Childhood_Obesity

Childhood Obesity The increase of childhood obesity is on a rise and is causing obesity related diseases in children to adult life. The physical and mental health has an impact by a person’s weight. Children at a young age need to good eating habits and physical activity in order to prevent obesity. According to Hooker (2009) “In the United States, childhood obesity is on the rise; the percentage of obese children aged 6 to 11 more than doubled in the past two decades, increasing from 6.5% in 1980 to 17.0% in 2006.” Not only in the United States is obesity on a rise, it has become a global increase in children. Many of the children that are overweight are being diagnosed with heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The problem the study for childhood obesity is conducted to resolve the link between children and obesity in schools. Having the facts on what children are eating and doing in physical activity in school plays a big factor in association on a child’s weight that is the main question among many health admisitaors. In the studies there was a survey taken in the northeastern United States that the academic achievement and physical fitness had an association. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has been studied as a big part in childhood obesity, the study compares public schools verse private schools and also a families cultural, economic and physical activity levels played a factor in the well-being of a child’s weight. The study uses the body mass index (BMI) to determine if a child is obesity, the methods where used from the National Survey of Children’s Health and conducted by the centers for Disease Control and prevention in 2003 and 2004 (Hooker, 2009). The survey was taken to determine the status of the children’s health and physical conditions, Children of physically active parents have mean BMI values 0.199 lower than inactive parents' children (Hooker, 2009). Having active parents plays a big part in how a child sees the importantance of exercise and what foods are served at home and school. Children that play sports or take part in physical activity are shown to have a lower BMI as to those that did not. With the help of parents and the schools lunch and activity programs, children can become less overweight and prevent the future of health related issues. No matter if the child is attending public school or private school the studies show that children attending public have a higher BMI, and those that receive free or reduced lunches play a big part on a child’s BMI. Having active parents and enrolling children in a physical activity will help reduce a child’s BMI. The studies are facts that show how schools play a big part in a children’s obesity.