Causes and Effects of Childhood Obesity Research Paper

Causes and Effects of Childhood Obesity - Research Paper Example According to the findings, obesity is impossible to hide and typically introduces a great deal of public humiliation every time the individual walks out the door. This element alone can cause lifelong severe psychological damage that significantly impacts the individual’s ability to live a happy, fulfilling life. However, the physical cost of being obese are much greater even than this. It is well-known that obesity can dramatically lower life expectancy at every age level. What might not be so well known is that there are at least 300,000 deaths in the United States every year that are the direct result of the person being obese. Even when life doesn’t seem threatened, people who are obese suffer a greater number of illnesses, have an earlier onset and more severe problems in their bones and joints and back region and are more lethargic than those who are not. Approaching epidemic proportions, identifying the causes and treatment of obesity is of utmost importance part icularly when working with children who have an entire lifetime ahead of them. Heredity significantly influences obesity. People who are genetically predisposed to being obese have a harder time trying to lose weight or to maintain the desired body mass. Children born into overweight families are often overweight even before they have the opportunity to try maintaining a healthy weight. Other contributing factors to the problem of obesity in children can include metabolic and socioeconomic circumstances, diseases, endocrine ailments, and medications Metabolism refers to how efficiently a person’s body burns up energy. Metabolic levels and hormonal balances differ widely from one person to another and both factor significantly in controlling weight.