This document discusses childhood obesity, including its causes and health effects. It notes that childhood obesity can lead to long term health problems like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. While genetics may play a small role, the document primarily blames environmental factors for the rise in childhood obesity rates, such as marketing of unhealthy foods to children, lack of physical activity, and parents being obese. It provides tips for limiting childhood obesity such as restricting junk food and encouraging exercise.

1. Childhood ObesityBy Daniel O. WilsonChildhood Obesity Screening: Foodfacts.com

2. IntroductionWhat is an Obese Child? An obese child is a child that has a condition in which his/her weight is not normal. Obese children are more likely to be teased throughout their childhood. Obese children can grow up being depressed and develop low-self esteem

3. The Many Problems that Child Obesity Creates Child obesity causes long term effects such as: diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular medical conditions. Children that are obese at a younger age usually grow up obese in their adulthood.Health care cost related to obesity has more than double over the past 20 years.

4. Who do we Blame?There are many factors that could help with obese children such as:Government sponsored programsSchool systemCommunitiesThe most effective way to help limit child obesity, is that it must start within the home. Parents whom are active increase the chances of their children to become active by 6.Picture taken from www.themomsbuzz.com

5. Who do We Blame? (cont…)There’s a huge percentage that if parents are obese, then the children will more and likely be obese.One study shows that there’s a high percentage that parents’ of obese children believe that it is the doctor’s responsibility (Booth, 2007).Children are products of their parents.

6. The Causes of Childhood ObesityWe as a society should help take blame for the increase of child obesity. Numerous amounts TV networks help persuade our children into what to eat.Supplying our children with toys with their meal could be a form of persuasion.

7. The Causes of Childhood Obesity (Cont…)According to one study, it is unlikely that genetics may play a role with childhood obesity.Bention (2004) states that “it is well documented that overweight children are more likely to have over weight rather than underweight parent, an association that reflects both genetic and environmental influences (p.2)

8. Child Obesity and It’s DiseasesSome diseases that may occur with child obesity are:Diabetes 1 & 2Sleep apneaAsthmasCardiovascular problemsOrthopedic complicationsSome cancers

9. Childhood Obesity by the Numbers35% of adults are obese with income lower than $15,000 per year.24% of adults are obese with income more than $50,000 per year.The South has the highest obesity rate; Mississippi being the highest for the 6th straight year with 33.8% of it’s adult obese.Obesity rates have increased in 28 states in the past year.(Currie, Stamps, & Treadwell, 2010, para. 2-3)

10. Intervention ProgramsIntervention programs can be extremely beneficial for the child. Such programs help the child deal with; mental health, appearance, and their social life.Intervention programs are extremely effective and can be implemented by social workers.Intervention programs are effective because ‘children who are obese report being teased three times more often than average children (Lawrence, 2010, p. 312).

11. Tips to Help Limit Childhood ObesityParents should keep all junk food away from their home. This would help limit the amount of junk food their children intake. Parents should encourage their children to participate in some type of athletic, YMCA, or exercise program.Parents could also limit the amount of time spent indoors playing video games, internet surfing, ..etc.

12. ReferencesBooth, M., Booth, S., King, L, Pagnini, D., Wilkenfeld, R. (2007). Mothers of pre-school children talk about childhood overweight and obesity: the weight of opinion study. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health. 43(12) 806-810. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1754.2007.01199.xCurrie, M., Stamps, D., Treadwell, H. (2010). Childhood obesity is a growing threat to America’s children. The Jackson Advocate. 73(43) 1. Retrieved January 15, 2010 from LexisNexis.Estabrooks, P., Fishe, E., & Hayman, L. (2008). What is needed to reverse the trends in childhood obesity? A call to action. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 36(3), 209-216. doi:10.1007/s12160-008-9070-7.Gilchrist, M. & Zametkin, A. (2006). “Childhood obesity and psychopathology.” Psychiatric Times. Vol.23.10: 22. Retrieved from Academic OneFile. Web. 5 Jan. 2011. http://find.galegroup.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&prodId=AONE&docId=A152193163&source=gale&srcprod=AONE&userGroupName=pres1571&version=1.0.Haslam, D. (2009, July 24). Management of childhood obesity. Clinical. p.26. Retrieved January 13, 2010 from LexisNexis Lawrence, S. (2010). The impact of stigma on the child with obesity: implication for social work practice and research. Child Adolescent Social Work J. 27:309-321. doi: 10.1007/s10560-010-0208-7Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010). Childhood obesity: definition. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childhood-obesity/DS00698Ron Warren, R. H. (2008). Food and Beverage advertising on U.S. Television: A comparison of Child-Targeted versus General Audience Commercials. Journal of Broadcastin & Electronic Media , 5.Sacher, P., Swain, C. (2009) Child obesity: a manageable condition. Nurse Prescribing. 7(1) 14-18. http://www.internurse.com/cgi-bin/go.pl/library/article.cgi?uid=38628;article=NP_7_1_14_18