Research Paper on Adolescent Obesity

Introduction

Obesity is having more than enough body fat owing to high accumulation of adipose tissue in relation to the imbalance intake and expenditure of energy. Recent statistics in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that 17% of children aged between 2-19 years are obese. The condition has been termed as the current chronic disease as there is a high likelihood for an obese adolescent child to retain the condition to adulthood (Robinson, Geler, Rizzolo, & Sedrak, 2011). It has been termed as world pandemic, (WHO, 1998) and due to its high prevalence and chronic nature, there is the need for coordinated healthcare models and service delivery so as to help manage pediatric obesity.

Discussion

According to the National Health and Examination Surveys, (NHANES), most pediatrics age groups have an increased prevalence of being obese or overweight. In The US for instance, there is a rapid prevalence overweight increase among kids and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 18. Some of the vicious circles that increase adolescent obesity include and not limited to; income of the family per month, more salt intake, and spending more time in the computer,(Goh,2007). Nutrition is also directly associated with adolescent obesity. This is viewed in terms of skipping breakfast which increases body mass index in comparison to other factors as the result of the above leads to higher consumption of fast foods and snacks. Environmental factors also play a crucial role in adolescent obesity in the view that fast-food restaurants proximity near schools may lead to bad eating habits thus resulting in overweight, (Davis and Carpenter, 2009.

Adolescent obesity will be foreseen to cause numerous new diabetic cases, several modern cases of coronary heart diseases, severe cases of hypertension, blood pressure levels, advanced cases of arthritis and worse still, numerous new cases of cancer-related obesity in the next twenty years, (Truman, 2012). Moreover, health care costs for obesity-related diseases are likely to rise higher in the near future. All these obese related diseases coupled with the high cost of treatment will be of adverse effect not only to the affected families but also to the community at large. As if that is not enough, complications related to childhood obesity have not only deteriorated the health care sectors but has also devastated the financial sector of the regions affected. Most overweight children aged between 10-15 become obese adults by 25 years of age, (Robinson et al., 2011). Basic obese complications include and not limited to hypertension, orthopedic complications, diabetes type 2 and asthma.

Adolescent obesity can also cause psychological impacts to an individual like loneliness, sadness anxiety, withdrawal from the society, less self-confidence owing to their body shape perception among others, (Robinson et al., 2011). The victims sometimes succumb to depression especially the female adolescents as they are teased by their peers thereby opting to smoke, drinking besides succumbing to eating disorders and this cause more harm than good to them. Over the years, there have been limited resources for the treatment of childhood obesity and at times obese pediatric patients are not able to access services. This is due to the fact that obese children have a greater healthcare expenditure on resources as compared to the normal weight or underweight groups of children. It is estimated that obesity in children will gradually cost individuals, families and the commonwealth a high financial cost, loss of manpower productivity and stagnated status of heal.

Nursing Resolution

The first approach to help curb adolescent obesity should be prevention. This can be done by putting into consideration both the social-environmental effects and friends of adolescent health. This is because most adolescents adopt behavioral patterns in order to fit in and be comfortable like most obese would prefer having overweight friends. There should, therefore, be interventions put in place focusing on such behavioral changes that would act as a preventive therapy. Interventions like incorporating physical activities, controlling TV watching, improving eating behavior like ensuring intake of a balanced diet not only to adolescents but also to all family members. Education should also be provided to mothers or women of childbearing age on ways of obese control at preconception. Additionally, families should be advised to in co-operating more fruits and vegetable in their diets as with minimal fried foods, sweets, and junks. Breakfast should also be taken in order to minimize the intake of fast foods and junks that may accelerate obese rates.

Conclusion

Adolescent obesity has become a major health hazard worldwide and is likely to increase if appropriate preventive measures are not put in place. There are diverse treatment measures though they are majorly surgical and pharmacological. These methods may not be of advantage to the adolescent owing to the side effects. Since it is seen a global health burden, the government should ensure that effective and appropriate measures are put in place to help prevent and treat it in order to decrease obesity rates and aid towards achieving a downward prevalence trend.

References

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