Childhood Obesity: The Damage Done
Childhood obesity has more than just medical ramifications, which are long lasting. Attention to the negative psychological and psychosocial consequences of childhood obesity is equally relevant. With obesity being at an all-time high, it’s no wonder that the childhood rates have sky-rocketed as well. The aim of this paper is to examine and focus on the psychological complications associated with children who are obese, and how that effects their development as they mature, along with suggestions of treatment.
Even though medical treatment is vital because of the comorbidity associated with obesity, behavior and cognitive therapy is as necessary as medical treatment in obese children and adolescents. Nutritional and exercise methods alone will only treat the physical consequences of obesity and it is during this phase of life development that we form the foundation of who we are and how we see ourselves. Psychological damage has critical and long-lasting effects on self-esteem and psychosocial interactions, which carry over into adulthood as well.
First, behavior and cognitive therapy is as necessary as medical treatment in obese children and adolescents because nutritional and exercise methods alone will only treat part of the problem; the weight issue. Changing the diet, going to weight loss camps, encouraging sports, and additional exercise, even drastic measures such as bariatric surgeries and diet pills, target the body as a physical and physiological component. It is not uncommon, especially in girls in adolescence to start to develop eating disorders. This is an example of where therapy is crucial because the adolescents need to learn to cope with their disorder, establish new behaviors of how they think about and approach food, and how they perceive themselves.
Additionally, it is during this phase of life development that we form the foundation of who we are and how we see ourselves. From around age four... [continues]
Childhood obesity has more than just medical ramifications, which are long lasting. Attention to the negative psychological and psychosocial consequences of childhood obesity is equally relevant. With obesity being at an all-time high, it’s no wonder that the childhood rates have sky-rocketed as well. The aim of this paper is to examine and focus on the psychological complications associated with children who are obese, and how that effects their development as they mature, along with suggestions of treatment.
Even though medical treatment is vital because of the comorbidity associated with obesity, behavior and cognitive therapy is as necessary as medical treatment in obese children and adolescents. Nutritional and exercise methods alone will only treat the physical consequences of obesity and it is during this phase of life development that we form the foundation of who we are and how we see ourselves. Psychological damage has critical and long-lasting effects on self-esteem and psychosocial interactions, which carry over into adulthood as well.
First, behavior and cognitive therapy is as necessary as medical treatment in obese children and adolescents because nutritional and exercise methods alone will only treat part of the problem; the weight issue. Changing the diet, going to weight loss camps, encouraging sports, and additional exercise, even drastic measures such as bariatric surgeries and diet pills, target the body as a physical and physiological component. It is not uncommon, especially in girls in adolescence to start to develop eating disorders. This is an example of where therapy is crucial because the adolescents need to learn to cope with their disorder, establish new behaviors of how they think about and approach food, and how they perceive themselves.
Additionally, it is during this phase of life development that we form the foundation of who we are and how we see ourselves. From around age four... [continues]
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