The Growing Epidemic of Childhood Obesity, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Developmental Psychology

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Causes and Solutions for Childhood Obesity Ana Cortes Department of Psychology, Mt. San Antonio College PSYC-14-08-26838.202220: Developmental Psychology Dr. Daniel Pueblos October 7, 2022

Causes and Solutions for Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity has been on the rise around the world, it is becoming a cause for concern in terms of the global health’s population. Several factors have been linked with an increase in weight gain for children that range from improper modeling behavior, genetic propensity and inadequate accessibility to fresh produce. Although, the disease is on the rise various methods and behaviors can be implanted in order to decrease the risk of childhood obesity. Since, we live in an era where technology and content are at our fingertips, we must also assess the effect it has on children. Obesity has been associated with many comorbidities that result in a decreased quality of life. For this reason, it is imperative that as a society we become aware and responsible in order to ensure the health of the future generations. Prevalence of Childhood Obesity Factors of Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is becoming more prevalent in the United States not only does it have physical impacts it can also affect the functioning of the brain; therefore, having the capability of affecting the cognitive abilities of a developing child. Multiple causes can be associated with obesity in children from genetic factors that can be categorized as monogenic; the mutation of one gene that contributes to disease and polygenic obesity, which attributes the development of disease to many genes (Littleton et al., 2020). An example would be the deficiency of the melanocortin-4 receptor, which has been linked with a higher intake of food consumption in children (Littleton et al., 2020). The reason being that children do not register satiation as easily and end up consuming larger quantities of food. Another example of genetics influencing obesity includes Bardet-Biedl syndrome, which is transferred via autosomal recessive genes, but a direct pathway is yet to be established between the genes and the phenotype it presents with

calorically dense food to children; therefore, influencing what the child wants and asks for (Dennison & Edmunds, 2008). Parents and caregivers should try to monitor what content the child is exposed to and limit the duration of screentime. Solutions for Childhood Obesity Strategies for decreasing Childhood Obesity In order to combat childhood obesity, parenting should be done in a consciousness manner and healthy eating habits should be displayed alongside. A study concluded that an authoritarian parenting style was linked to children being at a higher risk for obesity; which resulted in children having a difficulty regulating their emotions and feeling higher levels of negative emotion (Pace et. al, 2019). Parents should also be conscious that although children may not be able to fully express their emotions, they are still affected by the emotions surrounding the child. Obesity in children is due mainly to an overconsumption of calorically dense food with minimal nutritional value and a sedentary lifestyle. For this reason, a child should be encouraged to do physical activity, which does not need to be strenuous in form, but can consist of walking around the neighborhood or engaging in structured sport activities like swimming. A third solution to combating obesity in childhood is teaching parents what a healthy diet for a child looks like and then being able to integrate the newfound knowledge in everyday life. For example, substituting highly processed snacks that tend to be high in sugars and fats with cut up fruit instead that has higher level of fiber and micronutrients. Conclusion Childhood obesity is preventable in most cases and an overall reduction in the prevalence can be done. Parents can display proper modeling behavior that includes healthy eating habits and encouraging a child to engage in physical activity. A parent or caregiver should also take the

initiative to learn about nutrition and then apply the knowledge for the benefit of the child. This includes awareness for media and technology and how it can contribute to the cognitive and physical development of the child. In certain cases, a child may have a genetic predisposition to increased weight gain, but this does not prevent a child from being in a healthy BMI index.