CHILDHOOD OBESITY
Executive Summary
Childhood obesity is one of the fastest growing epidemics in America. It is a serious medical condition that affects children and other adolescents. Over the years the rate of obese children are rising and there needs to be a solution to the problem. If a child is above their ideal height and weight then they are considered to be obese.
It is very common for children to have a larger BMI than what is required. The problem with children being diagnosed at such a young age will eventually lead into having other health issues such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood sugar. That isn't the only concern. Obesity can also have an affect on the child mentally. Many people who are obese have severe self-esteem issues and depression. These are also the two major factors that lead to suicide. Of course there are always solutions to this issue and it requires change in diet and it includes exercise in your daily routine
Data and results that were taking in 2011-2012 show that children from the age of 2 and 19 were obese and 31.8 percent of children were obese or overweight. Almost a quarter of children are obese from as early as 2 years old.
This data also gives a breakdown of the different ethnic groups. 22.5 percent of obese children are Latino and 22.5 percent that are Black are obese. On the other hand, 14.1 percent of non-Latino White and 6.8 percent of Asian-American children.
As all people that are aware of childhood obesity should know the solutions to help decrease the rate of obese children. The first solution should be a change in diet. Diet is very important when trying to live a healthier and happier life. Many people find it very easy to just eat out everyday because it saves time. What is more important? The longevity of your life or the satisfaction of eating flavor booming foods that will shorten your lifespan.
The limitations for obese children include the video games and television that they watch every single day for hours of the day. It is valuable time that they are wasting when they sit in front of a t.v. all day. It limits them to go outside and be active. Playing sports can help solve that problem. Any sport can be useful for their everyday life. Another important limitation is the heavy schedule with parents. This affects the child because research has shown that the child's BMI increases.