleep-disordered breathing, and asthma. Obese children can also suffer psychological consequences such as anxiety, depression, and decreased self-esteem. There is also accumulating evidence about the relationship between childhood obesity and open angle glaucoma, bone fractures, and emotional and behavioral problems. Overweight children and adolescents are more likely to have risk factors associated with obesity, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and abnormal glucose tolerance. Risk factors like high cholesterol and high blood pressure produce physical effects on the blood vessels of children and adolescents, which are initially seen as fatty streaks and fibrous plaques in the large vessels. These effects place overweight children at an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis as adults. Factors related to the onset of type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and essential hypertension, including hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, and hypertension, are becoming more common in overweight children and adolescents. Many researchers anticipate a significant increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes as a sequela of the obesity epidemic. Social and emotional aspects raised by obesity include discrimination or prejudice, teasing, and poor self-esteem. Overweight children also have fewer and more negative friendships. These psychosocial symptoms cause some children to become self-conscious, while others may develop clinical depression. Furthermore, underlying depression may also be an explanation for the larger portion of children who are self-medicating through the abusive use of food.

3.1. Physical Health

Obesity in childhood is a condition in which a child is significantly overweight for his or her age, height, and sex. It is a common disorder in the United States and is associated with a variety of serious health problems that can affect their duration and quality of life by creating health risks that can result in the following: Type 2 diabetes: For many years, health experts have noted increasing rates of type 2 diabetes in young adults and teenagers, likely due to increasing rates of obesity. The disease was once rare in American children, but over the years, the number of young people affected has sharply increased. This is of great concern because type 2 diabetes can produce symptoms such as weight loss despite increased hunger, dehydration, and increased urination and can cause irreparable damage to the body. Amputations, kidney failure, and life-threatening seizures can result from the effects of the disease on the heart, eyes, and kidneys.

3.2. Mental Health

Childhood obesity affects psychological morbidity, which, low and moderate obesity significantly decreases the mental well-being of both boys and girls. However, girls, in particular, experience a gradual intensification of this difference as the severity of obesity increases. Overweight and obese children show a higher frequency of social problems. These problems include difficulties in establishing and maintaining relationships with their social environment, both in terms of family relations and relationships with friends and classmates. Childhood obesity, along with social discrimination and social isolation, which often accompany it, becomes a potential risk factor for emotional and behavioral problems. Other recent evidence has shown that children suffering from obesity are at risk of developing a significant imbalance in their quality of life. This is primarily due to the negative consequences that obesity can have on physical well-being. These consequences are closely connected to the risk of developing serious diseases linked to obesity, such as diabetes, hypertension, arthrosis, disturbed menstrual cycle, apnea, and hyperglycemia. The numerous health complications linked to childhood obesity are not just a theoretical problem. Analyses have shown that childhood weight problems are significantly linked to adult occupational and other characteristics. This suggests that obesity may be an important and increasing health problem. It also provides further evidence that public intervention in early life may be indicated in the presence of these problems.

4. Prevention and Intervention Strategies

Strategies for the prevention of and intervention in overweight and obesity in children and adolescents should focus on evidence-based goals to affect body mass index in pediatric populations. Efforts should not stigmatize individuals or groups. Studies are essential to define the best programs, settings, and counselors. A substantial gap exists between knowledge of key components of effective intervention and traditional modes by which health care services for children are implemented. Educating pediatricians, other health professionals, and the public about these methods is essential. The task force advocates for systems, policy, and environmental changes that will promote healthful eating and activity. The increasing prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is a major public health concern. The complexity of the epidemic necessitates a focus on prevention and on a systems approach to effect positive change. The issue is of sufficient importance to justify investment by policymakers, funders, families, and pediatric healthcare professionals. Intervening with overweight children is of high priority as a means of ameliorating suffering and preventing progression to adult overweight, obesity, and the health problems associated with obesity.

4.1. Family-based Interventions

Childhood obesity is a serious public health issue. While it is recognized that obesity rates in many developed countries have stabilized during the last decade, rates have nevertheless increased in a number of developing countries. Children who are overweight or obese are more likely to become overweight or obese adults than children who are of a healthy weight. Childhood obesity also predisposes individuals to a variety of related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Both the high prevalence of obesity among children, as well as the substantial increase in associated morbidity over time, has led to an interest in the efficacy of interventions designed to prevent and treat obesity in children. Family-based interventions evolved as a result of two main observations: First, data consistently reported a positive association between parent and child body mass index (BMI), fueling speculation as to whether intervening with children might be more effective if family members were included. Second, early childhood development research showed there was a strong case for parental involvement in the shaping of behaviors during early developmental periods. Observational data supported a relationship between dietary intake and parenting styles. Cross-sectional data indicated that it was the parents' prevalent food practices and active involvement in child nutritional and physical activity patterns that were associated with child obesity status and activity levels.

4.2. School-based Programs

These are deemed to be the most promising by some researchers, not because of their good results, but because they might be less costly in comparison to other alternatives. To sum up, the interventions to reduce childhood obesity are yet to show significant results. It seems that a multidisciplinary approach has a better chance of success than a medical one, but a social network perspective combining the insights of nutrition and public policy is needed to propose solutions that take into account the life course of every individual from the cradle to adulthood. Schools are an ideal setting for preventing and treating childhood obesity for several reasons: children spend a significant proportion of the time at school, and schools have a pre-existing infrastructure where children can eat, play, and be socialized into adopting healthy behaviors. In addition, schools provide a convenient location for teachers, parents, and children to learn about healthy behaviors. Furthermore, national correlations cross-culturally of the body mass index of school children and the quality of the school lunches indicate the importance of regulating the in-school food intake. Studies and reports regarding this matter indicate that changes can be beneficial. However, there is little or no evidence about the secular relationship of the food intake and the weight of school-age children. Such information could support the idea that the replacement of the school lunches would be an effective means to prevent excessive weight gains in school-age children and depression.

5. Conclusion

In summary, childhood obesity has become a global epidemic and has a detrimental impact on physical and psychological health, with both short- and long-term consequences. Although current therapies do lead to weight reduction, the tendency to regain much of the lost weight is the most significant challenge of obesity therapies. Both dietary/behavioral, as well as pharmacotherapies, can lead to weight loss. However, behavior and lifestyle modification have the most sustained effect. The most significant long-term problem is that the response is likely to drop as the period following the beginning of the treatment lengthens. Recent literature suggests that long-term pharmacotherapy helps to keep the weight off. When long-term weight maintenance is successful, this decreases the need for the treatment of coexisting health diseases. Choosing food products with low energy density may assist weight management as long as people eat smaller serving sizes. Replacing high energy density meals with lower energy density consumes energy deliberately rather than decreasing intake. Drinking alcohol should be minimized to decrease the consumption of calories. The latest evidence shows a strong positive association between sugar-sweetened beverages, enhanced health problems, and resulting in weight gain and obesity. Maintaining records of food intake can be used to increase awareness of calories, portion sizes, and food choices. In the growing obesity crisis, mass market food intake techniques and food options have a key role to play. Research on their long-term effectiveness is needed.

5.1. Summary of Key Findings

Childhood obesity is a major public health issue and is universally acknowledged as a serious health concern for the long-term health outcomes, as it increases the risk of becoming obese as adults and the associated negative physical health, psychological, and social consequences. Less is known about the economic and educational consequences of childhood obesity. The key findings on the potential consequences of childhood obesity are summarized, in turn, as per the main identified potential consequence: physical health, psychological health, social well-being, and health care costs. The available evidence suggests that childhood obesity matters a great deal for short-term physical health and well-being and potentially compromises later life physical health and well-being. The adverse short-term consequences for physical health and well-being for children and young adults are many. Childhood Obesity: The Impact on Education also documents the occurrence of childhood obesity in OECD countries, as well as the lifetime impact of childhood obesity on an individual's health, education, and social outcomes.

5.2. Implications for Future Research

Obesity, like any other socially patterned phenomenon, can be understood to affect society by how it impacts on the social, economic, and environmental determinants of obesity. Various studies have found that childhood obesity has adverse health-related externalities, with long-term lifestyle-related diseases associated with obesity having substantial long-term social and economic costs to society at large. This paper has focused on the relationship between childhood obesity and child development outcomes. For example, its impact on cognitive and educational outcomes, pro-social behavior, and negative behavioral outcomes such as risk-taking and substance abuse. Further work is required to better understand the causal mechanisms that underpin the relationship between childhood overweight and obesity and these social, health, and other cognitive developmental outcomes. This will involve focusing on better identifying within-child variation in childhood obesity and exploiting change over time in this measure. For example, employing longitudinal research provided richer survey data that can follow cohorts of children from birth to adolescence or adulthood. These datasets need to include reliable and repeatable measures of body weight and height status, as well as comprehensive measures of health, well-being, and cognitive and social development. From a policy perspective, it is not only important to have a better understanding of the causal pathways that underpin these associations, but also to know whether they are modifiable (such as education, diet, and lifestyle), and thus could have an impact on BMI at an individual or population level. Furthermore, if they are modifiable, would the intervention have implications for broader cognitive development outcomes, the learning environment, or health care cost-effectiveness and child health outcomes (such as levels of tooth decay).

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Childhood Obesity: Causes/Solutions Research Paper

Thesis statement, introduction, statistics about the problem, causes of childhood obesity, steps the government should take to eliminate the problem, works cited, note card i, note card ii.

Childhood obesity is one of the biggest developing health problems associated with the things such as types of foods that children consume, genetic factors, addiction to highly pleasurable foods, and diminished physical activities.

Therefore, failure of the government to take precautionary measures such as controlling the foods served to children, introduction of BMI checking to schoolchildren, and planning of anti-obesity campaigns amongst others will automatically threaten the health of children and that of the population of the nation at large.

Obesity is the development of more weight than the body of an individual is supposed to carry. Ideally, the body of a person should carry weight within a certain range according to the height of the given individual. Much weight for a specific height is deemed overweight and consequently underweight for a much less weight for a specific height.

Therefore, childhood obesity is the development of more weight, which is mostly fats, more than the height can accommodate. It is usually 20% more body fat weight in a child. Childhood obesity is a serious health problem to society due to the frequency of obesity cases that are being reported of late.

The greatest concern brought about by childhood obesity is that it has been identified as a precursor to certain adulthood ailments if not controlled. Thus, controlling it is a way of eliminating some adulthood ailments. As Riley reveals, childhood obesity leads to such ailments as; “hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression, type two diabetes, and high cholesterol among others” (395).

According to Green and Riley, childhood obesity has increased threefold since the year 1981. Sixteen per cent percentage of the population of children between the ages of 6 and 19 years suffer from obesity (917).

In the United States, 23% of children coming from poor families are likely to suffer from obesity compared to 14% of those who come from families that are doing well socially and economically (Riley 395). Obesity has led to a rise in the cost of healthcare for the national government with obesity cases consuming up to 71million dollars in terms of treatment between the years 2008-2009.

According to statistics, there has been a 50% increase in obese cases among children of 7-12 years during the years 1991-1998. Eyler finds that the United States of America government has had to come up with policies and legislation that would reverse the trend by the year 2015 (2294). This effort is an indicator to the seriousness of the problem and the concern that the government has towards it. What causes childhood obesity?

The Foods in the Market

One of the biggest causes of childhood obesity is the type of food a child eats. Following the increase in populations and the decrease in the land for agricultural production, scientists have come up with ways of producing high yields of crops on remarkably small pieces of land for feeding the populations. Most of these foods are produced using biotechnology and bioengineering, which lead to high crop yields. Most crops produced using the methods have been cited as sources of obesity upon producing food from them.

High yield crop production involves altering of the genetic makeup of the crops. When consumed by children and or other people, the effects are directly transferred to them. Animals that used as food to human beings are usually fed on foods with high hormones to spur quick growth of the animals. When children feed on products from these animals, the hormones are directly transferred to them thus triggering a faster development of their cells and body tissues hence leading to obesity.

Genetic Factors

Genetic factors can also be attributed to be a cause of childhood obesity that happens when a child grows bigger than the actual size, and then it is cited as a family trend. Some people are naturally grown. This condition sometimes inherited and passes from one generation to the other.

The study further revealed that there is a 75% chance of children being obese if their parents were obese and a 75% chance of children being thin or slim if their parents were thin. This fact is a sure indicator that obesity is a genetic factor that is passed on from parents to their children. The situation can be controlled if the children engage in activities that can enable them burn the extra calories and fats.

Addiction to highly pleasurable foods

According to Pretlow, addiction to highly pleasurable foods can be one of the biggest causes of obesity in children between the age of 5years to 19years (297). Most of these highly pleasurable foods are extraordinarily high in calories thus leading to extremely fast weight gain in children and young adults.

The advent of fast food outlets has exacerbated the problem because most of the foods sold in fast food outlets are highly pleasurable besides containing excess calories. Addiction to these kinds of foods can be equated to some extent to the addiction found in substances like drugs. Addiction to highly pleasurable foods thus leads the child eating more and more of the food. Because they are not in a position to burn the loads of calories gained by their bodies, they tend to begin piling more and more fats in their bodies.

Diminished physical activities

Childhood obesity can be attributed to diminished physical activities among children. Most children nowadays do not engage in physical activities as compared to the past. In the past, most parents would engage their children in physical activities like doing household chores while going out to play at the same time as a way of engaging in fun. That trend has changed dramatically in the recent past with most children engaging in activities that are not energy sapping.

The trend has changed with the introduction of computer games in society. Most children have ended up becoming couch potatoes because they spend almost all of their playing time playing computer games, which are addictive in nature. The increase in television programs has also led to children getting addicted to watching television. Reilly finds that television companies have come up with tailor-made programs for children thus leading to television addiction (395).

Controlling the food served in schools

The government should come up with a policy guideline on what types of food can be served in school kitchens. Nutritionists should recommend the foods because they have the right calorie contents for children at specific ages.

This campaign will see the government prepare a school feeding diet program that is based on healthy eating habits, which are aimed at reducing obesity and hence eliminating it in the end. An observation by Wojcicki and Heyman contends that an awareness program starting from schools is a sure way of controlling obesity (1630).

Introduction of BMI check in schools

The government should introduce a regular body mass index check to all children in schools as a way of checking and regulating the problem. A regular body mass index check will make the children aware of their weight status and the need to keep healthy bodies and lifestyles.

Such checks can also be used for recommending specific physical activity programs to the children as a way of enabling them burn the excess fats that have accumulated in their bodies. Children growing up with the awareness of the right body mass index will be able to control overweight problems when they occur in the future thus ensuring a healthy nation.

Develop a nationwide anti obesity campaign

The government should develop a nationwide campaign that will see the awareness levels of the population increased to such an extent that everyone in society is aware of the problem. Huang observes that a nationwide campaign to eliminate obesity will enable parents bring up their children with awareness of the obesity problem (148).

Most parents are usually unaware of the obesity problem in their children thus ending up not taking the right steps to stop it. The society today is made up of parents who spend a lot of their time chasing their careers than taking care of their children and hence the need to remind them of their responsibility.

Childhood obesity is a complex problem that cannot be easily wished away due to the many different elements that cause to it. It needs a multipronged approach that will control it. The problem with obesity is that it cannot be eliminated. Thus, there is a need for the government to put measures as discussed above to minimize it as much as possible.

Eyler, Army et al. “Patterns and predictions of state childhood obesity legislation in United States: 2006-2009.” American Journal of Public health 102.12 (2012): 2294- 2302. Print.

Green, Gregory, and Riley Clarence. “Physical activity and childhood obesity: Strategies and solutions for schools and parents.” Education 132.4 (2012): 915-920. Print.

Huang, Terry. “Prevention and treatment: Solutions beyond the individual.” Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 35 (2007): 148-149. Print.

Pretlow, Robert. Addiction to highly pleasurable food as a cause of the childhood obesity epidemic: A qualitative internet study . Washington D.C: Routledge, 2008. Print.

Riley, John. “Childhood obesity: An overview.” Children & Society 21.5 (2007): 390-396. Print.

Wojcicki, Janet, and Melvin Heyman. “Reducing childhood obesity by eliminating 100% fruit juice.” American Journal of Public Health 102.9 (2012): 1630-1633. Print.

Summary Note Card:

Following the rising impacts that obesity has had on the US citizens, leave alone the children, there has been a call to the government to pass bills that emphasize the need to reduce the danger caused by this fatal disease. Patterns and Predictors of Enactment of State Childhood Obesity Legislation in the United States: 2006-2009 points out the efforts that the US is making to curb the rising trend by 2015. The article reveals how the US has made it a priority to pass bills that address needs of the obese people as a way of ensuring that they are not left to die of the disease when measures can actually be implemented to rescue them and the US at large.

Quotation Note Card:

Eyler et al state, “…the number of bills introduced from 2006 to 2009 with obesity prevention content is encouraging, as is the enactment rate of these bills.”

Eyler, Army et al. “Patterns and predictions of state childhood obesity legislation in United States: 2006-2009.” American Journal of Public health 102.12 (2012): 2298. Print.

Paraphrase Note Card:

According to Eyler et al, the period 2006-2008 has been characterized by tremendous efforts by the US government to publish many bills that specifically touch on the issue of obesity. The findings indicate that the earlier on observed obesity trend in the US will be changing with time with fewer reports of obesity cases.

Despite the many efforts put in place to fight obesity, it is alarming to find out how obesity prevalence is rising in the UK and the US specifically among children and adolescents.

This revelation indicates that the current strategies used to fight the disease do not have a well-crafted message to persuade the children and adolescents to change their eating habits and or engage in strenuous activities to help rid themselves of the many useless calories whose accumulation has led to their obese nature. Hence, there is room for more studies on the best strategies to use to reach the affected children and adolescent if at all eliminating obesity is the goal of both the UK and the US.

“Successful prevention of obesity in future will require good examples or models of interventions which have achieved objectively measured and sustained behavior change”

Riley, John. “Childhood obesity: An overview.” Children & Society 21.5 (2007): 395. Print.

Due to the observed failure of the current strategies to help the obese children and adolescents, there has been a call for future research to incorporate interventions that will have the capacity to alter the observed high rates of obesity among the US and the UK children and adolescents.

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CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND FAMILY INFLUENCE ON CHILDREN’S NUTRITION INTAKE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PATTERNS, AND BMI Z-SCORES IN OMAN

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• March 22, 2019
• Affiliation: School of Nursing
• Childhood Obesity is a public health problem. It poses a significant health risk, which has been demonstrated to track into adulthood and decreases children’s physical and psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between weight status, nutrition intake, and physical activity patterns of Omani middle age children and explore the familial factors that influence them. The sample of the study consisted of 204 Omani mother-child dyads. The mean age of children was 7.74 years (SD ± 1.161). Among examined children, 17.4% were either overweight or obese and more than 72% of mothers were found to be overweight or obese. Weak associations between children’s nutrition and physical activity pattern and obesity were found. Main familial factors that showed influence on children’s nutrition intake were parental education level, family income, and family nutrition and physical activity pattern. Children’s physical activity pattern as reflected by moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), screen time, and sleep time found to be influenced by maternal BMI, parental education level and working status, as well as family nutrition and physical activity pattern. Interestingly, the results of the study indicated that child’s BMI z-score was strongly associated with maternal BMI and parental education level, particularly mothers’.
• physical activity
• https://doi.org/10.17615/ttc7-n970
• Dissertation
• Leeman, Jennifer
• Thompson, Amanda
• Crandell, Jamie
• Berry, Diane
• Brooks, Jada
• Doctor of Philosophy
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School

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Childhood Obesity: Public Policies and Gaps

• Masters Thesis
• Rodriguez, Gilma
• Chung, Kyusuk
• Powell, David
• Augustin, Frankline
• California State University, Northridge
• Health Administration
• child obesity
• overweight children
• healthcare expenditures
• economic consequences of child obesity
• childhood obesity public policies
• Dissertations, Academic -- CSUN -- Public Administration.
• obesity health issues
• economic burden of obesity
• child obesity gaps
• 2020-08-25T23:38:53Z
• http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/217343
• by Gilma Rodriguez
• v, 34 pages

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