Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity

Obesity is a disorder of having excess body fat. It is caused by overconsumption of calories and food. In developing countries such as the US, 25% of children are overweight, and 11% are obese (Deghan et al., 2005). It is the leading cause of death in children in the USA. Obesity in children has effects on their physical and psychological health. It is much easier to treat obesity at a young age than in adulthood, as it can last for many years. Treatment includes self-care in terms of diet, exercise, and having self-control in feeding habits.

Analysis of the Health Issue: Economic Principles and Indicators

According to the National Survey of Children’s Health (2007), there are higher chances of obesity in children living in unsafe places and are more dominant in girls. Consumption of fast foods is on the rise as it is less expensive than nutritious foods making less well-off families opt for them. The government has tried to equalize resource distribution and reduce food prices as a method of trying to curb obesity. Not only is obesity a threat to children but the entire population. Obese children, in the long run, become obese adults, and the low self-esteem and stigmatization they have grown with prevents them from seeking job positions that lower the working population and suppress their skills. Absenteeism at their workspace when seeking treatment and when sick makes them unreliable, leading to higher chances of being laid off (Deghan et al. 2005).

Analysis of the Health Issue: Economic Impacts

Childhood obesity in the long and short term leads to health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, thickening of heart muscles, and even stroke. The diagnosis and treatment of these diseases are expensive, making their parents spend resources that would have been used for development projects, thus causing economic stagnation (Kelly et al., 2013). Obese children are less active in class and spend time seeking treatment and therapy help; therefore, they become less productive in school. They are also at a higher risk of abusing drugs such as tobacco and engage in premature sexual behavior.

Analysis of the Health Issue: Socioeconomic Factors

Parents play a significant role in their children’s weight as they are their caregivers and are responsible for their children’s feeding pattern and mobility. Children with overworking parents are more likely to be obese as their mothers are not around to oversee the diet and exercise patterns. They also tend to sleep late and glue their eyes on screens (Anderson et al. 2003).

The increment in restaurants has reduced the prices of fast foods purchased at one’s comfort, increasing the chances of buying high-calorie foods that cause obesity. Children from well-off parents travel in vehicles and have no dietary restrictions. They tend to eat out often, and they consume large amounts of calories. Lack of knowledge of calories in foods makes them unaware of their food intake, increasing their chances of being obese (Wang et al.2002).

Analysis of the Health Issue: Healthcare Organizations

Due to the increased rate of obesity in children, The American Heart Association carried out the research. It concluded that obesity is a cause of an imbalance in energy intake and its consumption for the normal development of the body. Infants with diabetic mothers and those that smoke during pregnancy have higher chances of being obese. Breastfeeding for a short time and having irregular sleeping patterns is an exposing factor to obesity in children. Their research findings concluded that consuming high calcium and fiber foods is healthy—feeding infants on formula feeds increases their chances of being obese. Having dietary restrictions and training children on good eating habits at a young age will make them adapt to good eating habits. Hospitals should create awareness of the rising cases of infant obesity and encourage regular weight checking and BMI monitoring (Daniel et al., 2009).

Current Landscape

Childhood obesity is a booming problem in the United States. Recent research establishes an 85% increase in the trend of childhood-related obesity in the current age. The rise of obesity cases has resulted in multiple impacts on the economic status of the US, with direct costs accumulating to approximately $14.3 million. These costs are distributed across the needs for medical attention since obesity is associated with other medical complications such as; asthma, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and arthritis. Transportation since it gets difficult for an overweight person to walk and production costs since the number of tasks for such people is limited (Gundersen et al., 2011).

The trend projects other consequential effects such as burdens to parents of obese children in maintenance. The intricate layout of the legal landscape in America concerning obesity necessitates coordination across sectors to build up policies that lessen obesity among children (Wang, 2012). The government in the US has instituted various approaches ranging from wellness awareness to healthcare promotion. Some of the created policies have eased the burden and reduced healthcare expenditure in the healthcare system, thus demonstrating maximum effectiveness. However, some of these policies still exhibit gaps that minimize their efficiency in combating obesity (Wang, 2012).

Operational Strategies

The most immediate and efficient strategy is making changes across the food system to promote healthcare consumption. The majority of obesity-related challenges begin from a shredded focus on daily food consumption. Threats to food availability are a leading cause of increased obesity trends; the American government should therefore consider formulating an expanded program of access to nutritious food. They should ensure that all children have equal access to healthy school diets. There is also a need to implement standards for children-based nutrition and do so with maximum evidence. The final step