Childhood Obesity is on the rise

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Childhood Obesity: Breaking the Cycle with a New Healthy Approach

How would you feel if you were told your ten-year-old child was dying because of heart disease? Or better yet, heart disease that could have been prevented. What if your child's routine check up with the pediatrician reveled he/she was in the 90th percentile for weight. Predicting the weight to only double in the next few years if your child remained in the current trend of eating habits and activity level. How would you feel if due to your child's weight his peers were bullying him? Causing low self-esteem and poor grades in school. If only you were more aware of how your influence as well as the television industry was exposing your children to unhealthy food choices causing them to desire sugary, high calorie, non-nutritious foods, leading to childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is a major health concern. In 2015, more than one third of children were obese or overweight. This means that one in three families are affected by childhood obesity. The increase in prevalence of childhood obesity has caused American's to be more worried today than ever. Overweight or obese children can be traumatized physically and emotionally. Why should we allow our children to experience adult physical and emotional problems? Scarring them for life.

Childhood obesity leads to complex medical conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, asthma, breathing problems, sleep disorders, early puberty, low self-esteem, depression, and learning problems. Childhood obesity can be avoided. We have the power to change the environmental factors that are affecting our children. We must take into consideration how greatly the impact of parental/family influence makes on our children. Children imitate their parents, if a child is raised observing their parents eating fruits and vegetables, they will learn that it is normal to consume these healthy habits. We can start by educating our parents. Teaching them how to read labels and cause awareness. Being aware of unhealthy choices verses healthy choices will give parents the information they need to start making the right decisions for their children. Education should be our focus as nurses while providing the key to making changes. Parents need to be aware of how to provide the adequate serving size for their child. Better known as portion sizing. Awareness on limiting sugary snacks, high fat foods as well as excess carbohydrates will start to change the way our youth eat. Physical activity is another important factor, the physical activity of our youth has decreased in the last decade. Just look around you, our TV's are remote controlled, providing entertainment at just a fingertip away. Computers are portable, providing on the go entertainment. One can drive up to a restaurant and get food within five minutes. In the past, schools had mandatory physical education. These are just a few examples of how our society has become more sedentary, helping our youth to become obese.

Another way to solve the childhood obesity epidemic is to place limits on the types of TV advertisement our society is being exposed to overall. Nutritional restrictions must be configured on all food and beverages advertised on TV. If restrictions were fixed on all TV commercial and only healthy alternatives were being advertised, the childhood obesity epidemic will decrease. This change as well as educating parents on the effects of sedentary lifestyles will help to make an impact on our obese children. As nurses it is our duty to help spread the word on the detrimental effects of childhood obesity. Educating our patients on prevention and lifestyle changes will help change the obesity epidemic.