Awareness in Childhood Obesity

 

Nor Masitah Mohamed Shukri¹, Vishnupriya. V. ², Gayathri R. ³, Surapaneni Krishna Mohan⁴

¹Bachelor of Dental Surgery (year 1), Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, No. 162, PH Road, Chennai-600077

²Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, No. 162, PH Road, Chennai-600077

³Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, No. 162, PH Road, Chennai-600077

⁴Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, No. 162, PH Road, Chennai-602105

 

ABSTRACT:

Childhood obesity is a condition refers to excessive of fat in body, which affects the child’s health. This is because the child is overweight for his or her age and height. It is commonly due to nutritional disorder and much less because of inborn error. Lack of physical activity also contributes to obesity this condition can be treated by improving family’s diet and practice lots of exercises. Childhood obesity can cause many ailments such as high cholesterol, diabetes and also social problem. This study aimed to determine public sensitivity to this issue and also to explore the causes, consequences and potential solutions of childhood obesity.

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

There has been a worldwide increase in obesity among children especially and adolescents are increasing at an alarming rate. The childhood obesity is a very serious public health problem today, which has many circumstances and adverse outcomes for children. According to administration of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the prevalence of obesity among children (6-11 years old) and adolescents (12-17 years old) has increased from 6 to 10.7 % and 4.8 to 10.7 % respectively.¹ This rising trend had alarmed a critical public health problem as they are very susceptible to experience significant short-term health problems such hyperlipidemia, hypertension and glucose intolerance.^2,3

 

Childhood obesity has immediate and long-term physical effects toward children. The long-term effect of obesity is the most complex problem that ends in cardiovascular disease. Besides, long-term negative impact of obesity can also effect self-esteem, economic mobility and body image in children.^3,4

 

A significant contributing factor in the maintenance of childhood obesity is lack of physical activities.⁵ Most children loves to stay indoor playing with gadgets and have less time to do outdoor physical activity. Furthermore, dietary habits also give big influence in childhood obesity. Diet is an important environmental factor in the etiology of childhood overweight an obesity.⁶ Unhealthy diet in childhood surely has implications for children healthy throughout their life.⁷ Parents play an important and strong influence to provide nutritional food and also role models to their children.^8,9 Children should avoid sugary soft drinks and junk foods instead, consume healthy meals and eating full breakfast daily.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This study was conducted online through Survey monkey. The survey consists of 18 multi-choice questions  and 1 open question regarding the awareness of obesity among children. A total of 47 respondents, 35 female and 12 male had completed this survey. The age of the repondents involved in this survey are in range between 18 years old to 38 years old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SURVEY QUESTION

Questionnaire on Awareness of Childhood Obesity

1.        I am aware that there are more overweight kids now than there used to be

2.        I am concerned about my childhood nutrition.

3.        I am concerned physical activity help with weight loss.

4.        Overweight children are more susceptible to health disease and put stress to their body.

5.        Overweight children may also have trouble adjustment socially.

6.        I know the factors that cause a child to be overweight or obese.

7.        I know how to prevent children/relatives from becoming obese.

8.        I know if any children are overweight or obese.

9.        Regular physical activity in schools could positively impact students’ health behaviour.

10.     I am aware that things in environment can lead to health problems in children.

11.     Who is responsible for providing nutrition to children?

12.     Who is responsible for providing children with opportunities for physical activities?

13.     Nutrition vs Physical Activity: Which do you think is more important for your children's health and wellbeing?

14.     How do you think children with obesity interact with society?

15.     How do you think their family relationship?

16.     Do you think obese children really want to lead a healthy lifestyle?

17.     Does obese children should take medication?

18.     Which of these reasons is likely causing childhood obesity?

19.     What is your personal view regarding obesity in children? Please give some comments.

 

 

Questionnaires Analysis

1. I am aware that there are more overweight kids now than there used to be.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Agree	44	93.6	95.7	95.7
	Disagree	2	4.3	4.3	100.0
	Total	46	97.9	100.0
Missing	System	1	2.1
Total		47	100.0

 

 

6. I know the factors that cause a child to be overweight or obese.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Agree	34	72.3	75.6	75.6
	Disagree	11	23.4	24.4	100.0
	Total	45	95.7	100.0
Missing	System	2	4.3
Total		47	100.0

 

7. I know how to prevent children/relatives from becoming obese.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Agree	38	80.9	84.4	84.4
	Disagree	7	14.9	15.6	100.0
	Total	45	95.7	100.0
Missing	System	2	4.3
Total		47	100.0

 

 

 

13. Nutrition vs Physical Activity: Which do you think is more important for your children's health and wellbeing?
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Nutrition	5	10.6	11.6	11.6
	Physical Activities	8	17.0	18.6	30.2
	Nutrition and physical activities are equally important	30	63.8	69.8	100.0
	Total	43	91.5	100.0
Missing	System	4	8.5
Total		47	100.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18. Which of these reasons is likely causing childhood obesity?
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Inborn Error	2	4.3	4.7	4.7
	Diet	41	87.2	95.3	100.0
	Total	43	91.5	100.0
Missing	System	4	8.5
Total		47	100.0

 

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Based on the above questionnaire analysis, we can conclude that most of the respondents are completely aware of childhood obesity, which occur at increasing rate surround us. One study stated that 7% of current world population, which is as many as 250 million people, are obese. Two to three times more people are overweight and the prevalence rates for overweight children in Mediterranean is between 20 – 40%. ^10,11

 

Among the respondents, 93.6% of them knew how to identify overweight kids and their risks respectively. It is believed that childhood obesity can be associated with many serious medical implications and impair the quality of adult life. Diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hyperandrogenism, cardiovascular factors and neurologic factors are some examples of risk.¹²

 

About 72.3% of them knew the factors causing obesity among children, which is quite high, and this marked that a big part of them are aware of this rising issue. However. 11 out of the 47 respondents did not know the causes of obesity. More than half of respondents knew the initiatives to prevent obese children, which is recorded as 80.9%. 

 

From the result, more than half believed that physical activity is a crucial element for children not only to loss weight but also lead a healthy lifestyle. A dietary approach is important as well to change feeding behavior for obese children and the family. About 63.8% respondents thought nutrition and physical activity are equally important for children’s health and wellbeing. 5 and 8 respondents believed only nutrition and physical activities respectively are important for children’s.

 

It appears that binge eating is one of the factors of obesity as 20 to 40% of severely obese adolescents suffer this disorder. It is also associated with kind of depression and anxiety with low self-esteem.¹³ Most of the children that usually skip breakfast but consume a big meal at dinner suffer obesity.¹⁴ Therefore, 87.2% of the respondents chose diet that is likely causing children to be obese.

 

CONCLUSION:

Overall, this study shows that the awareness of Childhood Obesity among students Saveetha Dental College is very convincing. More than 85% of them have better awareness of this issue and clearly understand of the risks, consequences and causes of being obesity. Nevertheless, there is still a small group of respondents that lack of facts, knowledge and not being alerted of obesity among children and infants. Therefore, initiatives should be taken immediately to improve the awareness of childhood obesity to ensure the prevention of further diseases.

 

REFERENCES:

1.        Troiano RP, Flegal KM. Overweight children and adolescents : description, epidemiology, and demographics. Pediatrics 1998;101 : 497 - 504

2.        Must A, Strauss RS. Risks and consequences of childhood and parental obesity. NewEngl J Med 1997 ; 337 : 867 - 873

3.        Dietz WH. Health consequences of obesity in youth: childhood predictors of adult disease. Pediatrics 1998 ; 101 : 518- 525

4.        Neumark-Sztainer D. The weight dilemma : a range of philosophical perspectives. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1999; 23(Suppl 2) : S31 - S37

5.        Goran MI. Energy expenditure, body composition and disease risk in children and adolescents. Proc NutrSoc1997; 56 : 195 - 209

6.        Birch LL, Fisher JO. Development of eating behaviours among children and adolescents. Pediatrics 1998 ; 101 : 539 - 49

7.        Klesges RC, Stein RJ, Eck LH, Isbell TR, Klesges LM. Parental influence on food selection in young children and its relationships to childhood obesity. Am J ClinNutr1991; 53(4) : 859 - 64

8.        Wardle J, Carnell S, Cooke L. Parental control over feeding and children’s fruit and vegetable intake : how are they related? J Am Diet Assoc2005;105(2) : 227 – 32

9.        McCaffree J. Childhood eating patterns : the roles parents play. J Am Diet Assoc 2003; 103(12) : 1587

10.     Ogden CL, Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Johnson CL 2002 Prevalence and trends in overweight among U.S. children and adolescents, 1999-2000. JAMA 288:1728-1732

11.     Lobstein T, Frelut ML 2003 Prevalence of overweight among children in Europe. Obes Rev 4:195-200

12.     J Clin Endocrinol Metab, March 2005, 90(3):1871-1887

13.     Britz B, Siegfried W, Ziegler A, Lamertz C, Herpetz-Dahlmann BM, remschmidtH, Wittche HU, Hebebrand J 2000 Rates of psychiatric disorders in a clinical study group of adolescents with extreme obesity and obese adolescents ascertained via a population based study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 24:1707-1714

14.     Bowman SA, Vinyard BT 2004 Fast food consumption of U.S. adults : impact on energy and nutrient intakes and overweight status. J Am CollNutr 23:163-168

 

 

Accepted on 07.10.2016           © RJPT All right reserved

Research J. Pharm. and Tech 2016; 9(10):1658-1662.