Essay on Preventing Childhood Obesity in Australia

Childhood obesity is a condition involving the excessive accumulation of body fat that has negative effect on the health of the young individual. It is a worldwide epidemic affecting 1 in 4 Australian children (AIHW, 2012). There are many factors that could lead to a child becoming obese, including, the general lifestyle of their family (Diet and physical activity), their communities attitude towards health and wellbeing as well as their own knowledge on healthy habits. Advertising for healthy living in Australia is vital to get the message out to parents and children of how important healthy habits are. Campaigns such as 2 Fruit & 5 Veg and the Crunch & Sip programs in primary school come across in a way that is easy for kids to understand

Childhood obesity is an alarming issue in Australia, and there is not only a rapid national epidemic in Australia and around the world. Obese children are likely to develop detrimental problems in their health and have enduring social, health and economic effects that permeate throughout adulthood. Early detection and management of childhood obesity are critical in preventing obesity during adulthood, considering it is a significant contributor to the adulthood epidemic. Thus, there are several social determinants of health that directly impact childhood obesity. It is crucial to understand the link between social determinants of health and childhood obesity to gather appropriate intervention and prevention ways to decrease the detrimental

Currently, in Australia, 1 in 4 children are classified as overweight or obese; and the setting surrounding children has been identified as an attribute for this rising prevalence (1). Between 1985 and 1995, Australian children aged 5-14 years, the growth of obesity and overweight epidemic doubled to reach 20% (2). Although the prevalence have plateaued over the last 17 years, the rates continue to remain high, and therefore a cause for concern.

Nowadays, as living standard become better off, the problem of obesity in children become more and more serious, and some findings show that this problem is getting worse in Australia. In this essay, the cause of this problem will be discussed. And then a table about child obesity in Australia will be analyzed. Some problems caused by child obesity will be discussed too.

An example would be the “Australian Paradox”, a study at the University of Sydney in which from 1980 to 2003 the levels of obesity in Australia increased threefold although consumption of sugar reduced by 23 percent (Luciani). It is true that sugar is not the only thing that has attributed to obesity. A high-calorie diet combined with a sedentary lifestyle is another big factor in the epidemic of obesity;however, the government cannot control the way of life of the average citizen. For this reason, the government is limited to only being able to impose a sugar tax; even if it does not save America from obesity, it could be the beginning of an important cultural change A sugar tax may not be the single solution to the obesity epidemic the

Childhood obesity is a medical condition defined as abnormal or excessive fat that can cause short and long term health problems to children (National Health and Medical Research Council [NHMRC], 2013). The obesity epidemic is recognized worldwide and is a fast growing concern for Australians; data from The OECD Health Data 2010 shows Australia’s obesity rate of 25% is similar to the United Kingdom and below the United States 34%, Mexico 30% and New Zealand 27% (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2010).

Obesity levels of the adolescents are significantly increasing throughout Australia. Australia is known to be the …… most obese country. There is an estimated ……. males and ……. females obese in Australia, in 2012. In this year it is estimated that only 55.7% of Australians were trying to lose weight but only 30% were obese. It is said that “only one in three obese people are concerned about their weight”. The obesity rate has doubled over the years for young adolescents as now one quarter of children are predicted to be overweight. 80% of the adolescents that are currently obese are said to remain that way in their adulthood. Obesity is a concerning issue as it can cause coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, abnormal blood fats, metabolic syndrome, cancer, osteoarthritis and sleep apnea.Obesity is caused due to many factors such as time, budget, peers, advertising, age, accessibility, motivation,

Childhood Obesity is a growing epidemic within Australia. Studies have shown that children who are obese during their childhood are more likely to stay obese and are at an increased risk of developing both short and long-term health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes as they transition into adult hood, (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). Important key concepts can reduce the risk of childhood obesity such as educating individuals of the risks and the detrimental factors that childhood obesity can cause if left untreated. Health care professionals such as nurses, doctors and health practitioners all play an important role

Australia is one of the fattest nations in developed countries. According to statistics from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare(2015),63% of adults in Australia are overweight, compared with a quarter of children. It is obvious that the main causes of obesity are terrible eating habit ,especially eating fast food and lack of physical activity. Why is obesity crucial issue in modern world? Obesity is one of the main causes of heart disease which is the top causes of mortality throughout the world(www.who.int,May2014). This essay will argue that who should be responsible for making people obesity between the government and individual.

Introduction According to statistical data, Australia is currently more obese than America. Obesity in Australia over the past few years has been described as an ‘epidemic’ which is ‘frequently expanding’ (Ryan, 2009). Professor Jimmy Bell from the Imperial College in London who is an obesity specialist says that "Genetically, human beings haven't changed, but our environment and our access to cheap food has. We’re being bombarded every day by the food industry to consume more and more food and we are slowly losing the war against obesity.”

Public health aims prevention of health problems before they occur and mainly focuses on population rather than individual (Thorbory, 2009). It also helps to improve the health and well being of individuals, communities and the wider population and prevent from mortality and disability (Nursing Times.net, 2013). Prevention such as immunisation and screening, Protection such as safety and protection from abuse and promotion such as health education are the three main approaches of public health (RCN, 2013). Nowadays there is an increasing rate of overweight or obese children globally. The media appears to be obsessed with the “Obesity Epidemic” globally (Nice, 2006). This evidence can be supported by the extensive coverage on television, radio, newspapers, journal and magazines (Nice, 2006). According to World Health Organisation childhood Obesity is widely acknowledged as having a global epidemic (W.H.O, 2003). This proposal of health issue is about childhood obesity which is a major public health issue in the U.K as well as globally (Available from Public Health England, 2012). According to the World Health Organization, in 2010, there were around 40 million children under the age of five who were overweight worldwide. In the same year, three out of 10 children aged two to 15 were obese in the UK alone. The UK has the highest rate of child obesity in Western Europe, which is estimated to cost the NHS £4.2billion a year (Available from Daily mirror, 24/01/2014). Therefore,

Overweight and obesity is the most significant health issue facing Australians in 2017. Not only have the rates been on the rise in Australia over the past years, but as a consequence, so has the cost to the country. Obesity and overweight are major risk factors impacting on many other health issues such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, some cancers, to name a few. The link with other serious health disorders contributes greatly to the significance of overweight and obesity as a major health challenge in Australia today. Overweight and Obesity as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is an ‘abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health’.

Exercise and physical sport are fundamental to the early development of children and youth. There is an overwhelming amount of evidence that shows the positive effects of sport and exercise on physical health. While physical education provides a good basis for healthy exercise habits, sports further this knowledge and push the child to exercise even more. “Exercise in general controls weight by burning calories, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, placing a lower strain on the heart, and increases an athlete 's energy level while improving the quality of sleep” (Center for Disease…, 3) Organized sports and exercise in general can have a tremendous impact on children. Children who participate in sports are taught at

Children that are have severe weight issues, (i.e. overweight or obesity) is a major concern to their health, (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). Obesity is difficult to address within society as most habits are formed during childhood and recent studies have shown that those who suffer from obesity during their childhood show tendencies of staying obese through their adolescence and in their adulthood, (Office of the Surgeon

Childhood obesity is one of the most serious health challenges of the 21st century, (World Health Organization, 2012). Alarmingly, in New Zealand, 29% of children are either obese or overweight (Kelly & Swinburn, 2015). A statistic which has climbed 18% in just over three decades (Ng et al, 2014). Having a healthy body weight in childhood is important for both short and long term health. Overweight and obsess children are more likely to become obese when they are adults, develop an illness like cardiovascular diseases and cancer (Chan & Woo, 2010). An unhealthy body weight is not only associated with negative health benefits but also a range of physical, social and mental health issues. For instance, overweight or obese children are more likely to have low self-esteem and experience more bullying and social isolation (Kelly & Swinburn, 2015). Moreover, not only is childhood obesity increasing but there is yet to be successful examples where countries have intervened to help reverse this major health challenge (Ng et al, 2014). Although obesity is affected by various factors, what a child eats plays an important role (Kelly & Swinburn, 2015). Furthermore, unhealthy eating is also believed to have contributed to children having type 2 diabetes. A condition that was formally believed to only be found in adults (Health Committee, 2007). Unhealthy eating also has negative effects on a child’s dental health which is important for children’s general health and well-being