Category: Childhood Obesity

The following essay will define the concept of health and wellbeing, illness and health promotion. A case study will be used to consider and demonstrate the health needs of Newham East London as regards to childhood obesity which is caused by above 95th percentile in Body Mass Index (BMI) which is calculated from the child of weight and height. A relevant statistical data report collected from the ONS (2019) and JSNA (2017), will be used to estimate the prevalence of childhood obesity in Newham and overall England. Also, the discernment of health education, social domination, and behaviour concerning equality and diversity as regards to health inequality will be examined.

Furthermore, the socio-economic factors influencing the determinants of health and well-being of young children in Newham and the impact on the overall population will be analysed and discussed. The perception of health promotion, objectives and principles of health promotion with relevant approaches used to prevent childhood obesity in Newham will be discussed using the Beattie’s model (1991). Finally, the awareness of the effectiveness of Beattie’s model of health promotion and its influence on the advancement and stability of young children in Newham to enhance intellectual, physical, environmental and other associated health outcomes will be analysed and discussed with the overall conclusion. The author Joseph Balog (2017), identified health as the outright state of the physical, cognitive, emotional, spiritual and social condition by which the body operates following its original intention and individual’s ability to accomplish their vital goals concerning life.

Conversely, Illich (1976) argues that health is a relative concept and difficult to understand since the meaning of health varies in tune with individual social status and health could represent a different thing to different people from diverse culture and religious background. Well- being can be defined as the positive outcomes from the individual experiences that grantee their happiness and fulfilment of an exceptional life (Dodge et al, 2012). WHO (2018), suggested that illness is a threatening acute or chronic condition of diseases and disorders that cause someone to feel unwell? Childhood obesity is experienced when a child BMI is above 95th Percentile which is calculated through the weight and height of the child considering their sex and age. The accumulation of high fats in the body can develop threatening health conditions which increase morbidity and mortality rate at a young and elderly age (WHO, 2014).

The prevalence rate of childhood obesity in children at the age of 10 to 11 years has raised from 3.2% to 4.2 % from 2017 to 2018 in England. Although, Newham the eastern part of London has increased significantly with the worst statistics recorded of childhood obesity of 12.8% of children at the of age 4 to 5 class and 27.4% at age 10 to 11 in which 43.2% of them were significantly overweight. This is awful to compare to the pervasiveness rate of 9.1 % children age 4 to 5 and 19.1% of 10 to 11 years that was estimated in other cities of England. (PHE, 2019, JSNA, 2017)). The studies of Va Mentink at al (2013), identified that 25% of an adult who suffered from Asthma, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, renal failure and co-operative obstruction disease has resulted from childhood obesity. The emotional well-being of children can also be affected. In most cases, children might develop low self-esteem, isolate themselves from social activities and withdraw from school because they are being bullied by their peers. To prevent this from occurring parents are encourage to always assist their young children to make the best choice for their health. Individual perception of health is a factor that effects on childhood obesity. It explained how individual understand, interpret their health and health of others through behaviour, lifestyle choices, beliefs, environment, and mass media.

The Health Belief Model (1950s), specified that individual perception of health is categorised in four dimensions. The perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits and perceived barriers ( Jones et al, 2015 ). For instance, when overweight is perceived as a risk factor to childhood obesity that can cause multiple chronic illnesses. Then, the individual will adopt every effective measure to prevent and reduce the occurrence with the perceived responsibility of adopting health life style. Conversely, poor parental perception of the risk factors of childhood obesity has been clarified as incompetent responsibility in preventing and managing childhood obesity. Therefore, individual perception of childhood weight status is an important component during public health planning strategies to reduce the pervasiveness of childhood obesity ( Tompkins et al, 2014; WHO, 2014). Health literacy is an intellectual ability of an individual to make an informed decision about their health, access health and make effective use of health instructions to promote their health and well-being.

Poor health literacy has led to the classification of overweight status as normal weight. This is significant of ignorant of the risk factors and instructions that were given to avert adverse health outcomes, improve food nutritional value and healthy meal option, engage in physical activities and adopt clinical measures like regular checks and obesity programme. Also, unaware of how to utilise the available healthcare resources in society has resulted from health literacy as well. Social influences have examined the impact of genes, parental health, lifestyles choices, social-economic, age, gender and ethnicity on childhood obesity. Genome-wide association studies ( ), has identified the role of the parental gene has an impact on higher BMI. The twins’ family and adoption studies ( ), estimated that 40% to 70% of BMI which manifested at childhood and increased at the adolescent age has indicated the effects of genes on BMI at a young age. (Hollensted et al,2018; Muller et al, 2018). Studies have proved that lifestyles choices such as excess consumption of saturated fats, sugary drinks, poor physical activity, rewarding desirable behaviour, spending much time watching television and computer games have a massive impact on childhood obesity. ( ).

Race, gender age affect access to equal opportunity to health care The increase in junk food restaurant in Newham had led to excess consumption of saturated fatty food, large portion food sizes and above 30% daily sugary consumption approved for children from 4 to 10 years. 11% of children in this area ate less than one portion of vegetable per day. (National Diet Nutrition Survey; PHE, 2019). Also, Newham was recorded for poor physical activities and only 18% per cent children in school year 1 to 6 are adhering to the approved 60 minutes daily physical. The acknowledging of lifestyles choices as a major influence on childhood obesity is crucial for enough averting and controlling obesity in young children. activities. (JFPMC, 2015; CDC, 2018; Centre For London, 2019). Ethnic minority experienced health inequalities gender, ethnicity and age Newham health literacy Equality is treating of individual fairly and neutral according to their specific protected characteristics of race, age, gender, religion and disability. Whereas, diversity is recognising and celebrating individual differences as regards to beliefs, culture and traditions. ( EHRC,2018; ). “Equality Act (2010), is legislation that protects an individual from discrimination, bullying, harassment and victimisation at society, workplace and education’’ (GOV.UK, 2015). Health inequalities can be defined as diverse circumstances that can prevent and restrict individuals and communities the likelihood to have access to good health and long life ( ). Race, gender age affect access to equal opportunity to health care.

The epidemiological method was used to measure ethnic inequalities in health care, and it proven that the ethnicity minority always experienced poorer health status because of inadequate access to health care and diseases prevalence in their community. For example, diabetes is much higher with the Black and Asian community and above 50% of residence in Newham are from Black ethnic and minority population. The differences in morbidity and mortality rate of young children in Newham are a result of health inequalities and children residing in such a socio-economic deprived area suffered mostly from the impact of health inequalities because they are inadequately addressed. However, approaches advocated by primary health care agencies might influence health, social behaviour and social determinant that are likely to reduce health equity (BMC Public Health, 2018). According to the Dahlgren and Whitehead rainbow model (1992), the determinant of health is socio-economic factors such as lifestyles and behaviour, social class, income, education, employment, housing, access to health service, and the environment they live impact the individual health in a specific population. Researches argue that lower social status and low-income results in poorer health care, high morbidity and mortality rate among children. The individual with higher social status is educated, lived suitable accommodation, can afford healthy food and quality health care when they are ill and not vulnerable to disease.

Though, lower social class experienced poor income to provide a healthy meal to their families, lived in unsuitable accommodation and no involvement in social and physical activities. This could impact them could cause emotional distress, misuse of substances or addictive behaviour. Nowadays, poor parental education has contributed to unemployment and a low-income status that has caused material deprivation to individual providing them with the available option to live in damp and overcrowded houses that are stocked with rodent and insect without a heating system because poverty has restricted their preferences to good accommodation. It could affect the psychological and emotional well-being, unavoidable substances misuse and addictive behaviour. ( GOV. The UK, 2018, ). The high rate of childhood obesity is the results of poverty and health inequality in Newham. 35.6% of the working class in Newham are on low-paid wages whilst 37% of children suffered from child poverty to compare to 22 % in England. This is because 41% of adult living in Newham did not have a level 3 qualification which causes them to be unemployed or get a well-paid job. Children that lived in such deprived area are more vulnerable to multiple illnesses to compare to those in un deprived area (Wickham et al 2016). Also, there are 4,500 homelessness individual that are placed under temporary accommodation (Trust for London, 2020)

As Jimmy retrieves his lunchbox from his bookbag he lines up at the door in uniformed order with all the other kids. He saunters to the cafeteria as he is excited about lunch, his favorite part of the day. He uncrates his lunch as it consists of a McDonald’s kids meal Cheetos, and a McFlurry with extra Oreos. It is addicting foods like these that reassure children to keep eating unhealthy on regular promoting childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is a common social issue apparent in our society today because it affects children’s physical health, mental health, as well as social health.

Childhood obesity is a convoluted physical health issue. In this case, it can contribute to irregular functioning in children’s internal conditions. The article elucidates, “Obesity during childhood can have a harmful effect on the body in a variety of ways. Children who have obesity are more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD)” (Childhood). This erudition is imperative as both symptoms can affect children’s arteries. High cholesterol can build up cholesterol plaque in the arteries wall. And, high blood pressure erects a high force of blood against the artery walls. Both of these indications can evolve to a much greater consequence such as the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The complication is that this subject could be ultimately be prevented if children maintain a healthy weight, diet, and exercise ritual. In addition, childhood obesity can give rise to other diseases such as diabetes. The editorial indicates, “Diabetes, for example, is another increasing concern among pediatricians and parents of children who are overweight. That’s because a fast-growing number of newly diagnosed cases of childhood diabetes are the so-called type 2 form of the disease” (The Physical). Diabetes itself is a concern due to the fact that having an inconsistent amount of sugar in the body’s blood can expose children to other health problems. But, if the deposition is further analyzed then one can confirm that diseases that are known to affect adults are now affecting children due to obesity. It stems from the matter that, type two diabetes is a disease generally associated with only ever affecting adults. But now this form of diabetes is progressively maturing into a disease that is expanding its victims to affect children as well. To add to that concept, bone development is another variable that impacts obese children’s physical health. The text reveals, “Obese kids also have a greater risk of developing bone, joint, and growth plate problems. In fact, research has found an association between childhood obesity and musculoskeletal pain such as back pain, hip and knee pain, and foot pain” (Katz, David L.). The class of chronic pain can conclusively influence children’s physical performances. For the reason that, back, hip, foot, and knee pain can moderately make it difficult for the bone systematic mobility. This can result in children being deprived of the physical extradition that they require. Ultimately, setting them up for future weight gain will add on top of the excess weight that they already acquire. To sum up this concept, childhood obesity has many harmful physical effects such as artery issues, diabetes, and irregular bone development, which is why childhood obesity is a social issue of importance.

Childhood obesity can have many negative effects on children’s mental health. For instance, young girls specifically of the obese classification, are more prone to definitive mental and emotional challenges. The text prolongs to state, “A study at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey found that obese girls ages 13 to 14 are four times more likely to experience low self-esteem than non-obese girls” (Eurek). At that specific age, it is normal to feel self-conscious about your appearance and actions. Never less, bearing excess weight can have a negative toll on the young girl’s mental health. As it brings attention to their body type. Causing them to compare themselves to slimmer peers. This mindset can be toxic to children as it makes them more inclined to undergo low self-esteem. Low self-esteem can lead to more adverse troubles. Not to mention, depression is often an outcome of low self-esteem. A recent study reports that “An overweight or obese child has three times the risk for depression in adulthood as a normal-weight child. Risk rises four times for children who are overweight or obese in both childhood and adulthood, according to a new study, CBS News reports” (Trevino, Amber). Depression can commonly be a result of trauma. A specific trauma that obese children may suffer from is bullying. Obese children who are targeted (bullied) for their weight begin to become more unfavorably mindful of their appearance. This mentality is unhealthy for children to go through. Especially if that outlook becomes excessive and prevents enjoyment and self-love and one’s daily life. Additionally, childhood obesity can also cause mental complications such as eating disorders. The editorial perpetuates, “Obesity is a risk factor for eating disorders, including binge-eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia” (Fraser-Thrill, Rebecca). Unfortunately, starting at a young age children consider finding is significant as to how other students endorse them. Fitting in with an ideal body type is what emboldens children to want to lose weight. However, this prepossession can include induce the effects and listed above. And to feel worthy about themselves they continue to practice these intense eating disorders. Children can unintentionally overeat to cope with their emotions. Or starve themselves to slim down, in order to fit in. In sum, childhood obesity can lead to various mental health issues.

It is greatly unfortunate that children begin to have negative outlooks on people as early as elementary school. But this attitude is extremely impactful on obese children’s social health. This makes obese children more susceptible to harassment and peer exploitation due to their weight. Stereotypes are also created making obese children perceived as unflattering. The weight bias is what causes regular children to isolate themselves from the obese. That issue is so prevalent that, childhood obesity causes children/teens to be socially discriminated leading to them having fewer acquaintances.

Obese children’s social health is significantly impacted. The classification of their body types spawns society to seclude them, impairing their capability to enact in normal social intercourses. As mentioned, those teens (children) attempt to disconnect themselves from social platforms in the belief of not being admirable enough, due to their appearance. However, this can also influence them in the future as not having good social communication with strangers can make it difficult to apply for colleges, jobs, and be good at speaking in general. However, adults are at fault for this issue as they bring upon these ideas at an early age to their children. Based on the scientific literature the text states, “According to studies, the weight stigma begins as early as age three because adults instill this negative attitude in their kids. Lazy, ugly, stupid, and disgusting are just a few of the hurtful epithets familiar to the obese” (Staff). For adults to be teaching this to the children can be problematic in three ways. Not only does it advise children of regular weight to deceptively miss deem obese kids but, it also renders them from wanting to engage with obese children not to mention, this can be adverse to the obese child themselves. If children are neglecting them, they will be less likely to receive friend nominations implementing their social skills, and social status. To conclude, childhood obesity makes kids prone to social discrimination which ultimately is affecting their social health.

Childhood obesity is a social inquiry, that is primarily a contributory cause of addictive junk food ponderously commercialized to children. Ultimately, childhood obesity has many effects on human health. It has consequences that impact children’s physical, mental, and social health. These consequences can be detrimental as they develop concerns such as cardiovascular diseases, depression, diabetes, and peer victimization, etc. Childhood obesity is an ongoing problem that could fearfully progress into our future. Therefore, it is necessary to have steps taken in action to solve this issue because if we don’t it will affect our children of today and generations to come. Imagine what we would put at risk if we don’t advocate for something so simple that we can argue against it.

Obesity has become a global epidemic over the last 30 years affecting 40 million children, below the age of five. The implications of obesity not only affect the health of an individual but also their social lives, the society around them and the overall economics of a country. Today, obesity affects 25% of Australian children, making it the biggest threat to Australia’s public health (Bronwyn, 2016).

Rates of obesity, over the last 25 years have risen globally(Overweight and Obesity,2019). This prevalence is most common in developed countries such as Australia and America having 25%(A picture of Overweight and Obesity in Australia,2017) and 30%(Bronwyn,2016) of their children having obesity, respectively. This trend is expected to increase.

Childhood obesity sparks not only a wide array of physical distresses but also breeds a poor mental state for the individual. Children with obesity suffer from breathing difficulties, apnoea, hypertension and insulin resistance, fatty liver, high blood fats, low self-esteem and behavioural problems(Overweight and Obesity, 2019). These implications are carried into adulthood as 50% to 80% of obese children have obese parents, and following this trend, it is documented that many obese children become obese adults which harbours wider and more severe consequences(Bronwyn, 2016). The effects of obesity on an adult lead to an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, musculoskeletal disorders and arthritic conditions (WHO,2018). Individuals also go through anxiety, depression, poor self-image and social stigma, and reduces happiness. All these factors produce an outcome of a shorter life expectancy (Bronwyn, 2016).

Similarly, with obese children becoming adults, close friends and family members are likely to also be affected with obesity spreading the risk of health problems associated with obesity(Friends and Family May Play a Role in Obesity, 2007). According to a study by Dr Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School and Dr James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego, the likelihood of becoming obese increases by up to 57% when a close friend is obese. Same-sex friendships would increase the likelihood to 71%, with the highest percentage of increase being 171% with a close mutual friend being obese (The New England Journal of Medicine, 2007).

Outside of the individual and social issues, obesity also affects the countries economies. According to studies, obesity costs Australia around $58 billion a year with the addition of 7200 deaths(Obesity costs, The Australian,2013). In 2011 to 2012 it is documented by the AIHW that obesity equates to 7% of the total health budget, 63% of this cost lead to a fatal burden(AIHW, 2017). Obesity also produces indirect cost which is estimated to be 3.3 times greater than the direct cost (Childhood Obesity: An economic perspective,2010).

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an Australian National Health Priority due to its lead cause in mortality and morbidity in Australia, Childhood obesity contributes to this by elevating its cause. Not only does childhood obesity lead to adult obesity but also develops CVD risk factors which lead to cardiovascular disease in adulthood (Hallock, 2009). Childhood obesity is strongly associated with endothelial dysfunction, artery stiffness and Intima-media thickness which show early signs of CVD development in adulthood (Ayer, 2015). Additionally, cardiac structure specifically increased left ventricular mass is commonly found in obese children, as an independent risk factor in (CVD). A study was done with 1578 youth also shows the correlation between high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and obesity all significantly contribute to the risk factors of CVD. Such principal components suggest that obesity is the strongest correlate for the determinants of CVD (Goodman, 2005).

In 2008, it is recorded that approximately 17% have a greater body mass index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile, a level considered obese, while 4% of these children have a BMI above the 99th percentile, a level with an increase in CVD risk factors in individuals (Daniels,2008). These percentages have only gone up since then. A study in Denmark on a cohort of children identifies a link between higher BMI and coronary heart disease in Adulthood. Furthermore, a 55-year follow-up of the Harvard growth study leads to double the risk of coronary heart disease. A British study involves a 57-year follow-up also confirmed that all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were increased when the BMI of a child was greater than the 75th centile (Wang, Lai, Berenson, Chen, 2014). Even if the prevalence of obesity can be reduced, substantial young will grow to become obese adults (Ayer, Charakida, Deanfield, Celermajer, 2015).

It is evident that many childhood factors play a big role in shaping adulthood. The childhood obesity epidemic has erupted due to lifestyle life changes where an obesogenic environment is created early in an individual’s life where inactivity and overeating are promoted due to technological advances and the production of energy-dense foods. These lifestyle changes are a result of poor health education where eating sensibly and exercise is not favoured in raising the child. This is furthered in numerous studies where early infant/children feeding practices and television viewing are the biggest factors contributing to childhood obesity. (Wen, 2017). This reveals the importance of an infant’s experience and how vital it is to reinforce healthy lifestyle choices during early life (Wilkinson, 2003).

A good food diet is essential for promoting good health and wellbeing. Low intake of healthy foods with excessive intake of fatty foods causes obesity which is strongly linked to a multitude of diseases. In 2011, 10% of the total burden of disease in Australia was due to dietary risk factors, with a diet low in fruit and vegetables accounting for 2.0% and 1.4% of the total disease burden, respectively (AIHW 2016c, 2017a). Excessive intake of energy dense-foods causes energy imbalance leading to obesity (NHMRC 2013a). Portion sizes have drastically increased over the past decade, where frequent snacking further contributes to the excessive caloric intake (Anderson, Butcher, 2006). Conversely, healthier foods and nutrients help weight control, an association is seen with the consumption vegetables and lower risk of weight gain (NHMRC 2013a).

Obesity is linked with socioeconomic disadvantage. Further down the social gradient childhood obesity increases due to higher unemployment, lower education level, and irregular meals (Wróblewska P, 2014). Many parents from a lower class often opt for fast food due to its convenience and the added benefit of favouring their children’s choices (Bhadoria, 2015), coupled with the lack of exercise due to the inability to afford sports equipment leading to a sedentary lifestyle. The experiences of a low socio-economic background also come with economic and social stress (Wilkinson,2003) where a sedentary lifestyle is employed to avoid street violence using fast food as a pleasure and escape. Children are often prohibited to play outside due to these dangers however, even without prohibition, poverty-dense areas often lack quality foods, parks and open spaces to facilitate physical activity (Levin, 2011). Children within these groups often inherit these lifestyle choices from their parents as result insecurity and fear of further disadvantage is built up thus the children grow up continuing these habits.

Prevention strategies used by the public and political, to combat the increasing rates of childhood obesity have been strongly targeted at the individuals. However although individuals are a factor in obesity, the choices people make stem from their environments.

Promoting healthy body weight in a population requires a response that includes upstream initiatives to tackle the obesogenic environments (rutter, 2017). This can be broken down to three components: government support, health-related initiatives and community-based interventions. The process of upstreaming begins with the government funding for health promotion, non-communicable disease monitoring systems, workforce capacity and support to enhance effectiveness in policy and community-based interventions. The second component helps to promote environments that enforce healthy diets and an active lifestyle. The third focus is on community-based activities where the local government seeks to implement strong community engagement and information for early childcare (WHO, 2012). These structural methods can alter an individual’s decisions in order to prevent early development of Obesity as individuals with children are better informed. Nurses should inform parents of the importance of a healthier diet and an active lifestyle. They can also partake in school programs in areas lacking in health education to implement engagement for healthier lifestyle choices. These changes with the built environment should increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours, overall impacting the influence of childhood obesity (Rutter, Rastrollo, Lissner, 2017).

With a heightened focus on defending our planet from varied existential risks from potential alien invasions to break out of a zombie apocalypse, are we missing out on something critical? The world is advancing at a rapid pace and so are the challenges. Despite various threats related to technology and the environment, human health issues remain primal. While we eradicate some, treat some and cure some, several health problems develop alongside us in silence and come to light only when they grow into a formidable danger. One such concern is the childhood

March 2019, UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank malnutrition estimate data indicates that the number of stunted children under five had fallen to 140 million in 2018 from 198.2 million in 2000 while the number of overweight children under five had risen to 40.1 million in 2018 from 30.1 million in 2000. Half a decade ago, conditions like obesity were typically considered as being a wealthy class’s problem, but now it is no longer the same. Obesity has now escalated from high-income and developed regions such as Europe, North America, and Australia to middle and low-income regions such as Asia and Africa. In Africa, the number of overweight children under five had risen by almost 50% since 2000. The highest prevalence of overweight in children under five was seen in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, with 14.9% affected. In 2016, 340 million children aged 5-19 were overweight or obese, while 1975 data reveals that hardly less than 1% of children were overweight or obese. Although the prevalence of obesity is increasing at an alarming rate, stunting and malnutrition are yet serious issues in some nations. Both obesity and malnutrition exist in low and middle-income countries side-by-side resulting in a double burden. It is complex to deal with such a situation as it involves two distinct populations exposed to two different environments within the same country or region or even at the household level.

There are several factors accountable for obesity in children, but the most significant one is the behavioral changes to diet and physical activity. Socioeconomic transition leading to behavioral changes, such as the nutritional transition from a traditional diet to a high fat, refined carbohydrate diet, reduced physical activity, and sedentary lifestyle has made childhood obesity an emerging problem. Food preferences are established in infancy. Poor dietary practices such as consuming energy-dense, high fat, high sugar, and high salt-containing food items like fast foods and processed foods lead the way to obesity. These poor dietary practices are established when there is a lack of knowledge and awareness about healthy and unhealthy foods, low affordability as the healthy foods are priced higher than unhealthy fast foods and processed foods, and low availability and access to healthy foods in the market. Apart from this, media commercials play a key role in attracting the younger generation towards unhealthy food habits. Besides, changes in lifestyle with emerging technology and development have made men lazier leading to an extremely sedentary lifestyle than it was a few decades ago. Tech developments have resulted in an adverse effect on children, as the time they used to spend outdoor has shortened and screen time (video gaming tools, mobile phones, television, and computer, etc.) has enormously risen. This has resulted in the low expenditure of energy leading to the accumulation of fat, which increases body weight.

Obesity affects children both physically and mentally. It can affect any part of the body. It is a precursor of many such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome, which are increasingly seen in children. Obese children are also vulnerable to developing idiopathic Intracranial hypertension and Hypoventilation syndrome. Hypoventilation syndrome comprises daytime Somnolence, sleep apnea, Snoring, Hypercapnia, and heart failure. Gall bladder diseases and Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are among the other diseases common in obesity. When obese children are not directed towards management, they grow into obese adults and are then at a high risk of developing various Non-communicable diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes mellitus, Cardio-Vascular Diseases (CVDs), Stroke, Hyperlipidemia, and Hypertension. According to the global burden of disease study, 75% of obese children will become obese adults in the future.

Childhood obesity is further associated with a higher chance of premature death and disability in adulthood. On the other side, obesity induces various psycho-social problems, including low self-esteem, low self-confidence, depression, and eating disorders. Children also experience several psychological problems due to bullying and teasing at school, peer rejection, lack of friends and these effects intensify with age culminating in low job opportunities and hardship in identifying life partners at a later stage.

There are several aspects to prevent such conditions as well as manage and cure once acquired. Preventive measures should be taken from the neonatal stage, as this will help the growing kid adapt to a healthier lifestyle without falling prey to advertisements and modernized food culture. It is vital to establish healthy dietary practices in infancy and maintain them throughout childhood. The mainstay of management is inducing behavioral modification. This should not merely be introduced to the children but to the whole family which will jointly facilitate change in the food habits and encourages them to get involved in physical activity as a family. A minimum of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day is recommended. Sedentary activities such as screen time should be reduced to 1-2 hours per day and children should be encouraged to engage in any sports of their choice daily. Family as a whole can engage in household activities and home gardening should be encouraged as it would supply them good nutritious fruits and vegetables at home while offering them a chance for physical activity at the same time. Educating the public is a highly productive tool. Knowledge about the importance of a healthy lifestyle should be addressed to parents and caretakers to effectively carry out prevention and management activities. Apart from this, national-level policies should be enforced to increase the availability of healthy foods at an affordable price while warning the public about the unhealthy foods in the market.

Obesity and overweight is now the 5th leading global risk factor for mortality. Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs) such as Diabetes and Heart diseases account for over 68% of the global mortality which is two out of every three deaths and Obesity acts as the major contributor. According to WHO statistics, At least 2.6 million people each year die as a result of being overweight or obese. Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. Globally, there are more people obese than underweight–this occurs in every region except parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Most of the world’s population lives in countries where overweight and obesity kill more people than underweight. Hence, there is a need for better strategies and novel interventions to reverse this trend. The national and International level multi-stakeholder participatory approach should be employed to effectively analyze and control the current situation and safeguard the health of the future generation which is at stake.

The popular opinion on obesity is that children and their parents aren’t capable or willing of taking the time and effort of cutting down on their weight. However, US News reports that “doctors specializing in obesity and weight loss say certain scientific and societal factors — including genetics, the rise of processed foods that include soybean oil and national overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages — are more likely to blame for childhood obesity than lazy kids or indulgent parents. ‘Obesity is a disorder which, like venereal disease, is blamed upon the patient,’ says obesity researcher Dr. George Bray.’”

The main obstacle in the way of fighting obesity is that people blame it on weak willpower and unwillingness. However, Bray, a professor emeritus of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, says that “Obesity isn’t a disease of willpower — it’s a biological problem. Genes load the gun, and environment pulls the trigger.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded that the obesity rates in the US were 20.5 percent in 1999-2000 and an alarming 39.5 percent in 2015-2016. The CDC also reported that, using data from 2015-2016, “nearly 1 in 5 school age children and young people (6 to 19 years) in the United States has obesity.” These statistics are correlated with the rise of processed foods, which, found in a study done by Kevin Hall, an obesity and diabetes researcher, showed that the consumption of highly processed foods is correlated with weight gain. Patients that ate highly processed foods showed gained weight while patients that ate non-processed foods “spontaneously lost weight.”

Causes of the giant weight gain were linked back to the 1960s and 70s when the consumption of soybean oil in the US skyrocketed, and correspondingly, the weight of average Americans also increased. Another big cause of obesity is the rise of sugary drinks. Consumption tripled in numbers by the end of the 20th century. What made this problem even worse is that pregnant women who were drinking soft drinks passed the sugars down to their unborn children. “It’s kind of maternal abuse of the fetus,” comments Bray. “The child has no control, only the mother has.”

Finally, experts say that the obesity epidemic has dangerous long-term consequences. Adults who were obese during their childhood are at risk of developing diseases, such as “chronic hypertension, severe kidney and heart disease and type 2 diabetes as well as mobility and self-esteem issues.”

Obesity is a very bad problem that affects many people all over the world. It can kill people and can even make it so that people have to be careful with how they live. We chose this website because it was long enough to write three pages on. We also chose it because it had relevant information that helped us write about this. It also had links inside the article which helped us get even more out of it.

This can affect your physical wellness by making you so heavy that you can’t do many things. It can cause diseases like diabetes and can make you prone to heart attacks. It can affect your mental wellness because you could feel sad that your obese and have to control your eating in the future. This could also affect your emotional wellness by having people make fun of you and that could make you sad or depressed. It could affect your spiritual wellness by making it so that you can’t go and pray.

This isn’t a fad because people are always going to be obese and many of them who become obese won’t lose weight. People will probably become even more obese and there will be even more obese people. There will also be obese children because they start eating foods that are full of fat and sugar. This topic is interesting because it kills many people and causes diseases. This will increase in the future and people need to make action on it.

Something that stood out in the article was that if a pregnant woman drank sugary drinks or unhealthy sugary foods, it would pass on to the unborn child. This can make it so that they become unhealthy when they are born. This could also make them obese. This is called maternal abuse because only the mother has control over what the child consumes. It isn’t illegal but the term for it is called maternal abuse. According to Usnews.com, “Pregnant women who drank sugary soft drinks, Bray added, ended up passing the sugar on to their unborn children. ‘It’s kind of maternal abuse of the fetus’ where ‘the child has no control, only the mother has,’ he says.”

One fact that was in the article was that obese children who keep that weight even when they become an adult have higher chances of getting hypertension, severe kidney and heart disease and type 2 diabetes as well as mobility and self-esteem issues. According to the CDC, there are about one in five young people between the ages of six and nineteen who are obese. Another fact was that between 1960 and 2002, American adults have gained 24 pounds while only getting taller by one inch. This isn’t good because one inch isn’t enough to make it so that you won’t become obese from 24 pounds. The third fact is that in 2015-2016, the average BMI became 29.1 which is very close to becoming obese.

One thing that I learned was that now there are higher rates of obesity-related cancers happening with adults. Another thing that I learned was that people who eat less processed foods lose weight without trying. One wow fact was that if people ate processed with the same calories as unprocessed foods still gained weight. This is interesting because they both have the same amount of calories. Some potential dangers of obesity are that it can cause diseases like cancer and diabetes. This could kill you or cause many problems or inconveniences in your life. Obesity is a very dangerous thing that can happen to many people that can kill many people and should have action taken upon it.

Bibliography

1. https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2019-05-16/understanding-obesity-in-america
2. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2019-02-04/obesity-related-cancer-risks-on-rise-in-young-us-adults-study-says
3. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2019-02-04/obesity-related-cancer-risks-on-rise-in-young-us-adults-study-says
4. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/slideshows/average-weight-height-waist-size-in-america

Childhood obesity is a condition in which the children are above the normal weight for their age and height. When we see chubby children, we find them really cute. But in the long term, they will look fat as they won’t change their eating habits and tend to put on weight. It is found that children who are around age 6-14 years have been affected by this in many developed and developing countries.

One way to check if a child is obese or not is through BMI (Body mass index). It is a value calculated from the mass and height of a person. The BMI chart will let you know if you are at a healthy weight or not.

Childhood obesity results in many serious medical conditions when they step into adolescent age like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and it also has many impacts on the psychological aspects like distorted peer relationships, poor self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Some children would also develop inferior thoughts when they find their friends wearing fit clothes and being good in photos when obese children may look fat and saggy. It will affect their attitude and personality growth as well. Childhood obesity has become one of the alarming figures.

The most common causes of childhood obesity are genetic factors, lack of exercise, hormones, and unhealthy eating habits, or a combination of these factors. One of the main causes is a lack of parental guidance because children would follow the habits that are followed by their parents. So, it is necessary to follow good habits like eating nutrient-rich foods, exercising daily and reducing screen time and reading books, and so on. Nowadays, parents are too busy with their work schedule and tend to give less importance or some may even ignore educating their children on proper nutrition and the importance of exercise to lead a healthy life. Some parents won’t prepare food for their children due to less time and eventually give them money to order food online. Thus, children start eating foods from fast-food restaurants as their parents find it to be the best option for them due to their busy working schedules.

In childhood obesity, there are no specific symptoms other than being overweight. Children may experience binge eating, overweight, lack of exercise, potbelly, and shortness of breath. Most of the children would be addicted to either sweet desserts or hot and spicy flavored foods which results in gaining weight. Especially children who are overweight due to addiction might find it difficult to lose weight as they won’t be able to leave or change their habits easily even if they are aware of the consequences.

However, it is possible to manage childhood obesity with good support and proper guidance from parents and the school. The habits like improvement of the entire family’s diet and exercise. It is important to say no to processed food and junk foods.

In diet, it includes intake of nutritional foods on time and it is better to follow a proper schedule with discipline. The parents need to have track of their children’s eating habits to ensure that they have all nutrients in the proper ratio to prevent them from nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, children should have a balanced diet to meet all the nutrients requirements. A balanced diet has adequate calories. It helps to maintain good health. It includes fruits and vegetables, dairy products, fat, protein-rich foods, and whole grains & fiber-rich carbohydrates.

Habits, like eating foods with calories which the body needs per day and limiting the intake of fat preferring unsaturated fats to saturated fats and avoiding trans fats and regular exercise like walking, if not one, can also get involved in playing outdoor games like cricket, football or badminton an hour a day and reading nutritional labels should be incorporated by their parents.

Every parent should teach their children and make them realize that “you are what you eat”. Therefore, children will grow in a healthy lifestyle. Although in childhood obesity the complication is unavoidable, there are solutions that should be followed with strong motivation and discipline to reach a manageable state and lead a healthy life.

School-aged children are classified as overweight or obese with a percentage of 10 around the world (Foerste et al.). Many years ago, child obesity was not really an issue that is to be argued about or discussed. Back then, children had an average weight, ate healthier food, and played outside for as long as they could. The CNMI is ranked as the third in having the most people with diabetes. Most of the diabetes cases are from being obese. Today, with an increase in various fast food and technology, children tend to become more and more inactive and practicing an unhealthy lifestyle. The number of children that are obese could be lessened with the solution of limiting their time with technology, having a good example to follow, and changing their choice of foods.

Childhood obesity is common in children who overeat and have little to no physical activity in their daily life. As the years go by, technology continues to greatly impact our lives. Children went from playing outdoors with their friends and/or families to sitting on their couch all day playing Minecraft or watching YouTube videos. As children spend more time in front of their screens, they will continue to lack any physical activity. It will not only affect their physical lifestyle but also their health. Research shows that “more television, video games, and computer use among American teens predicted increased body fat (Barnett et al., 2010) while similar results were found for Canadian adolescents (Casiano et al., 2012), and Korean adolescents.” (Rosen et al.) If parents/guardians discipline their children by limiting their time with technology and keeping it as part of a daily routine, it will get them to choose to do something physical to keep them entertained for the time being. As days pass, their children will get used to it, hopefully until they are adults themselves.

A child’s environment makes a huge effect on their eating habits as well. At home, whatever the parent is having for their meal, is usually what the child will be eating too. As a child grows from a newborn, they learn how to speak with what they hear. This could also apply to their eating habits. For some parents, there would be no time to prepare a meal for their family. As a result, they would choose to go out and eat at a fast-food restaurant or purchase instant meals at their local grocery stores. By having the child’s parents provide healthier foods for both their child and themselves, it would help the child to practice good eating habits.

In the past decade, more products that are “low fat,” “non-fat,” or “sugar-free” have been placed on local grocery store shelves, but they have not been getting the attention that should be given. Those products are described as “tasteless” or “is not as good as the regular one”. If the children were to be exposed to the healthier version of the products before they were to be introduced to the regular ones while growing up, they are more likely to choose the healthier products. Almost all families in the CNMI include rice in their meals. As a result, they will continue to use these products as they grow. Childhood obesity could be avoided at an early age if the children start to prefer foods that contain less fat over the ones that are full fat, especially if obesity is in their genes.

With all the many improvements that have been made over the past decades, child obesity slowly became an issue. Children all over the world lack the ability to practice living a healthy life. Changing our children’s physical and eating lifestyles, would not only improve the child’s health but probably our health as well.

Between the years 1978 and 2004 Canadian youth aged 2 to 17 became 11% more likely to experience clinical obesity (Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2015, para. 2). Even more frightening, in 2017, 30% of youth aged 5 to 17 were overweight or obese (“Tackling Obesity,” 2018, para. 1). Between 40% and 70% of obese youth become obese adults at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes and body dysmorphia (“The Link Between Childhood,” 2017, para. 2). Despite negative consequences, obesity continues to haunt Canada’s youth for many reasons. The obesity epidemic affecting Canadian youth is a result of genes and early experiences, socioeconomic status, and changes in Western culture.

Firstly, youth obesity is strongly influenced by biology, early eating habits, and childhood abuse. Biologically, children with obese parents or certain genetic disorders are more likely to become obese (“Study Finds,” 2013, para. 1). In fact, heredity is responsible for 50% of body weight (“Study Finds,” 2013, para. 1). As well, children can inherit medical conditions which cause weight gain. Prader Willi Syndrome, for example, is a rare disorder caused by chromosomal defects affecting the brain’s ability to regulate appetite (“Disability Benefits,” n.d., para. 2). This information shows the impact nature has on increasing the risk of youth obesity. Medical professionals play an important role in educating adults about their own health and its effect on offspring.

Although nature is important, it is nurture which explains why youth obesity is an epidemic in Canada. Surprisingly, well-meaning parents may actually increase the risk of early onset obesity through rigid rules around eating behaviour. Research has shown that children in preschool often require 10 to 16 exposures to new foods before developing a liking for them (Savage, Fisher, Birch, 2008, The Influence of Genetic Predispositions and Repeated Exposure on Food Acceptance during Infancy and Childhood, para. 2). For this reason, parents must be persistent when introducing their children to healthy foods. However, parents who forbid their children from eating unhealthy treats run the risk of raising children who will later develop self control issues when exposed to freedom of choice in eating practices (Savage, Fisher, Birch, 2008, Parenting Styles and Children’s Eating Behaviour, para. 3). In fact, parents who are overly strict about healthy eating are 5 times more likely to have an obese child (Savage, Fisher, Birch, 2008, Parenting Styles and Children’s Eating Behaviour, para. 8). Therefore, it is crucial that parents find a balance between allowing their children complete freedom and no choice in their eating habits. This will in turn decrease the prevalence of future youth obesity.

Even more damaging is the effect of early abuse on the risk of developing youth obesity. Over six million obese individuals experienced physical, sexual, or verbal abuse during childhood (“The Link Between Childhood,” 2017, para. 5-6). Often, survivors of sexual abuse overeat to make themselves look unattractive and decrease the chance of experiencing such trauma again (“The Link Between Childhood,” 2017, para. 5-6). Scientifically, early trauma alters the reward system of the brain, making youth feel as though they need “extra stimulation,” such as food, to achieve happiness (“The Link Between Childhood,” 2017, para. 10-11). Therefore, in order to treat obesity in youth, it is crucial that underlying traumatic experiences are dealt with first. In summary, both nature and nurture in early childhood set the stage for the development of youth obesity.

Secondly, poor socioeconomic conditions impact the youth obesity epidemic through lack of affordable food, inactive lifestyle, and creation of mental health issues. Canadian citizens of all socioeconomic backgrounds have experienced more difficulty each year affording healthy foods. In fact, 54% of those who made $100,000/year and 57% of those who made $50,000/year have reported noticing a yearly increase in the prices of healthy food options (Ferreras, 2016, para. 3). As a result, 40% of Canadians are buying more unhealthy foods as they are more affordable (Ferreras, 2016, para. 12). Generally, junk food is high in fat, sodium, and calories, all of which contribute to obesity. It is crucial that families prioritize healthy eating and seek out more affordable nutrition rather than turning to junk food.

However, youth obesity is not only caused by an excess of calories taken in, but also a lack of calories burned. Youth from poor socioeconomic backgrounds often have less access to exercise facilities, causing an increase in the risk of developing obesity. Nowadays, the cost to attend sports programs such as swimming lessons for youth are over $1,000/year (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation [CBC], 2010, para. 11). As a result, struggling parents often choose to buy inexpensive technology to keep kids entertained, leading to sedentary lifestyles (CBC, 2010, para. 10). Moreover, low income neighbourhoods often lack outdoor play facilities due to safety concerns (CBC, 2010, para. 12). Rather than sitting their children in front of a screen to mindlessly watch television, parents who can not afford to send their children to sports programs can find other ways to encourage active living. For example, kids can follow inexpensive workout videos within their own homes.

Unfortunately, financial stress can cause youth to experience depression, anxiety, poor self-esteem, and general feelings of negativity (Hemmingsson, 2018, para. 12). All of these mental health issues are associated with an increased risk of developing youth obesity (Davies, 2016, para. 2). The link between financial stress and youth obesity is especially influential on teenage girls. Consistent exposure to financial stress puts female teenagers at an increased risk of becoming obese by age 18 (“Stress and,” 2015, para. 3). Although financial stress is unavoidable in many families, what can be minimized is how much youth are exposed to it. Parents must understand that financial issues should not concern children. If parents keep this burden away from their kids, youth obesity rates would likely decrease, especially in females. In summary, socioeconomic difficulty impacts Canadian youth through poor physical and mental health – both exacerbating the youth obesity epidemic.

Finally, changes in food, technology, and bullying in society impact the rise in youth obesity. Research shows that for each year a student is banned from buying junk food at school, his or her BMI decreases by 0.05 (MacDonald, 2017, para. 5). However, the banning of junk food in high schools has less of an impact than in elementary schools, as older students can leave the school during lunch to purchase junk food from elsewhere (MacDonald, 2017, para. 10). This research shows that availability of junk food is directly linked to youth obesity. This is extremely relevant in today’s society because between 2012 and 2017, Canada’s fast food industry grew by 2.8% (Watts, 2017, para.1). To combat youth obesity, these numbers need to decrease rather than increase. Moreover, if junk food were banned in all schools from elementary to high school, students would be conditioned into healthy eating and obesity rates would fall.

Studies also show a relationship between playing video games and youth obesity through increasing sugar intake and decreasing sleep (Maclean, 2017, para. 1). A study of youth age 9 to 17 tracked abdominal measurements, sugar intake, sleep, and exercise over 6 weeks (Maclean, 2017, para. 2). At the end of the study, kids who played video games within 4 hours before going to sleep gained weight (Maclean, 2017, para. 3). Since video games are a relatively new development, today’s youth are suffering the consequences of excessive gaming more than any other generation. Thus, parents must set limits for their children surrounding when and for how long they can game.

Bullying is another factor which is linked to obesity. Not only are obese youth commonly victims of bullying (Gordon, 2018, para. 5), but bullying may also cause obesity in kids of average weight (Vienneau, 2018, para. 1). About 44.4% of extremely obese youth experience name calling at school compared to 10.1% of normal weight students (Gordon, 2018, para. 5). On the flip side, it has been determined that experiencing childhood bullying increases the likelihood of developing body dissatisfaction as well as obesity (Vienneau, 2018, para. 3). What separates bullying today from bullying in previous generations is the addition of cyberbullying. The availability of technology has allowed bullying to follow kids home from school and take over their lives. Therefore, youth today are at an increased risk of experiencing severe bullying and thus developing obesity. Although changes in Canadian culture have bettered the nation, it is crucial that the cons of certain advancements are considered, specifically in terms of their impacts on health and weight of youth.

In conclusion, the obesity epidemic Canadian youth are facing has been caused by genes and early experiences, socioeconomic factors, and various changes in Western culture. Even before a child is born, there are factors in place impacting future likelihood of developing obesity. However, the more abundant and powerful influences on a child’s weight occur after exposure to family, peers, media, and society as a whole. Youth obesity is a crisis which will only worsen unless it is tackled and prioritized in Canadian society. The process will not be fast or easy but if all parts of society work together to create a more healthy and well-rounded environment for youth to grow up in, the youth obesity epidemic will be conquered not only in Canada but also worldwide.

Abstract

This research is based on Children’s eating habits and their food consumption have direct relations with obesity, diabetes , cancers, hypertension and coronary heart disease. Television advertisements directly affect children’s eating habits and their food consumption. This study was conducted in order to examine television advertisements and children’s food consumption while watching television and their desire to purchase goods that they see on television advertisements.

INTRODUCTION

The food companies provide set sizes of packaged food which may influence people to buy and use as it is easier than to cook a whole meal due to time constraints. Although it is all about food psychology, choosing healthy foods is best advised. Undoubtedly, advertising influences our food habits quite predominately.

Obesity in children increases the more hours they watch television. Children’s exposure to TV ads for unhealthy food products (i.e., high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks, fast foods and sweetened drinks) are a significant risk factor for obesity. Excess weight can be gained by the addition of only 150 calories a day.

Today, children expend about 600 kcal/day less than their counterparts 50 years ago, and contemporary British children, even in the preschool years, spend much of their time seated. Television-watching and computer games contribute, and there has been a large increase in car journeys on behalf of children.

Foods marketed to children are mostly high in sugar and fat, and as such are conflicting with national dietary recommendations. The results of promoting fast food, soft drinks, and candy to children can cause children to become overweight and unfit. Which have the negative social effects such as: bullying, lack of social skills, depression, hypertension and diabetes.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Kaur et al,. (2003) Exess weight can be gained by the addition of only 150 calories a day, body mass index, derived from weight and height, BMI.

J R Soc Med(2004) A similar advertising ban has existed in Sweden for over a decade. Although it is all fast food psychology.

Halford (2005) argued, in a review article, that “major changes in the home life of many of our children need to take place” and that “TV adverts do influence children’s behaviour and, critically, their intake”

Gorin et al (2006)Families with fewer children reduced their television viewing time by 50% or more. Also, families with children older than 8 years reached the 50% goal. In general, the study resulted in more active children.

Nutrition,( 2011)Traditional to modern, food changing cooking practices increased child obesity.

Maheshwar et al,(2014)children are mostly high in suger and fat, and as such are conflicting with national dietary recommendation. The results of promoting fast food,soft drinks, and candy to children can cause children to become overweight and unfit.

SUGGESTION

It is suggested to watching television for more than two hours per day increased the total energy consumption in children. Children who watched television for more than two hours were more likely to consume higher amounts of calories, fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. These children consumed higher quantities of bread, meat, sweets, chocolate, and soft drinks. They also are less fruits and vegetables.

Obesity is to be controlled and the government should boldly ban some of the FAST FOODS which promote obesity. Parents and teachers and peer groups have the responsibility to tackle this problem which is not so easy to solve.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, we can say that the children are the direct targets of the television channels. It can be observed that television channels give place to food advertisements mostly during the morning hours on weekends when children watch television excessively and the advertised foods are mostly the one’s which involve high levels of fat and sugar.

This study focused on the is not to eat adequate food products for advertising. Children should be raised by giving evidence that traditional food is best. Do not eat food items for advertising. Parents to take the traditional healthy food items without excessive dietary supplements. Parents extra care to obesity children.

REFERENCE

1. Nutrition, (2011)https://www.worldcat.org/title5ISBN: 978-0-323-06619-8
2. Maheshwar et al, (2014)https://www.researchgate.net.ISBN 978-3-319-14595-2
3. Halford (2005)https://www.worldcat.org5ISBN: 978-0-323-06619-8
4. Kaur.et.al,.https://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle; ISBN-10: 0805826793

Over the years eating disorders have become more common in people of all ages. As more and more people find themselves facing the harsh reality of eating disorders I have decided that for my research project I’m going to look deeper into the causes of eating disorders and whether or not there is a link between traumatic experience and events that lead people to develop such illnesses.

There are many different factors that contribute to people developing eating disorders both in childhood and adult years. Trauma, abuse, and mainly childhood sexual abuse are some of the major risk factors for the development of eating disorders. There is a range of eating disorders that people all over the world suffer from. An eating disorder is defined as any range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating patterns. Eating disturbances also include insufficient or excessive food intake that leads to the destruction of a person’s well-being. When looking at the causes of eating disorders one needs to ask themselves if childhood trauma of any kind can lead to a person developing an eating disorder.

The aim of my research project is to determine whether there is a link between childhood trauma and the development of eating disorders. I will be looking at a variety of different eating disorders that either lead one to be seriously underweight or grossly overweight. I will be looking at eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Obesity as well as comfort eating and what it can lead to.

To find out whether there is a link between the two I will be looking at the research of all different kinds. I will be looking at different studies conducted by people to try to draw the link between the two as well as people’s personal experiences and stories of their journeys with eating disorders.

It is crucial to remember that childhood abuse of any kind is extremely problematic as children process information differently compared to adults. As children are young and still developing their own sense of self and what they believe in as their values that they will stand by throughout their lives as well as how they view the world around them. We must remember that when a child is told what they are not good enough or not loved and what they are a problem over and over again eventually one starts to believe it and take it on and their identity leading them to display behavior of emotional instability and can subsequently lead to eating disorders of different kinds.

It is also extremely important to remember that eating disorders are deemed mental illnesses and not lifestyle choices and that it is about more than people not eating or overeating in order to look good but rather a deep physiological disorder that has a tremendous effect on the lives of those who suffer from them. The first eating disorder I will be looking at is Obesity. Obesity is an extremely serious disease that poses huge health risks not only short-term risks but many long-term risks. As obesity has become more common in the society we live in it is important to see if it is caused by more than just overeating or whether it goes deeper than that psychologically. There are many factors that play a role in people becoming obese but we have to ask ourselves whether or not there is a link between traumatic experience and obesity. Many people believe that comfort eating leads to obesity. Comfort eating is when a person eats to make oneself happy rather than eating to satisfy hunger. Many people indulged in comfort eating as they view food as a way of temporally escaping and for many, food becomes their way of relieving stress, guilt, shame, bad memories and so much more. By the age of 14, Christine White had developed Bulimia Nervosa which she had hid from her family as it was easier to hide it than to try and explain the reasons behind it. The purging went on for many years however by the time she had reached college she stopped the purging but continued the binge eating turning to food every time she became stressed or unhappy. Christine never fully understood what led her to binge eating but she had some idea – what she referred to as ‘her hell’. When she was a little girl her mother started dating a man a lot older and he lived with White and her family up until she was the age of ten. When Christine was a little girl her stepfather would make her parade around naked in front of him so that he could ‘insect’ her. He would also make her sit on his lap for longer than what was comfortable and sometimes he would even put treats in his pockets and make Christine fish around for them. This led Christine to view her body as a criminal that needed to be tamed because it led to such terrible things happening to her. Christine became prone to overeating to try to desexualize her body.

All this research has shown that childhood trauma of sexual abuse is often the key to obesity and overweight adults. It also showed that women felt that when they were bigger it helped to ward off sexual abuse from men.

The second eating disorder I will be looking at is Anorexia Nervosa. Many girls all over the world suffer from this disorder due to a variety of different reasons.