Childhood Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Childhood Obesity - Essay Example However, the physical cost of being obese are much greater even than this. It is well-known that obesity can dramatically lower life expectancy at every age level. Approaching epidemic proportions, identifying the causes and treatment of obesity is of utmost importance particularly when working with children who have an entire lifetime ahead of them. An obese person is someone who has more body fat than science considers healthy for their particular height, body type, gender and age. As a general rule, people who are 40 to 100 pounds over this determined ideal weight range are considered obese. People who are more than 100 pounds over this weight range are called morbidly obese. Heredity significantly influences obesity. People who are genetically predisposed to being obese have a harder time trying to lose weight or to maintain a desired body mass. Children born into overweight families are often overweight even before they have the opportunity to try maintaining a healthy weight. Other contributing factors to the problem of obesity in children can include metabolic and socioeconomic circumstances, diseases, endocrine ailments and medications Metabolism refers to how efficiently a person’s body burns up energy. Metabolic levels and hormonal balances differ widely from one person to another and both factor significantly i n controlling weight. (â€Å"Overview of Obesity†, 2007). Overeating, eating fatty foods and spending long periods of time in inactivity also contribute significantly to obesity. Studies have also shown that there is a connection between substandard economic circumstances and the rates of obesity in children. The food available to lower income populations usually has a higher level of empty calories, meaning it is poor in nutritional value but high in fat and corn syrup. Children growing up in low income homes don’t always have the option to eat well and