Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the United States, and unfortunately, many children are becoming obese before their parents are even aware of it. A national survey found that almost 40% of adults had no idea their child was overweight or obese. So the kids aren't getting the attention they need from their parents.
Childhood obesity can lead to health problems later in life, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but there are ways to reverse this trend if you catch it early enough. Here are seven factors that lead to childhood obesity, along with tips on preventing your child from falling victim to them.
What is
Childhood Obesity?
Childhood
obesity is a growing epidemic in America. The CDC reports that childhood
obesity has more than doubled in the last thirty years, affecting 17% of all
children and adolescents in the United States today.
Childhood
obesity can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes, high blood
pressure, sleep apnea, and depression. Many factors contribute to childhood
obesity, including lack of sleep, physical inactivity, and unhealthy eating
habits.
1) Lack
of activity
Lack of
activity: Children
can spend up to nine hours in front of a screen daily. Lack of activity
contributes significantly to childhood obesity and should be limited as much as
possible.
Fast
food: Fast food
is often high in fat, sugar, and calories and lacks nutritional value. Fast
food consumption should be limited.
Food
insecurity: Food
insecurity is closely associated with obesity among children; lack of access to
nutritious foods leads children away from healthier choices like fruits and
vegetables and towards unhealthy options like fast foods.
Too much
screen time: Time
spent in front of the TV or on the computer, watching too much TV or being on
the computer for an extended period can lead kids to eat more often because
they are not engaging in physical activity.
2) Lack
of sleep
The CDC has
found that nearly one-third of all American children don't get enough sleep. Lack
of sleep can lead to several health problems, including obesity.
Sleep deprivation causes an increase in the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite and makes you crave high-calorie foods. It also leads to an increase in cortisol levels, which may disrupt metabolism and decrease muscle mass. Over time, this puts kids at higher risk for weight gain and obesity.
3) Bad
eating habits
1) The
amount of sugar
in food has increased.
2) More
children are eating fast food, which is higher in calories and fat than homemade
meals.
3) The rise
of TV watching is leading to more sedentary behavior.
4) Kids are
not getting enough physical activity during the day because they are more
likely to be driven or bused places than walk, bike, or ride a scooter.
5) Teenage
girls go through puberty earlier and start developing breasts sooner, so they
may be less inclined to participate in sports and activities to help maintain a
healthy weight.
6) Parental
involvement has declined as parents have less time for their kids because of
their work schedules and other family obligations.
4) Peer
pressure
Peer
pressure is one of the leading factors that contribute to childhood obesity.
Children are more likely to get into unhealthy habits with their friends. This
could be something as simple as going outside and playing with others or a more
dangerous habit like smoking.
Peer
pressure can lead children into a lifestyle of unhealthy eating habits and
exercise habits that, in turn, lead them towards childhood obesity.
5) School
lunches
Packing a
healthy lunch for your child isn't always easy. But by providing them with some
guidelines and suggestions, you can help ensure that they are eating
nutritious and delicious foods. The following are seven factors that
lead to childhood obesity.
A lack of physical activity at school. By not having a recess for the past decade, children have been sitting in class for extended periods without taking a break. This has led to more sedentary behavior and less exercise overall.
If schools
were required to have 30 minutes of physical activity per day, this might not
be as big an issue among students, and their weight could stay balanced
throughout the day.
6) Stress
at home and school
Many factors
contribute to childhood obesity, but stress is one of the most overlooked. The
lives of today's kids are filled with stressors that weren't as prevalent in
previous generations. In addition to the stresses of school, many kids also
experience parental or caretaker stresses at home. This can lead them to engage
in unhealthy coping mechanisms like eating for comfort.
7) Family
medical history
In some
cases, obesity is hereditary. A family history of obesity can increase a
person's risk of becoming obese. If one or more parents have been obese, there
is an increased chance that their children will also become obese. In these
cases, children are not eating themselves into obesity; they simply inherit a
genetic predisposition.
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