Essay - Childhood Obesity No Child's Play Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity Re-defined...

Childhood Obesity

NO CHILD'S PLAY

***** Obesity

***** Obesity Re-defined and Explained - The World Health Organization defines obesity as the condition when the body m*****s index of 25 kg/m^sup 2^ to 30 kg/m^sup 2^ (Risser and Murphy 2000). Ga*****red data suggested that 22% of children aged 12 ***** 17 were more than **********% heavier than their ideal body weight and, therefore, obese. This was not the same as being chubby, cute or a healthy eater. New growth charts were being revised according to these new standards. Children from age 2 should be tested for cardiovascular disease. ***** test ***** include a body mass index, blood pressure, an evaluation of physical and sedentary activities ***** typical daily diet (***** and Murphy).

***** Obesity Incidence Alarming and Expanding

*****, Inactivity, Junk Foods and Video Games - the Culprits

***** phenomenon has been increasing at an alarming rate (Monaco 2001). Experts attribute it mainly to inactivity. Children today prefer junk foods and watching TV or playing video games to ***** outdoors ***** walking instead of riding. Technology has made things easier, requiring less physical exertion. Children imitate the ways of adults. They hurry with meals, consume fast foods and maintain busy schedules most of the day. Dr. Bruce Bagley of the American Academy of Family Physicians commented that the fat and salt contents ***** ***** foods are much ***** than the body needs. ***** explains why these foods taste good. Furthermore, social interactions mostly center on eating (M*****aco).

A published countrywide study conducted on the incidence of childhood obesity found ***** 17% of the ***** of school ***** ***** obese and 15% faced ***** risk of becoming ***** (Pi*****kowski 2003). The ***** was conducted by the Health and Wellness Team at the Shawnee County. The team included health care professionals, educators and specialists in ***** field. The figures went way above the national average. Experts associated ***** phenomenon ***** physical ***** and poor eat*****g habits. These factors were also linked with adult obesity (Pionkowski).

Occurring Equally Among Low and High-Income Families

The largest survey and evaluation of public school students ***** that the situation could even be worse (Hellmich 2004). It ***** that 40% students among the respondents in Arkansas were over***** or too heavy. It also revealed that obesity ***** children was equally high among low and high-income families. Carden Johnston, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, noted that the ***** was not confined to *****. He and pediatrician Joe Thompson, director of ***** Arkansan Center for Health Improvement, were of the opinion that obesity ***** reaching an epidemic level nationwide (Hellmich).

Arkansas was the only State, which required 450,000 students from kindergarten to the 12th grade ***** submit to a ***** mass index test (Hellmich 2004). The test measured height and weight in proportion ***** age ***** gender. ***** disc*****ed that African-***** and Hispanic students ***** more likely to be overweight or at a greater risk than white students. ***** research team advised the parents of ***** ***** *****