A Child s Silent Killer - 1266 Words

A Child’s Silent Killer A serious life threatening condition is sweeping over the U.S. today. This ailment can cause numerous types of cancer and is drastically increasing in incidence. The individuals affected are our children and adolescents. No this â€Å"disease† is not untreatable, it is not contagious and there is no chemo involved yet it continues to grow. Why? When asked to present a problem and a solution, what bigger a problem and easier a solution than the underrated concern of childhood obesity in the United States. Childhood obesity is a serious, life threatening and growing medical concern in the U.S. today which can be prevented by educating parents, and implementing healthy eating habits as well as physical activity in†¦show more content†¦Seeing a child who is overweight may not seem like a big concern to some, but the future consequences can be deadly. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine state that, â€Å"children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be o bese as adults and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.† Children who are obese are more likely to grow up to be obese as adults resulting in long-term health effects (3). It seems the rise of obesity is going to be a great concern for healthcare professionals in the future. These statistics provide the obvious clue to the pattern of an uphill run of childhood obesity without a break in sight. This condition is a solemn concern, yet thankfully it can be simply understood and managed. Understanding obesity is as simple as basic addition. Being overweight or obese is result of a caloric imbalance. This occurs when there are too many calories consumed compared to the ones being burned. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends that a boy about 12 years of age should get between 1,400 and 1,600 calories per day if they are sedentary; 1,600 to 2,000 calories per d ay if they are moderately active; and 1,800 and 2,200 if they are active (2). The calories in four KFC extra-crispy chicken strips and a small fries is 920. Add a soda to that meal and this one