The rate of children with obesity

Obesity in Children

Obesity in children is becoming more prevalent in our society. About 36.2 percent of the population in Louisiana seems to be overweight, and it cannot be a coincidence that there are cases of several lifestyle diseases. Obesity occurs when a human consumes more calories than his or her body requires, resulting in a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30.0. Teenagers are most likely to experience negative body changes as a result of hormone changes. Following adequate healthy diets seems to have been lax in today’s culture. For instance, there has been an increase in the uptake of junk food and carbonated drinks which are positively linked to a higher weight. Unmanaged stress can also be related to binge eating as people tend to escape from the issues that they are currently facing. Louisiana has the highest obesity rate in America, resulting in life-threatening consequences; therefore, there should be public sensitization on proper eating habits and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Potentially Adverse Effects

Being overweight has psychological impacts on the affected person. It is evident that obese children seem to alienate themselves from their peers and this, therefore, makes them antisocial. The fact that a child is overweight means that they may not be flexible to play with other children. As such, their peers may choose to also leave them out of important sporting events which if not monitored can lead to more stress. Moreover, some of the obese children turn out to be bullies since they assume that the other children are against them, which also add up to their antisocial nature. It is also likely that the obese children are ridiculed by the healthier peers. Young people are prone to comparing themselves, and it hence gets worse when one is seemingly worse than the majority of the young people. The age mates are likely to call such a child fat and even a pig which can also be depressing. Also, young children tend to associate high weight with gluttony. Obese children may be kept away from social functions like birthday parties and social circles where food is involved as they are perceived to be greedy. All these factors affect a child psychologically which can even hinder efforts towards having a better BMI and living a healthier lifestyle.

Obesity and Lifestyle Diseases

Obese people are likely to acquire lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure. It is apparent that overweight people tend to struggle with exercises which are vital for blood circulation and regulation of blood and hormones within the body. When obesity is linked to lifestyle choices like drug abuse and sedentary lifestyles, it becomes worse. For instance, alcohol abusers may adopt poor eating habits since they are always drunk and hence result in taking fast foods. Such people may not manage to choose a balanced diet food, which would also give them some nutritional value. Being fat translates to having high-fat deposits at the heart which can even lead to a heart failure. Obese people are likely to be sick after running for a short mile or even engaging in physical activity, irrespective of the energy used. It is hence worth leaving a better life to avoid having constant life challenges.

Solution

Most people are unaware of proper food component and therefore put a little thought into purchasing or preparing food. It is hence advisable to have educational forums especially to young people on the consequences of poor eating habits, and steps they can take to ensure that they always observe a healthy diet and at the right time. Majority of the young people are oblivious of the right quantities of food they ought to take and their components. As such, nutritional education should be encouraged in the learning institutions to ensure that the children pass over the same values to their parents. The schools should also promote a balanced student’s lifestyle meaning that the children are also given time to engage in sports. Some schools focus on performance instead of having all rounded students who are also healthy.

The government ought to put in policies that ensure that the price of healthy food is stable and further regulate the amount of junk food produced within the country. The media can also be blamed for the high junk intake as it makes the food look appealing hence better than the healthy food. There is a need for the parents to take a break from their healthy lifestyles and once in a while prepare a meal for their families. Busy lifestyles translate to having more takeaway food which also leads to obesity. Besides cooking for one’s family, kitchen time can be a bonding time among the family members, which also contribute to a higher self-esteem for the children. There should also be public campaigns on proper eating habits and a door to door sensitization on the healthy options available in the market. Obese people should hence adopt different lifestyles and start exercising to burn away the fat and ensure that they are not predisposed to lifestyle diseases.

Yours faithfully,

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