What are the effects obesity can have on children?
The issue I am investigating is related to the area of study which is, contemporary and future issues as obesity in children is an increasing issue across the world. It is discussed quite regularly over social media and throughout newspapers. The research question is “what are the effects obesity can have on children?’. This question will guide research in combination with the three focus questions listed below.
The focus questions that will be used in guiding this investigation are;
1: What are the causes of obesity in children?
2: What are the effects obesity can have on a child?
3: How can obesity in children be prevented?
Methodology
Both primary and secondary sources of information …show more content…
The number of overweight children has doubled in recent years with a quarter of children considered overweight or obese. (Anon., 2013). The number of obese children is rising rapidly each year which is becoming a bigger issue. There are many causes of obesity in children and one of them being large portion sizes of the incorrect foods. Energy balance and the number of calories consumed from food and drink compared to the number of calories the children are using for activity plays a big role in weight gain. Research shows that children eat more without realising if they are served larger portion sizes. (Centers for Disease control and prevetion , 2015). A highly discussed topic over the media and in newspapers is the connection between technology and obesity in children. Excessive use of technology minimalizes time out side outside doing physical activity which then can lead to obesity. Another cause of obesity in children is convenient food options such as, McDonalds, KFC and Hungry Jacks which are constantly advertising on TV in prime time for children to view. A new study conducted in Sydney has found that a high number of overweight and obese preschool-aged children have a television in their bedroom. (ABC, 2012) The study found overweight and obese boys were twice as likely to eat dinner in front of the TV three times a week or more …show more content…
There are many health problems that come along with being obese that can turn out to be very serious. Children that are obese are at risk for cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. There is also a high chance that diabetes will occur. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type, as it is caused by poor diet. This type of diabetes can usually be reversed with healthy eating and exercising if detected early. Many of the physical effects can last into adulthood such as heart attacks and strokes. Obesity in adults is one of the most common factors that causes disease. This will happen if no action is taken to try and reverse obesity. Asthma can also become a problem as a child’s weight can interfere with the growth of the child’s lungs. If no action is taken, physical effects can then become psychological and this can have detrimental consequences on the mental health of a child. Children with obesity are more likely to suffer from depression than other children in a ‘normal weight’ range. Depression can trigger a form of aggressive behaviour, anger, conduct problems and bullying (where the obese child is a bully rather than a victim) and oppositional disobedient symptoms. (NCBI, 2012). Both the physical and mental affects that an obese child suffers, often leads to social issues. Obesity often has major impact on how children feel about
The issue I am investigating is related to the area of study which is, contemporary and future issues as obesity in children is an increasing issue across the world. It is discussed quite regularly over social media and throughout newspapers. The research question is “what are the effects obesity can have on children?’. This question will guide research in combination with the three focus questions listed below.
The focus questions that will be used in guiding this investigation are;
1: What are the causes of obesity in children?
2: What are the effects obesity can have on a child?
3: How can obesity in children be prevented?
Methodology
Both primary and secondary sources of information …show more content…
The number of overweight children has doubled in recent years with a quarter of children considered overweight or obese. (Anon., 2013). The number of obese children is rising rapidly each year which is becoming a bigger issue. There are many causes of obesity in children and one of them being large portion sizes of the incorrect foods. Energy balance and the number of calories consumed from food and drink compared to the number of calories the children are using for activity plays a big role in weight gain. Research shows that children eat more without realising if they are served larger portion sizes. (Centers for Disease control and prevetion , 2015). A highly discussed topic over the media and in newspapers is the connection between technology and obesity in children. Excessive use of technology minimalizes time out side outside doing physical activity which then can lead to obesity. Another cause of obesity in children is convenient food options such as, McDonalds, KFC and Hungry Jacks which are constantly advertising on TV in prime time for children to view. A new study conducted in Sydney has found that a high number of overweight and obese preschool-aged children have a television in their bedroom. (ABC, 2012) The study found overweight and obese boys were twice as likely to eat dinner in front of the TV three times a week or more …show more content…
There are many health problems that come along with being obese that can turn out to be very serious. Children that are obese are at risk for cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. There is also a high chance that diabetes will occur. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type, as it is caused by poor diet. This type of diabetes can usually be reversed with healthy eating and exercising if detected early. Many of the physical effects can last into adulthood such as heart attacks and strokes. Obesity in adults is one of the most common factors that causes disease. This will happen if no action is taken to try and reverse obesity. Asthma can also become a problem as a child’s weight can interfere with the growth of the child’s lungs. If no action is taken, physical effects can then become psychological and this can have detrimental consequences on the mental health of a child. Children with obesity are more likely to suffer from depression than other children in a ‘normal weight’ range. Depression can trigger a form of aggressive behaviour, anger, conduct problems and bullying (where the obese child is a bully rather than a victim) and oppositional disobedient symptoms. (NCBI, 2012). Both the physical and mental affects that an obese child suffers, often leads to social issues. Obesity often has major impact on how children feel about