Childhood obesity

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1.0 Introduction

Childhood obesity has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the most important current health promotion as well as disease prevention priority in the world since it contributes to preventable causes of death. According to Delgado (2013) childhood obesity is a growing public health concern. Additionally, collected and compiled evidence points out that despite the efforts to fight obesity among children there are constant incidences of children who gain too much weight. As a result, the WHO has set objectives that support the reduction of the percentage of children affected by obesity from the baseline of 11% to a less than 5% among a given population in any particular country. Currently, in the United States, it is estimated that 16% of children are overweight with the risk of 24% among the high-risk population. 

In addition, childhood obesity increases the chances of a child developing both mental and physical complications. In reality, the causes and consequences of childhood obesity are far reaching, with a variety of implications for the children, parents, educational facilities as well as the health care systems. Furthermore, according to Dawes (2014), scientists argue that there is a growing possibility that childhood obesity may soon become a death sentence. As a result, health care providers are working round the clock to mitigate the causes and consequences of childhood obesity particularly by determining the causes and proposing educational tools relevant to parents. Nevertheless, evidence points out the increased role parents play in enhancing childhood obesity levels. Thus, so that to effectively manage childhood obesity health care providers argue it is important to educate parents on how to provide suitable health foods for children.

2.0 Causes and consequences

2.1 Causes

            The constant attempts to solve the widespread childhood obesity have led to the basic question of causation. While it can be argued that genetics can lead to obesity among children, the gene pool does not change rapidly so that to explain the prevalence of childhood obesity around the world. According to Dawes (2014), lack of physical activity...