Essay Example on Obesity in Teenagers

Obesity is a medical condition where the body accumulates excess fat to the extent that it leads to adverse effects on health. When a person's body mass index (BMI) exceeds 30 kilograms per meter square then he or she is considered obese. It is commonly a combination of excessive feeding, lack of physical activity and genetic susceptibility. Obesity increases the chances of suffering various diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart attack, obstructive sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and some types of cancer. Most of the societies have become increasingly reliant on energy dense, large portions, and fast food meals which are considered at high risk of becoming obese. There is an association between the risk of obesity and television viewing time in both children and adults.

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To curb cases of obesity, community and public health resources needed should be mobilized to better address health issue in obese teenagers. In most cases, this condition starts at the teenage and it is at this stage that more focus needs to be put up. The community can improve early care and education environment for the children. This ensures that the teenage have develop a foundation for healthy eating habits (Alberga, Sigal, Goldfield, Prud'Homme, & Kenny, 2012). Having information on critical feeding choices is always important in understanding the right decision concerning someones health. They can developed by providing healthy food environment through different programs and policies. In most of the schools, these policies can be enforced as a foundation for improving adulthood behavior related to eating.

In addition, the community can provide incentives for the farmers to regulate calories contents in their foods. Most of the farmers are responsible in growing food mostly consumed by the members of the community and this can utilized to community advantage. Farmers can also be taught on healthy feeding making sure that their children also grow in an environment where they adapt health lifestyles. Establishment of healthy hospitals can help in avoiding and management of obesity cases. Most of the patients suffering from obesity is as a result of lacking critical information in ways of avoiding obesity and how those that have the condition can get a remedy (Angrisani et al, 2005). This means that accessing such information will help encourage health eating and discourage choices that lead to obesity.

Among the steps or actions to take in controlling obesity include educational training to improve the poor nutrition choices. This will incorporate nutrition and physical activity lessons into the curriculum for the students (Sharma, 2006). It will providing students with opportunities to consume healthy and to remain active. The schools can come up with programs where they provide healthier foods in the school cafeterias. To increase and improve physical activities, students can be provided of safe walking and biking routes to school Providing data sources on health involving the students (Neumark-Sztainer, Story, Hannan, Perry & Irving, 2002) . Lastly, the school management can ban the sale of foods within and outside the school that encourage obesity among the teenagers. Apart school remedies, the government should put up agriculture techniques and policies that would lower food prices such as subsidizing fruits and vegetables and tax more on rice, wheat, corn and soy which are main sources of processed food. These policies should also focus on calorie count rues and nutrition facts labels so that teens can make healthier food choices

References

Angrisani, L., Favretti, F., Furbetta, F., Paganelli, M., Basso, N., Doldi, S. B., ... & Capizzi, F. D. (2005). Obese teenagers treated by Lap-Band System: the Italian experience. Surgery, 138(5), 877-881.

Alberga, A. S., Sigal, R. J., Goldfield, G., Prud'Homme, D., & Kenny, G. P. (2012). Overweight and obese teenagers: why is adolescence a critical period?. Pediatric obesity, 7(4), 261-273.

Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., Hannan, P. J., Perry, C. L., & Irving, L. M. (2002). Weight-related concerns and behaviors among overweight and non-overweight adolescents: implications for preventing weight-related disorders. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 156(2), 171-178.

Sharma, M. (2006). Schoolbased interventions for childhood and adolescent obesity. Obesity reviews, 7(3), 261-269.