causes of obesity among school children and prevention strategies

 causes of obesity among school children and prevention strategies

Child obesity has always been a health concern both nationally and internationally. However, for the past few years, the number of children suffering from obesity has adversely increased. The cost of obesity is high because it leads to health complications among future populations. Previous research shows that child obesity is caused by environmental, genetic, and behavioral factors. Therefore, it is important to analyze the causes of child obesity to help promote health among the younger generation. Several researchers have investigated the causes of child obesity. They include Karnik and Kanekar (2012), Martinovic et al. (2015), and Telford (2017). A study by Karnik and Kanekir showed that behavioral factors like a sedentary lifestyle cause obesity among children. Studies by Martinovic et al. (2015) and Telford (2017) show that child obesity puts a child at health risks, which can be physical, emotional, and social. The paper investigates the causes of obesity among school children and prevention strategies. The following research question will be considered in the study: What causes obesity among school children and which prevention strategies can be used to curb the problem? It will be argued that genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors cause obesity.

To begin with, the paper will introduce the topic of obesity among school children. First, I will define the meaning of obesity and contextualize the problem according to the population. Then, the paper will provide background information on what various scholars have researched and published on the causes of child obesity. In explaining the genetic factors causing child obesity, the paper will provide the argument by Martinovic et al. (2015) and Lakshman et al (2012). The background information on the behavioral factors which cause child obesity provides information by Brennan et al (2014) and Karnik & Kanekar (2012). Next, the background information and literature on the environmental factors causing child obesity, according to Brennan et al (2014) and Karnik & Kanekar (2012).

Background

Obesity is a health condition characterised by excessive and abnormal fat in the body. Previous researches on child obesity have argued that the bodyweight of a child is strongly influenced by genes. Meaning, obesity runs in families and can be inherited. According to research by Martinovic, Belojevic, Evans, Lausevic, Asanin, Samardzic, and Boljevic, 2015, there is a strong aspect of heritability of genes, which are likely to cause children to inherit obesity characteristics from their parents. The research shows that body-make up like personality, physical, and behavior are determined by genetics (Martinovic et al., 2015).

Similarly, according to a study by Lakshman, Elks, and Ong, 2012, genetic factors related to child obesity can be understood in terms of monogenic obesity and genetic variants (Lakshman et al., 2012). Monogenic child obesity involves trends of food intake, appetite, and weight gain within families. The combinations lead to a rare genetic mutation, which leads to obesity among offsprings. The combination leads to deleterious mutations in genes that encode pro-opiomelanocortin, leptin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, pro-opiomelanocortin, and the leptin receptor (Lakshman et al., 2012). Lakshman et al. argue that the evidence of the effects of monogenic mutations has been studied among children who experience obesity. It has been proven that rare mutations lead to a relatively increased gain of BMI in children than in adults (Lakshman et al., 2012). Genetic variants related to child obesity involves variations in BMI locus. Previous studies have proven that changes in BMI locus like FTO, MC4R, TMEM18, GNPDA2, KCTD15, NEGR1, and ETV5 (Lakshman et al., 2012). The variants affect body sizes among children and adolescents.

Behavioral factors related to child obesity result from a sedentary lifestyle. Admittedly, it is hard for a parent to intentionally give children these foods with food knowledge of its consequences on the latter’s weight and health. However, the contemporary parent rarely has enough time to prepare meals that contain foods with less energy. Instead, they turn to fast-food restaurants whose meals are prepared with little regard to health consequences. Some researchers argue that excessive intake of foods rich in energy is the highest cause of obesity in both children and adults (Lakshman et al., 2012). Notably, many dispute the level of health adversity allocated to foods and beverages rich in energy. However ,many cases of obesity among children began when caregivers failed to address issues related to the energy density in children’s meals (Lakshman et al., 2012). Similarly, according to Karnik and Kanekar, 2012, when one gains energy through consumptions of foods and beverages with high ED, he/she should equally work to spend the energy or lose it from the body (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). However, children do not engage in intentional physical activities that can allow efficient use of calories hence avoiding obesity. The authors note that studies in countries like Iran have attributed a lack of physical exercise among children to lack of accessible and safe access to places that they can use for physical activity and unsupportive family members who do not encourage physical activity (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012).

Environmental factors causing child obesity among school children include the school and community settings. School settings contribute to child obesity through failing to formulate and implement policies that are directed at managing weight and promoting a healthy lifestyle among children. Community settings contribute to child obesity by denying children the space to engage in physical activities and affordable and accessible healthy foods. Karnik and Kanekar note that most communities lack safe parks, sidewalks, and bike paths (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). Such spaces encourage school-going children to either cycle or walk to schools hence ensuring that the children engage in regular physical exercises. Meaning, when the areas are not available, school-going children prefer to take the bus, which contributes to less body energy consumption hence the significant increase in weight, which is a risk factor in obesity (Brennan et al., 2014). Similarly, lack of access to healthy meals prevents children from taking the appropriate foods with nutritional values, which can prevent them from obesity. Most school-going children take junk food because fast-food restaurants are relatively available compared to grocery stores selling fruits at affordable prices. Having provided the background information on the causes of obesity among school children, we now turn to how genetic factors cause childhood obesity and the importance of a healthy lifestyle among parents.

Causes and Interventions

To begin with, the paper will consider the findings on the genetic causes of obesity among school children. The findings by the studies by Martinovic et al., 2015 and Lakshman et al., 2012 provide a possible reason why a large percentage of people suffering from obesity are young (Martinovic et al., 2015) (Lakshman et al., 2012). According to a survey by the National Health and Nutrition organization, 16.9% of children between two and nineteen years are obese (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). It proves that some Consumption of large amounts of energy through food and beverages leads to a higher intake of energy than expenditure hence contributing to a significant increase in weight among children. It causes an imbalance between Energy Density and BMI. According to research by Brennan, Brownson, and Orleans,2014, large amounts of energy foods and beverages lead to high Energy Density, which negatively influences the appetite control systems (Brennan et al., 2014). Consequently, it leads to overeating, thus overweight because the body is consuming more energy than it is spending (Lakshman et al., 2012). ED foods include avocado, full-fat dairy products, beverages that have been sugar-sweetened, nuts, and fatty cuts of meats. Some macronutrient foods, like processed foods and snacks, also contain significantly high amounts of energy. Therefore, the family of the child determines the likelihood of him or her being affected by the condition. Admittedly, the findings show that the factors that contribute to childhood obesity are deeper beyond the control of a child. Nevertheless, the connection between obesity and genes provides a starting point for interventions.

Parents should shift to a healthy lifestyle to protect children from genetic factors causing obesity. Having genes related to obesity does not mean that a child will automatically suffer from obesity (Martinovic et al., 2015). However, it means that the offspring will have to work extra hard so that he/she does not inherit obesity because the factor increases the susceptibility of the child to obesity (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). Previous research agrees that this is among the most realistic and practical approach to treating child obesity. In addition, it only requires awareness of the specific causal factors and commitment to ensuring that the child does not inherit the traits. Having discussed the genetic factors causing obesity among school children and intervention, I now move to address how behavior causes obesity and what can be done to protect children from the factors.

Negligence by caregivers and lack of awareness of the effects of behavior in health lead to obesity in school children. According to Karnik and Kanekar, 2012, a sedentary lifestyle involves children consuming food and beverages that contain large amounts of energy, lack of physical exercise, and children interacting with frequent advertisements that advocate for the preference of food rich in sugar and energy (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). Eventually, the child develops obesity, even if he/she comes from a family without a history of obesity. Consumption of large amounts of energy through food and beverages leads to a higher intake of energy than expenditure hence contributing to a significant increase in weight among children. It causes an imbalance between Energy Density and BMI. According to research by Brennan, Brownson, and Orleans,2014, large amounts of energy foods and beverages lead to high Energy Density, which negatively influences the appetite control systems (Brennan et al., 2014). Consequently, it leads to overeating, thus overweight because the body is consuming more energy than it is spending (Lakshman et al., 2012). ED foods include avocado, full-fat dairy products, beverages that have been sugar-sweetened, nuts, and fatty cuts of meats. Some macronutrient foods, like processed foods and snacks, also contain significantly high amounts of energy.

Provision of healthy foods and snacks, carbohydrate counting, regular exercise, and family bonding can eliminate environmental factors causing obesity. Healthy foods include meals containing sufficient levels of vegetables accompanied by fruits (Brennan et al., 2014). Children should be served with such meals before and after school. Also, the schools should implement policies that require parents to give children snacks that contain low levels of fats (Brannan et al., 2014). Eventually, children will enjoy health benefits, like taking foods and beverages, which contain low levels of energy and calories. Also, it will improve the likelihood of consuming minerals and vitamins (Brennan et al., 2014). The long-term outcome is that they will lose weight hence preventing them from suffering from obesity. Another behavioral intervention involves the counting of carbohydrates. According to research on the management of diabetes among children by Dr. Fatima Telford, 2017, carbohydrate counting is among effective ways to manage diabetes by reducing weight (Telford, 2017). It involves monitoring of how many carbohydrates a child is consuming. In the case of diabetes patients, it helps in determining the appropriate amount of insulin; hence, a form of medication (Telford, 2017). However, in the case of children, it can be used as a form of weight management (Telford, 2017). It helps in regulating the intake of foods and beverages rich in energy hence maintaining the ED at appropriate levels. Next, this paper will discuss how environmental factors lead to obesity among school children and the interventions.

The home, school, and community settings can lead to obesity in school children. For example, when a child has a parent who does not live a healthy lifestyle, it is highly like that he/she will not live healthily. When a parent consumes large amounts of foods rich in energy, it is less likely that he/she can choose to give the child a healthy meal (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). Also, being that child learns from observation, when he sees parents overeating and not exercising, he/she will learn to be reluctant to engage in any physical activity. According to Brennan et al., 2014, a lot of snack vending machines contain items that have high levels of fats, which has been established to directly contribute to weight gain hence increasing the risks of obesity (Brenna et al., 2014). Most of the snacks in the vending machines are sugary (Brennan et al., 2014). They do not have any nutritional value because they lack vitamins and minerals.

Preventing vendors from providing snacks that contribute to an adverse increase in weight and advocating for the local government to engage in active community physical planning strategies will eliminate the environmental effects of obesity among school children. Research findings on the causes of obesity among children have proven that most snacks vending machines contain sugary items, contain high levels of fats, and lack vitamins and minerals. Meaning, if school authorities commit to the provision of healthy foods and snacks to the children, it will ensure that vendors sort their products. Consequently, hence, only foods that encourage robust management of weight will be available to the children. Further, local governments should ensure community physical planning provides for physical exercise-friendly spaces like sidewalks, bike paths, and safe parks. It will encourage children to use the areas when going to school and during holidays for play and interactions with friends instead of staying indoors to play video games, watch televisions, and browse the internet. Consequently, children will be proactively contributing to their management of weight, thus eliminating risks to obesity.

Research findings on the causes of obesity among children have shown that most snacks vending machines contain sugary items, contain high levels of fats, and lack vitamins and minerals. Meaning, if school authorities commit to the provision of healthy foods and snacks to the children, it will ensure that vendors sort their products. Consequently, hence, only foods that encourage robust management of weight will be available to the children. Further, local governments should ensure community physical planning provides for physical exercise-friendly spaces like sidewalks, bike paths, and safe parks. It will encourage children to use the areas when going to school and during holidays for play and interactions with friends instead of staying indoors to play video games, watch televisions, and browse the internet. Consequently, children will be proactively contributing to their management of weight, thus eliminating risks to obesity.