Social Problem Childhood obesity has been a worldwide concern over the past decade. In childhood, it has shown to have a significant impact on both psychological and physical health. Obesity refers to body weight that is greater than what is considered healthy for a certain height. Many factors contribute to weight such as the environment, genetics, behavior and habits, or the way your metabolism works. Some of these factors cannot be changed but it is important that the one’s that can, such as behavior and habits, are changed to improve health. Reaching a healthy weight can be a challenge for some, especially if genetics and family history are a factor. According to the CDC (2016), Obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled
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(2014) reports that data pulled from these national surveys indicated that only 4.5% of children in the 1960s suffered from obesity. They showed stable BMI’s from the 1960s until the 1980s and then rose consistently until the 2000s. The prevalence of obesity rose from under 5% to over 10% in children during this time. The Fels longitudinal study was a study that analyzed 1,116 children born between 1930 and 1993, and were measured between the ages of 3 and 18 years old. The results of this study showed an increase of obesity from 0% to 14% in boys and 2% to 12% in girls. The increase in both the girls and boys began to rise after birth year 1970, which suggests a recent and sudden epidemic (Von Hippel & Nahhas, …show more content…
The CDC runs the Chronic Disease State Policy Tracking System which is an interactive website that provides information regarding state-level Legislative actions to prevent obesity beginning in 2001. In Nebraska, there is nothing listed prior to 2009 regarding obesity. In 2009, there was a policy that specifies goals for physical education curriculum in elementary, middle, and secondary schools. This policy is still enacted today. Another policy from 2009 was the Healthy Food Choices Study which examined what foods are described as desserts as well as areas in which healthy and affordable food choices were limited. This policy is listed as dead. There are 19 other policies regarding obesity that have been enacted and some still remain active (CDC,
(2014) reports that data pulled from these national surveys indicated that only 4.5% of children in the 1960s suffered from obesity. They showed stable BMI’s from the 1960s until the 1980s and then rose consistently until the 2000s. The prevalence of obesity rose from under 5% to over 10% in children during this time. The Fels longitudinal study was a study that analyzed 1,116 children born between 1930 and 1993, and were measured between the ages of 3 and 18 years old. The results of this study showed an increase of obesity from 0% to 14% in boys and 2% to 12% in girls. The increase in both the girls and boys began to rise after birth year 1970, which suggests a recent and sudden epidemic (Von Hippel & Nahhas, …show more content…
The CDC runs the Chronic Disease State Policy Tracking System which is an interactive website that provides information regarding state-level Legislative actions to prevent obesity beginning in 2001. In Nebraska, there is nothing listed prior to 2009 regarding obesity. In 2009, there was a policy that specifies goals for physical education curriculum in elementary, middle, and secondary schools. This policy is still enacted today. Another policy from 2009 was the Healthy Food Choices Study which examined what foods are described as desserts as well as areas in which healthy and affordable food choices were limited. This policy is listed as dead. There are 19 other policies regarding obesity that have been enacted and some still remain active (CDC,