In this paper I will be stating the causes, affects, and treatment for childhood obesity. It will describe how adolescent obesity can lead to adulthood problem, and how to prevent them from happening. .
Childhood obesity affects the lives of many children today. For some this happens because of unhealthy eating, but that isn't always the case. Depression abuse in the home can also cause childhood obesity. This happens when the child has or thinks they have no one to turn to so they turn to food.
Nationwide surveys estimate that one in five American children is obese. Child obesity has grown dramatically in the recent years. Childhood obesity often foreshadows adult obesity. The longer a child remains obese, the greater chance they have of becoming an obese adult.
Some statistics are, fewer than 10% of obese infants become obese adults, but the likelihood of becoming an obese adult jumps to 25% among preschoolers, 40% of obese 7 year olds, and 75% of obese teenagers. Though genetics really aren't the main cause of obesity, it does play a big part in it. Obesity does tend to run in families. If one parent is obese, then a child has a 40% chance of becoming obese. If both parents happen to be obese then a child's risk rises to a 70 or 80 percent.
Some major problems or medical conditions can occur from being overweight as a child. One such problem is bone and joint problems. The child's developing skeleton, particularly the spine or long limb bones, can be deformed by excess weight causing knock knees or flat feet. As an obese young person gets older, he or she is also more prone to arthritis, a degenitive disease of the joints, particularly those that bear weight. .
Another thing a child might develop because of obesity is metabolic disorders such as glucose tolerance also known as diabetes. Childhood obesity plays a major role in the development of diabetes, particularly if childhood obesity leads into adult years.
