Obesity is a truly worrisome problem the United States and the world are facing today. It is estimated that overall obesity will be the number one killer ahead of tobacco in the United States. The reason why obesity is a concern is because of its link to other ailments that can prove fatal. In particular obesity and is associated with high blood pressure. It is a known risk factor for hypertension. In fact an increasing number of people are developing high blood pressure because of obesity in their childhood years. Combined with blood pressure obesity can be a lethal sentence for heart disease.
Heart disease and hypertension are life threatening conditions that are directly associated with obesity. Being overweight in childhood as noted is related to plenteous chronic diseases that typically manifest later in adulthood. These include type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Studies have noted that 60 percent of overweight five-to-ten year-old children had at least one additional risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Apart from disease, overweight children are also at heightened risk for lower self-esteem, depression, self-blame and social rejection by both peers and adults.
Studies note that in the United States in the last 25 years, the prevalence of children and adolescents who are overweight has tripled to reach 17.1% between the years 2003 and 2004. It is further discovered in research that the obesity epidemic is taking a hold of both girls and boys regardless of which state they are in, their racial and ethnic background and their socioeconomic status. However it has been observed that subgroups including Hispanics, African Americans and Native Americans are disproportionately affected.
There are particular environments that influence the choices that children make regarding food and physical activity. These environments are namely home, work, school and clinical environments. It looks clear that if no interventions that are effective and targeted are taken, this will turn out to be a massive health problem going forward into the future as many adults will emerge with all types of diseases. The opportunity to halt the this trends remains at key points in the life and interaction of kids. Of particular note are the foods that kids are fed at the cited environments above.
Health eating and regular activity will need to be inculcated at an early stage namely at school and at home. Teachers and parents alike have a duty to ensure a healthy eating lifestyle in these kids. Apparently children spend much of their childhood times at school and at home. Programs is schools perhaps even sponsored and managed by the federal governments are necessary and involving experts in healthy eating initiatives.