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Childhood Obesity
A recent North American television talk show special (The Maury Show) addressed the issue of childhood obesity head-on, from most possible and different angles. Images of obese babies, toddlers and teens were all objectively presented through hand-picked cases representative of the majority of occurrences of childhood obesity in the general population. Open-ended and at times very direct questions were put to the teens specifically as they were introduced, paraded, parents in tow with their obese children before a live audience. Breaking the silence about such a problematic topic as being debilitating overweight, facilitated a much needed opportunity to openly discuss in panel format the details, effects, prevention and coping strategies childhood obesity brings to the forefront. By handpicking guests who were faced with the problem or working their way back from deep despair because of childhood obesity, in order to take a closer look at the effects it had on the individuals and their families, proved a helpful strategy and useful information surfaced in a powerful way for those who do not dare to ask or do not realize that childhood obesity is real and that they might have a problem. Causative and contributing factors to childhood obesity fall broadly into one of two categories: (i) medical and genetic causation, identifiable physical and physiological causes and (ii) self-inflicted or parent-assisted dysfunctional and destructive behavioural and habitual patterns. What is childhood obesity? What are the guidelines and what is considered obese? In a recent US government report it was stated that childhood obesity represents the storage of excess calories. Excess calories are stored as fat when the food we eat rapidly changes to sugar (or is already sugar), which increases the insulin production by the pancreas. Insulin is the storage hormone and while insulin is elevated the body will not and can not metabolize fat. Childhood obesity is responsible for 50 percent of new cases of pediatric diabetes, sleep apnea, and asthma and since 1980 to present day, the percentage of children who are overweight has nearly tripled. About 8 million young Americans, almost 15 percent of all children, are overweight. One is five is seriously obese. The incidence of obesity is doubling every 5 years. Even worse is the estimate that up to 20% of school age children are obese - not just over weight. As to what we attribute this staggering number of teenagers suffering from the effects of childhood obesity to? We blame poor physical activity habits, excess television viewing, too much web surfing, too many video games and junk food addictions along with other poor nutritional habits. All factors play a role. It is called a lifestyle that supports obesity. To change, lifestyles must change. |
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