Youth obesity, along with the health risk of overweight Americans, are two leading causes of death in America that are preventable. Over three hundred thousand deaths a year can be credited to junk food and an unhealthy lifestyles. Unfortunately this problem is still on the rise. Obesity is a degenerative disease that jeopardizes an individuals health. Although the effects of obesity are easily recognized, it's one of the most difficult medical problems to deal with.
People usually confuse the definition of obesity with simply being overweight. Putting on a few extra pounds is the true meaning of being overweight. But if a persons' total body weight is 10% more then what's recommended for his/her body structure and height, that's considered to be obese. This is also known as the BMI or body mass index. According to obesity statistics in America, over one hundred billion dollars a year is spent on the obesity epidemic. Making it's extremely important to treat the causes of obesity as early on as possible. Overweight kids between the ages of 10 and 13, have an 80% chance of experiencing adult obesity later on in life. That is unless parents help by making better choices involving their kids health.
Obesity research has uncovered a number of complicated causes including biological, genetic, cultural and behavioral factors. Ordinarily, a person becomes obese after continuously consuming more calories than their body burns. But there's a 50% chance of obesity in adults when one of their parents is obese. This obesity stat increases to 80% when both parents are extremely overweight. Then there's a small percentage of people who put on an excessive amount of fat due to health reasons or medical disorders. Finally, the dangers of youth obesity stem from overeating with little or no exercise, to depression and family problems.
Many problems can arise from these obesity health risk. Such as high blood pressure, sleeping disorders, breathing problems, and diabetes. All which lead to an increased probability of heart disease. Teenagers are also likely to experience emotional problems. Low self-esteem is a common result of being overweight. possibly leading to depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsion disorder. Consulting a pediatrician is usually necessary to determine a child's nutritional level and causes of obesity. If there's nothing physically wrong, the doctor may provide a weight management program to reduce the child's calorie intake and increase activity level. Some information on childhood obesity facts are normally provided as well. This helps to answer any questions regarding the patients eating or emotional habits. In some cases, a psychiatrist may work with the pediatrician to help with any emotional problems that may have developed.
Which is why self motivation is extremely important while losing weight. It's just as crucial as having the constant support of a loved one. This makes losing weight a process that involves the entire family. If everyone started eating healthy and exercising regularly, the weight management program would easily be a success. Parents can play a major role by using encouragement to boost the self esteem of their children and cooking healthier meals. This helps provide the support and structure needed to make a sensible lifestyle change.
Making this change is a process like anything else. The point of the weight loss program is to teach the child some benefits of eating healthy, as well as the dangers of youth obesity. This is the only way he/she will maintain and keep the weight off once it's gone. In most cases, this is exactly where people tend to shift back to old habits. So reinforce some new ones with enough love and support to last for the long haul.