Childhood Obesity In Children

Obesity is a major dispute among many people. Some say that obesity is inherited, while others believe it is caused by self-infliction. Childhood obesity can not be blamed on the child, but instead their parents. Unfortunately, children do not understand the effects food has on their bodies, and the harm unhealthy food may have. Obesity effects a child physically, socially, and psychologically. Children who face obesity are often times victims of abuse. Once a child reaches the stage of obesity, they no longer view themselves innocently as a child should. Instead they are belittled by others because of their appearance, and their pure thoughts are psychologically changed. Parents abuse their children’s bodies by not carefully controlling the …show more content…
“The increase in obesity in the older age group could also reflect the lifestyle transition to attending elementary school, and the food and physical activity environment at elementary schools warrants further exploration.” (Novotny et al., 31). Physical activity usually decreases when the child is around the start of puberty, and the lack of motivation and exercise causes weight gain. “Obese children reliably choose sedentary behaviors over physically active alternatives, and they will work harder to gain access to sedentary behaviors than physically active ones, suggesting they find sedentary behaviors more reinforcing” (Goldfield, Kalakanis, Ernst, & Epstein 888). Activities that do not require much physical stimulation are more appealing to overweight children. When a child becomes inactive, their food intake is not altered, and their bodies are unable to regulate normally. “Overall health-related quality of life, which includes aspects of psychosocial functioning, has been reported to be lower in severely obese children than in healthy-weight children” (“Severe Obesity in Children and Adolescents,” 1689). Children who are obese tend to be more prone to self-consciousness, and have lower self-esteem. School aged children are faced with many people of different personalities and numerous judgments from peers. Obese children usually stand out among others their age, and this sometimes will result in bulling. These outside factors psychologically effect the child’s thoughts of themselves, causing depression. The child is prone to depression because of the abuse he/she receive because of his/her physical appearance. According to Schwartz, if parents are made aware that their child is unhealthy, they are more likely to improve his or her health (714). This is why in some states; schools send home letters notifying parents that their child is deemed over weight by the BMI