Obesity in children is a very serious medical condition and it is said to say that (Health. N.p., n.d.) 1 out of 3 children are obese. Obesity in children is only continuing to increase in America, which is why it is significant to provide the general public with the knowledge that they can understand and hopefully prevent their children from becoming overweight. When an individual is overweight starting from a young age it will normally follow them through high school and then so through adulthood. Being overweight can cause so many obstacles throughout life that are difficult to overcome such as being bullied in school, chronic medical issues, and shortening your lifespan due to obesity. There are several treatments that can be used to help prevent obesity such as living a healthy lifestyle which contains physical activity and a healthy diet. Having a healthier lifestyle and losing weight will help tremendously in an individual's health.
Obesity has (the Web's Most Visited Site About Children's Health. N.p., n.d) tripled from 1971 to 2011 and has become the number one health problem in America. Today's generation is very different from twenty years ago children are starting to experiment too early with drugs and alcohol. Children are starting to pick up on these bad habits and it is a major concern in the medical field yet obesity still beats drug and alcohol as the number one medical disorder in children. In society today everyday activities have become increasingly busy do to several reasons such as divorce rate being higher, children being raised by one parent and the cost of living takes a toll on the everyday meals being prepared by parents. Parents are making less nutritious meals that are healthier for their children for the simple face that they do not have the time or money making a huge toll in the population when it comes to obesity in children. The large part of family meals are being prepackaged for the ease of preparation this contributes in meals being higher in sugar and fats and less national factors. Not only are families taking less effort in preparing food it is also taking a toll on family time. Including basic routines with families are choosing to watch television and play video games rather than playing sports together to receive the daily activity they need or joining social group.
As your body consumes these unhealthy foods the whole digestive system becomes toxic. Chronic medical problems will processed which can cause heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and abnormal blood fats. Symptoms should not be taken lightly considering the primary cause of death in America is high blood pressure .Being obese causes the body not to function properly when this happens the body has to work much harder than it should to try to keep your body healthy and alive. For example high blood pressure is the blood pressure being pushed against the walls of the arteries when the heart is trying to pump the blood. Having one chronic disorder can easily lead to another. It is very crucial for individuals who have any health issues to take them seriously so it does not continue to grow. Ways to prevent medial disorders are focusing on the portion size you chose to intake. Portion size is another factor that contributes to obesity. For instance 6 ounces of meat is the appropriate amount of meat an individual should eat however, 10 ounces is a common amount that is taken in instead. Portions at restaurants tend to be bigger so in that case try to split a meal with someone or take some home for later. Eating smaller portions will also help stay within your calorie goals. Other ways to help prevent obesity is to keep active. Choose physical activates that your whole family can do together that you will all enjoy. Such as play a sport together or ride bikes choice any activity that does not require sitting down and watching television. Physical active is the number one treatment in preventing obesity from happening to your children.
Coronary Heart Disease is a condition where plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. The plaque that builds up in the arteries can block them which reduces blood flow to the human heart muscle. When this action takes place it can cause angina or even a heart attack. Heart failure can occur if an individual is overweight. As the plaque buildup in the arteries it can stop the heart from pumping and filling up therefore stops the blood from meeting your bodily needs. Plaque accrues over many years however, the importance of it is high no matter what stage. Complications of the rhythm and heartbeat of the heart can also occur which is called arrhythmia. Coronary Heart Disease is the most common type of heart disease and the number 1 cause of death for men and women in the United States. There are some medications that can help prevent and treat CHD after being diagnosed.
High Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart is pumping blood. When individuals blood pressure rises and stays high a can damage a variety of things. Having obesity or being overweight can increase a person's chances of getting high blood pressure. Over the years high blood pressure has increased in the United States in fact, 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a very dangerous because unlike other health problems high blood pressure usually has no sign or symptoms. Not seeing any sign of HBP can result in individual not knowing for years and during that time damage is occurring to your heart, kidneys, and blood vessels. Though High Blood Pressure is very common in the United States it can also be treated. As we age our blood pressure rises as well, but maintain a healthy lifestyle can normalize blood pressure. HBP can be controlled when treatments are followed such as, healthy lifestyle and receiving medical care on a regular bases. Preventing and treating High Blood Pressure lowers the risk of other related health problems.
Stroke is a very vital result of obesity. Buildup of plaque in your arteries can happen when being obese. When plaque builds up in the arteries it can than cause a rupture which then causes a blood clot to form. Depending on where the blood clot occurs depends on the damage however, if the clot is close to your brain it can result in a stroke. A blood clot close to the brain can block the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. Ischemic and hemorrhagic are two types of strokes. Ischemic is the most common type of stroke, which occurs when an artery main function applies oxygen-rich blood to the brain becomes blocked. A hemorrhagic stroke arises when an artery in the brain leaks blood or ruptures. The pressure from the leaked blood causes damages to brain cells. Like other things strokes are a leading cause of death in the United States.
Diabetes is very common sadly. Diabetes is when the body's blood glucose, or blood sugar level is too high. For someone that does not have diabetes usually the body breaks down the food into glucose and carries it to cells in the body. Next, the cells use insulin to turn the glucose into energy. During type 2 diabetes the body starts out by making more insulin to control the blood sugar however, as time passes the body is no longer able to make enough insulin to sustain the blood sugar. Kidney disease, strokes, blindness, and Coronary Heart Disease are results of diabetes.
High blood cholesterol is another symptom when being obese. High blood cholesterol is exactly what it is called there is too much cholesterol in your blood. Just like some other health problems that comes with obesity high blood cholesterol usually does not have any signs. When an individual has high blood cholesterol coronary heart disease is very likely to surface as well. There are two different types of cholesterol in your blood LDL and HDL. If your LDL is high then the chance of heart disease grows greater. The opposite occurs with HDL; the higher of HDL cholesterol in your blood the less chance of getting heart disease. Making sure that your cholesterol is low and stabilized has many positive effects on a person's health such as, it can reduce or even stop plaque from growing in your arteries. Stopping the growth of plaque decreases the chance of any blood cloths as well.
Cancer is also seen to occur with people struggling from weight problems. Colon, gallbladder, endometrial, kidney, and breast cancers are common when dealing with a person who is obese. When it comes to these cancers there is not a known factor of why exactly they occur besides high blood pressure is a primary issue and medication that is being taken. Individuals who have type 2 diabetes have to take insulin and there are some theories that think that insulin has an impact on kidney cancer.
Overtime obesity has seen to increase in children and teens. Struggling with weight at a young age may keep with you into adulthood as well. Type 2 diabetes use to be a rare thing seen in American children, but sadly it has been seen a lot more lately. Not only do adults need to be conscious of their health, but children and teens need to be aware of the diseases that can be developed from obesity too.
It is sad to say but children with obesity are more likely to be picked on and teased throughout their childhood as well as their adulthood. While they are being bullied it can lead to low self-stem which can lower their chances at feeling confident enough to succeed in life and accomplish their life goals. Children that are being bullied at school tend to skip school and begin to start falling behind and eventually some children drop out of school. There are ways to help students overcome bullying by giving them the treatment they need to lose the unhealthy weight. Parents can help their children lose weight by only purchasing healthy foods to make sure their child is receiving all of the nutrients they need daily to maintain a healthy diet. It is important to teach children at a young age to live a healthy lifestyle so they can keep a healthy routine during their life and stay healthy. Making simple changes will go a long way when it comes to preventing obesity. Obesity is only increasing in America and making healthier decisions can still prevent obesity for example parking a little bit further from your doctor's office so you can enjoy a nice walk or taking the stairs when going to your doctor's office instated of the elevator. Obesity in children is a very serious illness and with the proper treatment it can be prevented for the better.
Studies show that a survey was taken by the national survey of overweight sixth graders to see what the statistics are for boys and girls being bullied at a young age verses boys and girls be bullied during high school for being overweight. After receiving data for the sixth graders it showed that Twenty four percent of boys are teased and picked on and thirty percent of girls are being bullied daily. The data doubled for the statistics regarding high school students, proving that fifty eight percent of boys are bullied and sixty three percent of girls are being bullied and harassed daily. There are different ways children are being bullied in today's society for example boys normally are picked on in the physical aspect such as kicking and punching and being beat up. As for girls they use words to disrespect each other both in person as well as on the social media. Children who are obese are more likely to be bullied on a daily bases because of their size throughout their childhood and that will cause some delay in future with social encounters to help make friends. (Stevelos, MS, MPH, JoAnn. N.p) In 2009 Oprah Winprey had and a special announcements to change the month of October to "National Bullying Prevention Month". To help children live a more accepting and safe environment. Some side effect to being bullied from a young age is being insecure, self-esteem depression, and social isolation from your peers. Being insecure is a mental disorder which will cause an individual to feel worthless and not important. When an individual is already insecure it may easily result into other mental disorders such as low self-esteem. It is common for children to have a weird stage in life where they do not really fit in and it is hard to make friends. Yet there is a huge difference from when a child is having a hard time and when they truly feel like they are not good enough to have friends. For individuals that do not like themselves it will be hard for others to like them as well. After being bullied daily and feel less important students can become isolated from other people for good. Individuals will not have success in life when they are not confident to talk to others. Socializing is a main tool to have when doing anything in life.
Individual who have a limited activity and an unhealthy diet are the number one ways to become obese there are other factors that interact that will also lead to obesity. Such as children's environments and behaviors. Individual's environments have such a large impact on people who are overweight because the people who you are surrounded by will always have an impact on the way you live. Living in a household where the adults only purchase unhealthy food will only give the child the option to eat unhealthy. Therefore the child will quickly gain weight and become obese. When a child lives with a family that choses to not live an active lifestyle ad only wants to play video games or watch television it will also lead to obesity. The environment that a child is exposed to will give the opportunities to make the right and healthy way of living. Some ways to help improve a child environment would be for parents to only buy food that will give their child the amount of nutrients they need. Adults that chose to not be active still have the option to put their child in sport so they can also have the right too chose the way the want to live their life. Children's behavior has a large role in the way they want to live. Children will learn to take care of their self in the correct way by the individuals around them. That is why it is so important for parents to always remember that they are a role model to the young people around them. Living an active lifestyle will help significantly with a child's appearance and overall health. Completing thirty minutes a day of cardio exercise with a child will teach them to live a healthier life. If the exercise is fun for children to do they will more likely want to patriciate if it feels like a reward rather than a punishment. It is important to make an exercise activity fun for the child so they want to make it become a habit. Being active has a lot of advantages for example it will keep you healthy, happier and even more energized throughout the day to keep up with your family and friends. When children exercise everyday it will help them feel more energized helping their overall performance in school.
It is vital for the general public to be knowledgeable about obesity being the number one disorder in America. In the past it has been the government and healthy facilities take the lead in change the number of children that are obese. Several of parents believe that because their child is sent to school their teacher will teach their children about losing weight or teaching them about nutrition. It is not only the teachers and other professional's job to teach children how important it is stay healthy and away from chronic diseases. Having the government involved in the project of helping obesity in children will overall cost tax payers more money. Having the community come together to help the situation of will have a much bigger change then only having some participate. Obesity in children are effecting many lives and it is time for society as a whole to keep children healthy.
There are many aspects to consider that come together when a child is overweight. Not only is that child obese but also they are extremely unhealthy. With the information collected it is the understanding that an obese child suffers not only from physical but also mental disorders. In society today where processed food is so regularly available it is easier to stop for fast food then to have a prepared family meal. Sports and daily physical activities are limited this put more pressure on all families to eat healthy and to have a scheduled time to be active and to interact with each other to have a stronger bond so can tell if something was happening to your family such as being bullied you would see the sign and be able to protect those you care for. Even changing one or two basic activities will not only change families physical healthy it will also change their mental heath and their safety. Until the community works together to help prevent obesity it will continue to climb in numbers. People are not educated enough on the obesity topic and they are looking for a quick cure such as a pill or drink to keep them healthy but the easiest way is to eat right and know what you are eating. This can be hard to accomplish with the price of groceries and most people do not grow or have fresh vegetables and fruit that they can regular afford. People are really no different than plants or animals we both grow and developed on how we are nurtured. Individuals need to take care of their selves and their families just as well as they would their pants or garden. Even with all the information available due to social media and the internet people are still not willing to change their lifestyle.
