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Running Head: NUTRITION CLAIM REPORT

Nutrition Claim Report:

Childhood Obesity Leads to Multiple Health Risks

Hannah L. Barkley-Mastalski

Seton Hill University

Abstract

Childhood obesity is capable of resulting in other, later health conditions as the children grow

into adulthood. All functions of the body start when we are young, making childhood and

adolescence extremely important for future development. The following presents diseases and

health issues that could result from childhood obesity. Also researched, are possible reasons for

why this occurs and what can be done to combat it. Childhood obesity is important to talk about

as many children do not have control of their diet.

Childhood obesity is a definite problem in the United States. With a growing number of

children with obesity, we cannot help but wonder how this will affect the children throughout the

rest of their lives. Childhood shapes the adult person and children grow up to change and shape

the world we live in. It is important that we understand more about how children are affected by

obesity and what can be done to change it. The sick children of today become the sick adults of

the future.

Obesity occurs when one is taking in more, in other words, eating more calories, than they are

burning off or “spending” (Torres and Vazequez, 2012). A child is considered obese when that

child’s BMI, or body mass index, is above the 95th percentile (Boyle, 2019). The term

“overweight” is also used to describe those whose BMI is lower than that of those who are obese,

but still above the 85th percentile (Boyle, 2019). These children are still carrying surplus weight

that can be harmful to them (Boyle, 2019). This excess weight that they carry can put stress on

their bodies and further result in diseases and health issues that start to develop and generally

show themselves later in life. Obesity may seem to have no effect on life and health in the

present, but built up issues can cause a greater consequence.

One such health problem that can occur as a result of childhood obesity and obesity in

general, is atherosclerosis, “which leads to closure of the arteries that feed the heart and brain

and thus to heart attacks and strokes” (Boyle, 2019). Starting with the buildup of lipids,

atherosclerosis can start to show its beginning stages during childhood (Boyle, 2019). This is one

of the most severe results of childhood obesity as it can directly cause death. Dimitri, studying

the relationship between fat and bone, found out that, “the accumulation of excess adipose tissue

in childhood obesity results in an alteration in the hormonal environment that could potentially
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alter skeletal development” (2019). While more studies need to be done to achieve a full picture

of how the two are related, it is a problem that skeletal development can be altered from the

obesity that children may experience. Not surprisingly, childhood obesity can also raise a child’s

risk of, “impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes” (Torres and

Vazequez, 2012), which can plague the child for the rest of his or her life. However, these can be

managed through diet and exercise. In adulthood, particular types of cancer are also more

common in those who are obese (Torres and Vazequez, 2012). Along with all of the physical

consequences that are known to result from obesity, it has been shown that there are mental

consequences as well. “Depression and worsening quality of life,” (Torres and Vazequez, 2012)

are more common when a child is obese or overweight.

Torres and Vazequez share that childhood obesity is occurring at a faster rate than adult

obesity and affects children in multiple different countries such as, the United States, England,

Wales, New Zealand, and Malta among others (2012). It is also know to affect people of

different backgrounds differently. For example Native-American, African-American, and

Mexican-American individuals are more likely to have obesity than individuals of other

backgrounds (Torres and Vazequez, 2012). Starting with poor eating habits as a child can then

lead to a life of bad eating habits. If we take the age range of four to eight-year-olds, for

example, they are to eat somewhere between 1,642 and 1,742 calories in a day (different calorie

amounts for males than females) (Boyle, 2019). Unconsciously, people are adding to this calorie

count. “Research studies have consistently found that when adults and children eat out instead of

eating at home, they consume more fat and calories, more fried foods, more soft drinks, fewer

fruits and vegetables, and less fiber” (Torres and Vazequez, 2012). It is common in the lives of

busy parents and children, for them to go out often and to grab pre-packaged snacks. However,
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many times this also adds unwanted calories, leaves consumers with a lack of fruits and

vegetables, and adds a surplus of sugars and invisible fats. Invisible fats are fats that we do not

realize are hiding in foods that we eat every day, making it difficult to really understand where

all of the calories come from and easy to eat more than necessary. A rise in the amount of screen

time that children partake of and a decrease in the amount of exercise they are getting, is another

contributing factor to childhood obesity (Torres and Vazequez, 2012). Physical activity can burn

off the extra calories that children and consuming and can also help them develop muscles and

healthy lungs. Anyone can see that the amount of time that children are spending staring at

television and phone or iPad screens is excessive and is no doubt cutting into the time spent

playing out of doors and getting that much needed physical activity. Food insecurity has also

been researched as a possible factor in childhood obesity. Food insecurity in children is

characterized by inadequate access to sufficient food of a good quality and consistency of food

options (Kaur, Lamb, and Ogden). In the study it was found that a larger amount of children who

were food-insecure were obese when compared to those who were not (Kaur, Lamb, and Ogden).

In another study done, “data have suggested that in industrialized countries, excess weight gain

in children was more prevalent among lower income families” (Torres and Vazequez, 2012). To

think about it, it seems somewhat unlikely that having less money for food would result in

obesity. In another light though, taking into consideration that parents may not have the ability to

attain and spend for fresh produce and make homemade meals for their families, it is not as

surprising that low-income families may have children with obesity. Of course, the physical

makeup and genetics of a person may make it more likely for him or her to gain more weight

than someone else and this also needs to be taken into account before assumptions are made and

before childhood obesity is blamed on one particular aspect of life.

It is believed that, “the rapid increase in overweight and obesity over the past three decades

are due primarily to societal and environmental factors” (Boyle 2019). Piridzhanyan agrees, as in

an interview discussing how to combat childhood obesity, she said that she supports the, “use of

a 3-pronged approach to address childhood obesity: education, interactive demonstrations, and

environmental change” (2015). She also stresses the importance of involving parents and

families in this mission as, in the end, children can only control so much on their own and

parents need to be on board with preventing childhood obesity because we cannot expect an

eight-year-old to do everything for himself and take care of all of his own nutritional needs.

Clarke supports parent education on serving sizes for children as they are different from how

much an adult would eat (2015). She also discusses the “setting of the meal,” and how families

should try to eat with each other at home and limit the amount of times they go out to eat at a

restaurant (2015). Having parents on board with physical activity and not only what the child

eats is another preventative that Clarke talks about (2015). As discussed previously, there is a

lack of the physical activity that students need and like anything, children will more easily be

able to partake of or interact with something that their parents are backing. A third important

point by Clarke is her belief that pediatricians should be helping families detect and navigate

childhood obesity in an attempt to solve the problem (2015). There will not be any singular

solution to rid the world of childhood obesity, but everyone who is able should take it into

consideration whenever possible.

With the potential for heart attacks, strokes, problems in skeletal development, type 2 diabetes

and related problems, cancer, depression, and other health issues, childhood obesity is not to be

taken lightly. Although it is not something that children are generally thinking about or
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something that they can directly control, childhood obesity needs to be addressed and seen as the

major health concern that is.

References

Boyle, M. A. (2019). Personal Nutrition. Boston, MA: Cengage.

Clarke, N., Park, K., Piridzhanyan, A. (2015). Tackling Pediatric Obesity : All Hands on Deck!.
Childhood Obesity and Nutrition, 7(6), 338-34.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1941406415615497

Dimitri, P. (2019). The Impact of Childhood Obesity on Skeletal Health and Development.
Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome, 28(1), 4 -17.
https://doi.org/10.7570/jomes.2019.28.1.4

Kaur, J., Lamb, M. M., Ogden, C. L., (2015). The Association between Food Insecurity and
Obesity in Children – The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Journal of
the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(5), 751-758.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.01.003

Torres, A., Vazequez, F. L., (2012). Childhood Obesity. Retrieved from: