Obesity in American Children Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Obesity in American Children - Research Paper Example1140). Available essay in indicates that statistics of childhood and teenage-hood corpulency have more than tripled since 1980 and the prevalence does not appear to be showing any significant downward momentum (Wojcicki and Heyman 1457). closely a third of 2 year-old children ar currently overweight or obese with an change magnitude likelihood exposure to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, of hospitalization and a subsequent diagnosis with a mental, bone and joint disorders than non-obese children (Thompson and Wolf 189). Worse still, the causative effects of obesity not only harms millions of Americans healthwise, but concurrently bulges bulge annual health care costs with little resultsmore than one quarter of Americas health care budget is devoted to obesity related health issues (Finkelstein and Fiebelkorn 223). The above notwithstanding, the problem stands with worse consequences for a society regarded as a front-runne r in nearly every sphere of influence, engineering science inclusive overweight children adolescents graduate to adulthood with all the health complications that accompany obesity. What is this obesity anyway? Are there chances of saving a generation whose lives apparently hangs on the pendulum? This paper investigates the impact that obesity on American Childrena disease now considered of epidemic proportions, with regard to its prevalence rates, the contributing factors, the health complications and the workable routes for preventive measures. Across section of epidemiological studies define obesity based on body mass index (BMI). It thus refers to a chronic, complex agree characterized by an excess amount body fat/adipose tissue relative to lean body mass with a resultant effect of thermal imbalancetoo little calories used in relation to the amount consumed (Daniels, et al 1999). Noteworthy, the amount of body fat consumed and those for subsequent usage are stirred by vario us genetic makeup, behavioral interactions as well as environmental factors. More generally, while the causes of obesity may genetically linked, many of them the causes are behaviorally and environmentally conditioned and are remediable with correct child upbringing. The World health Organization (W.H.O.), The Centers for Disease Control (CDC, Surgeon General, The National Institute of Health (N.I.H.) among other healthcare monitoring organizations, all now recognizes obesity as a major health issue that is in its prime levels of concern in the United States. Even though statistical increases in obesity have been somewhat similar in the industrialized world, the United States levels ranks among the highest the world over. The country has witnessed the estimates steadily increase from 13 percentage points in 1962 towards 19.4, 24.5, 26.6, 33.8 percentage points in 1997, 2004, 2007 and 2008 respectively (National Center for Health Statistics par 11-14). Overall, the prevalence has i ncreased by a thumping 33 percent in the last decade alone with an ever burgeoning research evidence indicative of a direct relation between an increased in the mortality rate and the exacerbative effects of obesity (Fontaine, et al. 190). As insinuated above, the root cause of obesity can be tracked to