Adolescent Obesity Epidemic In America

Currently, one of the most talked about issues in health and nutrition is the obesity crisis in America, specifically the rapidly increasing rates of obesity. Is the obesity epidemic currently plaguing America being caused by Socioeconomic status (SES) and increasing poverty rates, or are parental/family influences to include lack of proper portioning/nutrition, sedentary lifestyle and family dynamic/conflict the root of the issue? From 1976 to 2004 obesity rates in children between the ages of 12 to 19 escalated from 5 percent up to 16.5 percent (Hooper et al. 309)! These statistics are of great concern in regards to the health implications alone, but when coupled with the financial strain obesity brings upon the government and taxpayers,
320). When analyzing the cause and effect relationship of adolescent obesity, two major theories come to mind, the most prevalent of these is the correlation between socioeconomic status (SES) and rates of obesity in America. For a long period of time in America, the obesity epidemic has thought to be solely due to the issues of declining SES, wherein a trend of substantial weight gain was crippling Americans at an alarming rate. Some of the SES-related issues that were believed to be hindering individuals include a lack of monetary funds, inability to frequent establishment that afforded healthful food choices and an absence of safe locations to exercise. However, in 2004 while reviewing statistical data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, which were regularly conducted between the years 1971 to 2000, Zhang and Wang noticed a trend that indicated SES was not the primary influence affecting obesity rates. This sparked a less popular idea which theorized that the increase in obesity is directly related to environmental stimulus, specifically the upbringing of children, which includes the lack of positive influence in nutritional needs and activity levels. With all the information being
A simple resolution to this would include, both groups understanding that obesity is a medical issue that is affecting the low, middle and upper class. Once this is understood, it is reasonable to recognize that by focusing on Americas youth a plan has to be implemented to do a more effective job with nutritional and health education while also reinstating a more in depth physical fitness program back into the schools. Another key component is to understand that some area which consist of a lower income population will need more assistance than the areas of higher income. This would be much more beneficial to combating the obesity epidemic than simply increasing welfare programs which have not proven to lower obesity rates as the additional monetary gains in these families are not often spent