How can we best solve the growing problem of youth obesity?

How can we best solve the growing problem of youth obesity?

Problem of Obesity

Childhood obesity is considered a major health problem today because it can lead to many potentially dangerous diseases. Some of which include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, and social discrimination (CDC, 2012, p14). These problems can progress and/or worsen into adulthood causing major issues and a lot of unnecessary medical treatments and expenses. In fact, the psychosocial risks alone can give a child self-esteem issues, which in turn can hinder their academic and social functioning, and may even persist into adulthood (CDC, 2012, 14). Many studies have shown that children and teens who are obese turn out to become obese as an adult (CDC, 2012, 15). The claim that will be used in this paper will focus on the responsibility of not only parents but of the doctors and the community who should also be responsible in addressing and preventing a lifetime of medical problems for these obese children. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, CDC (2012), “approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years were] obese” in 2010 (CDC 2012 p.9). The past twenty years has shown a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. Thirty-six states had a prevalence of 25% or more; twelve of those states had over 30%

Solution to Overcome Obesity

Contributing Factors

There are a huge number of factors that play into childhood obesity.  Battle and Brownell wrote, “It is hard to envision an environment more effective than ours [in the USA] for producing…obesity.” (Brownell, Kelly D. 2003).  Unfortunately this seems to be true; there are so many factors that have led to the increased incidence of childhood obesity it is hard to separate them and figure out which ones are the greatest contributors.

Economic studies and models usually assume consumer rationality.  However, children are not viewed as rational consumers by most economists because their cognitive abilities are not fully developed (Cawley 2006, 69-88).  This makes the problem of childhood obesity even more of a public and societal issue. We cannot assume children, especially young children, are obese solely due to their own individual choices unlike what often is assumed with adults. The childhood obesity problem has been intensified by market failures such as information asymmetry and the negative externalities associated with high fat and high sugar foods. Additional government failures in the form of welfare laws, tariffs, and food subsidies have only added to the problem.

The Role of Healthcare Providers:

Some of the literature looked at the ways in which American insurance and healthcare are configured and argues that pediatricians should be taking a greater role in fighting the obesity trend.  In Pediatrics magazine a policy statement from 2003 suggests that the most useful agent in reversing the childhood obesity trend would be the pediatrician.  The authors argue that as leaders in communities, pediatricians have the respect and expertise to encourage change and be ...