The prevalence of childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in many industrialised countries. There is growing evidence that even if the trigger of this epidemic is found in the changes of the environment, genes are also interacting with the environment to cause weight gain.

Obesity is the balance between calorie intake and energy expenditure that determines a person's weight. If a child eats more calories than he or she burns, the child gains weight and the body will store the excess energy as fat. If a child eats fewer calories than he or she burns, he or she will lose weight.

Therefore, the most common causes of childhood obesity are overeating and physical inactivity. Accordingly the reason for the overeating and inactivity is due to two major factors, and these are plentiful supplies of inexpensive food and sedentary jobs. Both are factors are caused by advances in technology to make our lives that much easier.

Thanks to technology, the production of large quantities of cheap food is possible and manual labor is rapidly disappearing. In areas of the world in which these advances have not penetrated, obesity is not a significant health problem. Interestingly as the societies adopt a more westernised economy the levels of obesity in both children and adults rise proportionately.

There is no real argument in saying that the environment does have a large part to play in the cause of childhood obesity. Additionally children are spending more time in front of the television and playing sedentary games such as play stations rather than team sports which were the norm 20 years ago.

The danger of childhood obesity could be coming from the amount of  exposure to the advertising of unhealthy foods as a cause for accelerated number childhood obesity.  American children are exposed to approximately 40,000 food advertisements per year, 72 percent of which are for candy, cereal and fast food . The recent Beijing Olympics were an example of increased advertising of junk food. Adverts for broccoli were rare.

Studies, including recent reviews by the American Psychological Association and the Institute of Medicine show that advertisements achieve their intended effects on children. That is they shape product preferences and eating habits early in life. Moreover, children younger than eight years of age are especially vulnerable as generally they are unable to understand the persuasive intent of advertising and to view it critically.

To summarise the greatest danger to childhood obesity must be the  television as the links between the two are obvious. The danger are  reduced energy expenditure by watching TV and not using the time for physical games and activities.  The increased energy intake through eating while watching television with the constant advertising on television of unhealthy foods.  This all adds up to reduced metabolism, increased size of fat cells and the dangers to children of diabetes and obesity further down the road.

Patricia Meira is a fitness professional who spent many years teaching latin dance and physical education to young children.

Patricia Meira
21 Sep 08

Source: http://www.meirafitness.com

 ↑ Back to Top