Today, not only is obesity stretching existing public health resources, but it is also readily evident that this trend is set to continue in the future. This is because children with obesity are unlikely to achieve the appropriate weight in adulthood; expanding their chances for disability and disease. As a phenomenon of study, it is readily apparent that childhood obesity is complex. For example, it lacks a universally accepted standard definition. According to Harvard’s School of Public Health (HSPH) (n.d), the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the International Obesity Task Force (IOFC) all define childhood obesity differently. Therefore, this is a layered topic. However, for the purpose of this discussion, the WHO (n.d) definition shall suffice. Accordingly, obesity is the abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat to the point of being a health risk.
It is significant to mention some of the reasons that literature on obesity frequently includes the term overweight. Likewise, this explanation will provide further clarity on the lack of a standard definition. Methodologically, it is more likely that phenomena that can adopt a single universally metric system are more easily defined than those that do not conform with this requirement. Consequently, the WHO (n.d) concedes that because the bodies of children undergo numerous physiological changes in their advancement, it is difficult to devise a single measuring guide. Also, from the definition above, it is clear that it takes a general approach to the accumulation of fat. Despite there being a difference between being overweight and obese, fundamentally, they are similar in cause. Therefore, there is an argument that it is necessary to discuss obesity and being overweight together.
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There is an instinctive appeal to link the surge in obesity and overweight cases to increases in incomes. It is certainly true that the current surge can be traced back to the 1970s, at least in the case of the US. Furthermore, the CDC (n.d) states that nearly 20% of all school-age children and young people aged between 6 and 19 years are obese. There is an argument that culture follows power. Fundamentally, most of the world has enjoyed tremendous economic growth since the end of the Cold War and the collapse of most Communist states. Not only has this situation created more wealth in the developed nations, but it also helped developing nations expand their incomes. It is this transition in income status that is closely linked with the adoption of western diets and the rejection of traditional cuisines in the developing states (HSPH, n.d). Therefore, the link between an increase in incomes and an uptake in global obesity is definitive.
However, there are numerous other factors to consider in discussing the causes of childhood obesity. There is an implied societal change associated with the current surge in obesity and overweight cases among children. The WHO (n.d) notes that there are two basic changes it associates with current trends. Dietetically, there has been a move towards foods that are high in fats and sugars because of their high energy content. Nevertheless, this has caused the rejection of those foods that contain vitamins, essential minerals, and micronutrients. In terms of lifestyle, there is the adoption of more physically inactive forms of work, transportation, and recreation. Essentially, childhood obesity has behavioral causes. Furthermore, the WHO (n.d) traces causes into socioeconomic advancement and strategies in schooling, food production, urban planning, the environment, food handling, supply, and promotion. In addition, the CDC (n.d) notes that heredities, metabolism, short sleeping routines, and negative events in childhood as contributory factors. Therefore, the numerous factors associated with obesity reinforce the complexity alluded to in the introduction.
Thus far, this discussion has focused on the authors current understanding of the titled phenomenon. However, some of the views already shared were not present before they enrolled in this course. Prior to this course, the author relied on the media for most of the information about obesity. Fundamentally, the media is such an entrenched part of modern society that it is easy to forget that they have pressure to present information concisely. That leaves out a lot of the complexities that the author got to learn about during this course. For example, despite being aware of the connection between processed foods and being obese or overweight, this author did not readily identify the connection between the titled phenomenon and sedentary lifestyles. Furthermore, the author was incorrectly believed that children were more likely to overcome being obese and overweight more easily than adults. Currently, the author is aware of the cost involved in the pursuit of convenience. Furthermore, there are other factors, like genetics and metabolism, contributing to the current rates.
It is through this course that the author has gained a better understanding of obesity, its fundamental causes, and impacts on society and the individual. Unquestionably, it is the realization that children have no control over their environment and dietary choices that is most striking. This is because it means that childhood obesity needs specialized attention for it to addressed conclusively. As an educated adult, not only does this author have the ability to consider long-term consequences of dietary and lifestyle decision-making, but now they must also use this knowledge to improve lives around them.
References
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (n.d). Childhood Obesity Facts . Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm
The Harvard School of Public Health (HPSH). (n.d). Obesity Prevention Source . Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-trends/global-obesity-trends-in-children/
The World Health Programme (WHO). (n.d). Childhood overweight and obesity . Retrieved from https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/childhood/en/
