Causes of Child Obesity in America

Introduction

Obesity is a condition where a person has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a negative effect on their health. 

If a person's bodyweight is at least 20% higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese. 

One third of children in the United State of America (USA) are overweight or obese, and this number is continuing to rise.

Children have less weight-related health and medical complications than adults. However, overweight children are at high risk of becoming overweight adolescents and adults, placing them at risk of increasing chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes in the future. 

They are liable to develop stress, sadness, and low self-esteem.

Causes of Obesity in Children

Children become overweight and obese for several reasons. The most common reasons are genetic factors, unhealthy consumption habit, lack of physical activity like exercise, or a mixture of both factors. 

Diet: Unhealthy diet choices and regular consumption of high-calorie foods, like fast food, cookies and other baked foods, soda, candy, chips and vending machine snacks add to weight gain. 

Snacking is one of the major culprit; new study reveals that American children are snacking more than ever before, sometimes continuously all through the day, accounting for up to 27% of their daily caloric intake. 

The major increase was found in children aged 2 to 6, who consumed an extra 181 snack calories per day compared to two decades ago.

Children need extra calories to help their growth and development; if they take in the suitable amount of calories, they should add pounds in proportion to their growth. 

But if they eat more calories than they’re burning off, the outcome will be excessive weight gain.

Lack of Physical Activity: Many children spend roughly four hours each day watching television, computers and video games.

Computers, television, and video games tends to keep kids inside and sedentary, which means they burn fewer calories and are more likely to gain weight. 

Concerns about the safety of outside play and a reliance on cars instead of walking to the corner store don’t help matters. 

Many kids already lack enough activity and this often leads to poor exercise habits in the future.

Genetics: If a child is born into a family of overweight people, the child may be genetically subject to the condition, this can be associated to share family conducts such as eating habits especially if high-calorie food is available and physical activity is not encouraged.

Environment: Storage of refrigerator or kitchen cabinets with bags of chips, candy bars and pizza, your kids will likely want to eat this. 

But if you keep your fridge stocked with tasty cut-up fruits and veggies like berries, baby carrots, red pepper strips with low-fat ranch dip, low-fat yogurt and higher-fiber granola bars, they will definitely go for this healthier meal (better than nothing at all). 

Psychological Factors: Just like adults, some kids may turn to food as a coping mechanism for dealing with difficulties or bad feelings like pressure, worry, or dullness. Children struggling to handle a divorce or death in the family may eat more as a result.

Socioeconomic Factors: Children from low-income backgrounds are at high risk for childhood obesity since low-income parents may lack the time and resources needed to buy and make healthy meals, join a gym or encourage physical activity. 

Medical Conditions: Though not common, there are certain genetic illnesses and hormonal disorders that can influence a child to obesity, such as hypothyroidism, (this is when the thyroid gland, situated in the neck just underneath the voice box, is underactive and does not release enough of the hormones that control metabolism).

Lifestyle: Little activity and too many calories from food and drinks are the core contributors to childhood obesity. But genetic and hormonal factors might play a role as well. 

For instance, study has found that changes in digestive hormones can affect the signals that let you know you're full.

Sleep: Researchers found that children who sleep less than the suggested amount of about 13 hours a day at age 2 are more likely to be obese at age 7. This is because fatigue alters the levels of appetite-regulating hormones.

Conclusion

Although weight problems can be generic, not all children with a family history of obesity will be overweight. 

Obese children are at risk for a number of conditions and diseases including; high cholesterol, high blood pressure, early heart disease, diabetes, bone problems, skin conditions such as heat rash, fungal infections, and acne.

Strive for a healthy balance for your children.