Functional Constraints In Childhood Obesity

The obesity issue highlights the nature of interaction between genetic and extrinsic factors along with the body’s structural, environmental and functional constraints. Childhood obesity may lead to impaired cognitive and physical development (functional and structural constraint’s), which can translate into deleterious social consequences such as social exclusion, or diminished school performance (environmental). Ultimately, these factors can combine and create a continuous cycle within the child.

One source explains, “Obesity most probably results from the interaction of an individual’s genetic makeup but these factors can also be aggravated by non- genetic factors.” Genetically, physicians can determine whether a child may become obese.

One mechanism involve in the observation through the structural constraint would be the inhibiting effect of obesity on children’s movement. Motor skills are a vital component of development for all children. Movement is at the very center of young children’s lives. When dealing with obesity, biochemically the child’s body composition is high in adipose tissue can make it difficult to move their bodies, and especially for extended times. The health repercussions of being overweight or obese can be a rate limiter to a child motor

The main emphasis of functional constraints deals with the effects of the cognitive and psychological elements on the individual’s outcome. The most immediate consequence of being overweight as a child is social discrimination and low self-esteem. Society, culture, and the media send children powerful messages about body weight and shape ideals. For girls, these include the "thin ideal", whereas in boys the messages emphasize a muscular, "buff" body. For children and adolescents that are obese, their peers have negative reactions. Obese children become subjected to bullying all because they do not fit the status quo. In today’s age the growing trend of “what’s hot and what’s not”, is having a huge impact on young children’s self-concept and self-esteem. Self-concept “refers to the beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and ideas people have about themselves,” whereas self-esteem is “a personal judgment of worthiness that indicates the extent to which the individual believes himself to be capable, significant, successful, and