Americans today are faced with many health related problems. Cancer, hypertension, heart disease and diabetes are among the illnesses that are in the spotlight. Causes of these illnesses stem from genetics to contributing environmental factors. Research also indicates that obesity plays a major role in the development of many of these health conditions. Not only are there a large number of adults identified as obese but so are children. According to the most recent data, “more than one-third (35.7%) of U.S. adults are considered obese” (“Obesity Rates and Trends”). As Americans become more health conscious, reduction in childhood obesity has become a major focus for many healthcare professionals, local community leaders, schools, and parents. Despite the numerous obstacles, there are ways to slow, if not terminate the outbreak of childhood obesity. Prevention can be achieved by teaching youth to form better eating habits and develop routine physical exercise, leading to a society of healthier adults in the future and a decrease in healthcare costs.
The appearance of a child does not always accurately determine if a child is overweight or obese. Obesity is defined as excessive body fat. This can be determined by the child’s weight to height ratio, also referred to as Body Mass Index (BMI),
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According to Emma McIntyre and Peter Sullivan, authors of article “Obesity in Children – A Growing Problem,” “The childhood consequences are both psychological (low self-esteem, behavior problems) and physical” (41). Childhood obesity tends to lead to a child into an adulthood with health conditions related to cancer, cardiovascular heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Yet, there are ways to treat and reduce the sicknesses associated with obesity. For example, reducing calorie intake, offering more physical activity for children, and counseling could all be beneficial ways to cope and deal with the