Childhood Obesity: Why is childhood obesity a growing concern in public health?

1. Introduction

Childhood obesity is a serious public health concern that has increased in prevalence over the years. It is caused by an overconsumption of high-calorie foods and limited exercise. Today, it is estimated that over 18 percent of children in the U.S. are affected by obesity, as opposed to 1960 when the rate of childhood obesity was less than five percent. This means that today childhood obesity is the most common chronic disease in society, greatly affecting kids both physically and mentally. Research must be done on the prevention of obesity in children because these kids will suffer the effects of the disease for the rest of their lives, not to mention the cost of medical and related treatments. This is a serious problem that has fast-tracked children into becoming obese. It is especially prevalent as technology advances and becomes readily available to even young children. But what causes childhood obesity? Various reasons lead to childhood obesity, and many of them are preventable. Firstly, the most evident reason for obesity among children is unhealthy diets. Many foods that are readily available to them are full of sugar and fats, which are also high in calories. Secondly, childhood obesity has increased at an alarming rate because of how easily kids become addicted to TV and video games. Studies prove that the more TV a child watches, the more likely they are to get used to a sedentary lifestyle and therefore the more likely they are to become obese.

1.1 Definition of Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is usually measured with the body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated by taking a person’s weight in kilograms and dividing it by the square of the person’s height in meters. For children and teenagers, the BMI score is plotted on a gender-specific BMI-for-age growth chart. The BMI-for-age percentile shows how a child’s measurements compare with others of the same gender and age. If a child has a BMI above the 85th percentile and below the 95th percentile, he or she is considered overweight. A child is considered obese if he or she has a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. This accurate definition can be found on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s website. This definition provides a clear basis for identifying the children who may need medical or health intervention due to the risks associated with childhood obesity. This evidence-based and straightforward definition contrasts with the notoriously ineffective definition of obesity in adults, which is the simple accumulation of excess body fat. Under that definition, a judgment has to be made about how much excess fat constitutes obesity. The result is that hundreds of definitions exist. This is why the World Health Organization has so far declined to provide a definitive global definition for the term. Even though the symptoms of obesity in childhood and adulthood are similar, the diseases set in at different stages of life and require different interventions, yet another reason for having a precise definition for childhood obesity.

1.2 Prevalence of Childhood Obesity

Obesity is defined as having excess body fat due to excessive accumulation of large fat cells. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing more than what is thought to be a healthy body weight. Both terms mean that a person’s weight is greater than what is healthy for his or her height. However, there is evidence to suggest that the prevalence of obesity is increasing at an alarming rate, not only in the United States but throughout the developed world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2016), the prevalence of obesity worldwide more than doubled between 1980 and 2014. It is now estimated that over 41 million children under the age of five are overweight, and the WHO has further predicted that the figure will rise to over 70 million by 2025. Further figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that obesity in children over the last 30 years has more than doubled and has more than quadrupled in adolescents. Today, more than one-third of children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese. These statistics help to show just how prevalent childhood obesity is and the scale of the problem that it poses to public health. Furthermore, research and official statistics show that certain groups of children are disproportionately affected by obesity, particularly those from low-income and underserved communities. The CDC (2015) states that children from low-income families are more likely to be obese compared to children from high-income families. This is a trend that is very worrying as research evidence suggests that these individuals are likely to suffer from worse obesity-related health issues over the course of their lives. As well as the significant impact it has on individual health and well-being, childhood obesity also has important implications for the economy and the overall stability of public health. For example, there is increasing pressure placed upon health services to identify and treat obese children with weight-related health issues. This has led to a growing body of evidence that suggests childhood obesity is causing feedback loops that will affect future generations.

1.3 Impact of Childhood Obesity on Public Health

The increase in childhood obesity rate is a particular concern because it is “a significant predictor of adult obesity” and is more related to the risk of adult mortality than obesity starting in adulthood. It is more attacking public health, as the physical effects of cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, bone and joint problems, and sleep apnea may create many complications in the lifestyle, due to limited mobility. Furthermore, in 2013 many reports pinpointed the socio-cultural effects that obesity in childhood will have on the psychology of an individual. Critics are suggesting a view that “overweight children see it as predetermination to obesity in adulthood” and may directly withdraw from exercise when other children comment on their size. This has created an ongoing debate, as some people argue that the “public spending would benefit from more early years workers to tackle weight problems in children”, whilst others support the idea of “mental health services targeted at children and adolescents”. As a matter of fact, by researching the physical and psychological effects together it can be concluded with confidence that psychological effects do increase by different levels of mental stress and many found that starting stimulating physical activities and exercises at an early age can reduce these stress. However, as public health has been placing more efforts on encouraging children to be involved in a variety of sports and exercises, there is a small population of children who have never been active and have no history of seeking physical activities, these will be at a high risk of a serious health effect in the next generation. Any individual, from the youngest to the old generation, will be affected by such radical health in their whole life. Therefore, this reflects that obesity is attacking public health as those physical and mental effects will not only decrease the potential lives of both now and adults but also raise the medicate cost, especially for the mortality directly caused by obesity, such as cancer.

2. Causes of Childhood Obesity

2.1 Sedentary Lifestyle and Lack of Physical Activity

2.2 Unhealthy Dietary Habits

2.3 Genetic Factors

3. Health Risks Associated with Childhood Obesity

3.1 Type 2 Diabetes

3.2 Cardiovascular Diseases

3.3 Psychological Effects

4. Socioeconomic Factors and Childhood Obesity

4.1 Influence of Advertising and Media

4.2 Food Insecurity and Limited Access to Healthy Foods

4.3 Socioeconomic Disparities in Obesity Rates

5. Prevention and Intervention Strategies

5.1 School-Based Programs

5.2 Parental Education and Involvement

5.3 Policy Changes and Regulations