Childhood Obesity Among Children

Improved Essays
The Causes of Obesity Among Children Traditionally gender and aging have a large impact on weight gain. Women may gain weight in their thighs and derrière while men acquire the dreaded beer belly. Foe friendly words such as “pleasantly plump” and “chubby” are used as substitutes for this type of obesity. Weight gain in the abdomen, thigh, and buttock region are no longer exclusive to aging men and women, it now affects children. An increasing number of children are hanging on to their “baby fat”, or is “baby fat” another foe friendly word hiding behind the causes of childhood obesity? Childhood obesity is excessive “baby fat” influenced by genetics, a sedentary lifestyle, and high calorie foods. Genetics has landed the leading part in causative factors influencing childhood obesity. Helen Lyon and Joel Hirschhorn notes, “Obesity is a common disease caused by multiple factors, with heredity playing a strong causal role” (215S). In other words, children are more vulnerable to become obese if …show more content…
“Baby fat”, which is acceptable only during the initial stages of childhood growth, should eventually disintegrate as a child ages. The words “pleasantly plump” and “chubby” should never be used to cloak the obesity problem. Parents’ and marketing experts have a major role to play in reducing the growing trend of childhood obesity.

Works Cited
Jensen, Jeff. “Disney Enlists Partners For Mulan.” Advertising Age 68.29 (1997): 4-35. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.
Lyon, Helen N., and Hirschhorn, Joel N. “Genetics of Common Forms of Obesity: A Brief Overview.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 82.1 (2005): 215SZ-217S. Web. 19 Oct. 2015. “Tips for Parents – Ideas to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Weight?” CDC.gov. CDC, 2015. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. “Television Watching and ‘Sit Time’.” Harvard School of Public Health. Harvard, n.d. Web. 22 Oct.

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