How Does Obesity Affect Cognitive Development

Childhood obesity affects children’s cognitive development, children who are considered obese often times do not get enough brain stimulation. “During a childhood obesity epidemic, physical activity may prove to be a simple, important method of enhancing aspects of children's mental functioning that are central to cognitive development” (Davis, C.L., et al, 2011). Children learn when their brain is stimulated. If children are sitting at home just carelessly watching a television series that is not stimulating their brain, there are many things that can add as a factor into why childhood obesity is affecting their cognitive development. After finishing a meal, children may be compelled to just lay down, however, to get more brain stimulation it is best to maybe go for a walk or partake in some other form of activity. While engaging them in different activities it is not only stimulating their bran, but also getting them active. An active child is more likely to stay within their body mass index category and not be overweight. “In children,

These different stages include the developmental process of someone as they grow from infancy to late adulthood and covers how they view themselves socially. Each stage is important, and failing to succeed developmentally in one of these stages (also called a crisis) can cause a domino effect for the other stages to come. Childhood obesity can have an impact on the way a child may think others view him or her, which in most cases can be negative. “Obesity may have enduring effects on how children think and feel about themselves and on their social behaviors and peer reputations, and these effects may not readily reverse even when weight is lost” (Woody, E.Z, 1989). The effects of childhood obesity are long term. It is hard enough to break out of a bad habit let alone breaking out of a thought process that has been established and reinforced for