Introduction
Recent living conditions have resulted in an increase in malnutrition disease. Among the children, obesity is one of health condition that has been caused by the lifestyle that people are continually adopting. Obesity is accumulation of body fat and weight to a point that it can cause danger in the life of human being. In adults, obesity is measured by calculating body mass Index, it compares ones height and weight. There are set limits that define whether a person is obese or not. The situation in children is different. This paper analyzes current issue in life-span development with childhood obesity.
Current Statistics
According to National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health, 2008, the rate of children obesity in the past 30 years has tripled. In the 1980’s children of the age 8-11 years preference rate of being obese was at 6.5%, however in the period between 1980 and 2008, the rate had increased to 11.6%. On the other extreme the preference rate of those aged between 11-19 years had reached 18.1% up from 5%.
A report by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), between 2007 and 2008 showed that in the world there are approximately 17% children between the ages of 2-19 years who are obese. The statistic showed that America has the largest portion of these obese children. Realizing the dangers associated with the trend, World Health Organization established a task force which was mandated to collect data about the trend and recommend the way forward. The worry was on health implications that obese people have. The report also indicated that about 70% of obese children have a likelihood of being obese in their adult life.
In United Kingdom’s 2001 statistics , it had been estimated that about 8.5 per cent of 6 year olds and about 15 per cent of 15 year olds were obese. In 2002 statistics from British Medical Association, showed that 5.5% of boys and 7.5% of girls in United Kingdom were obese. Between 1995 and 2003, the preference of obese children rose from 10% up to 14%. The increase was higher 11-17 years old children when it rose from 11% to 17%. National Health Service has become concerned about the trend and has put measures to reverse the trend, however recent statistics in United Kingdom showed that 25% of boys between the age of two years and the age of nineteen years are overweight or obese.
In the US, health officials are of the observation that there are 23million obese or overweight children between the age of two years and nineteen years. Obese children are not healthy and are at the risk of developing diseases later in life or at tender age. According to CRC Health Group website 2000, 19% of children aged between the ages of 2-11 were obese and 17 % of those aged 12-17 years were obese (Ben-Sefer, Ben-Natan & Ehrenfeld, 2009).
Current Issue Programs
Every country should have a legislation that is aimed at addressing the issue of obesity; it should;
- Sensitize parents on good feeding process to their children; this will be offered in pregnancy clinic where feeding mechanisms of a child before birth and after birth will be advocated.
- Creating awareness on the dangers brought about by being obese, both children and adults obesity
- Develop guiding brochures to be given alongside birth notification certificate to new born. The brochures will advise the parent on right feeding process that he should adopt.
- Incorporate obesity cases in health insurance policies.
To attain the above objectives, there is need for corporation among all stake holders involved. Parents should be given the mandate of ensuring that their children are fed in the right way; they should ensure that food eaten by a child whether when with the parent or not is the right portion (Ben-Sefer, Ben-Natan & Ehrenfeld, 2009).
Reference List
Ben-Sefer, E., Ben-Natan, M., & Ehrenfeld, M. (2009). Childhood obesity: current literature, policy and implications for practice. International Nursing Review, 56(2), 166-173.