Proper health and nutrition are of utmost importance to the growth and development of young children. However, there still are many American children that suffer from nutrition issues, and obesity is one of the major challenges that they deal with. Childhood obesity can negatively affect a child’s physical and mental health (Groark, 2012) . Most of the children that are obese are malnourished because of consuming the wrong types of food that have high levels of calorie while containing low nutritional value. It affects the growth of these children and inhibits them from realizing and reaching their full potential. The result of this is micronutrient deficiency that is caused by only eating enough calories but failing to get essential nutrients such as minerals and vitamins.
Childhood obesity can affect a child’s health for the rest of their lives since it is directly linked to adult obesity and with many health problems. Obesity at an early age has significant impacts on the growth and development of children which are both short and long term. It is evident from studies that childhood obesity greatly contributes to the early development of several conditions in children like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and atherosclerotic heart disease (Reilly, 2011) . High risks of health complications are associated with obesity in children affects their development and the quality of life they lead. The long term health care burden is overwhelming when considering the chronic comorbid conditions that lead to greatly reduced life expectancy. Obesity is also associated with stigma, and this causes children to suffer social withdrawal and isolation as they grow up. These could contribute to the exacerbation of the obese conditions due to the psychological vulnerabilities which increase the affected children’s tendency to over-eat as well as engage in sedentary activities that greatly increase their inactivity worsening the severity of their conditions.
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Claire is a seven years old child who is affected by obesity. In the better part of her life, she has been forced to eat up to the last bit of the food she is served at home. It is mainly supposed to teach her not to waste food, and this has meant that her mother puts down huge portions of food and forces her to carry on eating even long after she is full. If she fails to do this, she is punished and as such she has been taught to force down huge portion sizes of food and to keep on eating even when she has eaten to her satisfaction. She is already obese at her tender age, and it was until it was obviously evident that she was becoming overweight by the day that she is not forced to eat up all the food but since she has grown eating more than enough she still struggles with the same.
The obesity affects her normal school day in various ways. She has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and this affects her organs and also exerts emotional impacts on her. Claire's blood sugar is affected by the disease, and as such, she experiences mood swings affecting her mental and emotional state. These effects have been seen in her academic performance that has continually gone down over time. Claire’s ability to concentrate and retain interest has been adversely affected as well as her ability to complete her tasks and interact with other students. Claire's teacher makes efforts to address these issues in the school setting by incorporating lessons on nutrition and physical activity to educate her and her classmates. The teacher also deliberates on getting the students engaged in regular and high-quality activities. Claire and her classmates are also advised by the teacher on the healthier foods to take in the school cafeteria and are discouraged them from taking unhealthy foods like pizza and French fries.
Different approaches can be used to combat child obesity. The different approaches may involve collaboration among the family, school, and community. One such way is to educate parents on how to encourage healthy eating habits in their children by adjusting on the foods they prepare for them. They could provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products as well as include low-fat milk products. The parents could also be encouraged to serve their children with reasonably sized portions of food. They could make their children’s favorite dishes healthier by introducing few changes. Another way of combating obesity in children is to educate them both at home, at school and at different community forums on the benefits of being physically active and avoiding foods with high levels of calories.
Programs could be introduced to ensure that the children are active by introducing coordinated games. Brisk walking, playing soccer, swimming and dancing are some of the physical activities that are moderately intense that should be introduced in the children’s routine to ensure they are highly active (Sallis, 2006) . These activities go a long way in strengthening the children's bones, decreasing their levels of stress and anxiety as well as reducing their blood pressure and help with weight management. The parents, teachers, and caregivers could also help the children reduce their sedentary time. They should encourage the children to find engaging, fun activities to participate in with their friends, family members and on their own. The adults who act as an example to the children should teach them to lead quality, nutritious and healthy life by leading through examples. To reach and maintain an appropriate body weight is of utmost importance in helping children overcome nutrition issues related to childhood obesity.
References
Groark, C. (2012). Health and nutrition of children. Lexington: University of Pittsburgh.
Reilly, J. (2011). Long-term impact of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence on morbidity and premature mortality in adulthood: systematic review. International Journal of Obesity , 89-94.
Sallis, J. (2006). The Role of Built Environments in Physical Activity, Eating and Obesity in Childhood. The Future of Children , 89-108.
