Obesity in Hispanic Children Aged 6-12 Years

Question: Discuss about the Obesity in Hispanic Children Aged 6-12 Years. Answer: Introduction: Obesity is the accumulation of excess body fat in the body, when the intake of calories is more than expended, resulting in caloric imbalance. It is caused by genetic, behavioral, and environmental influences, and is calculated on the basis of body mass index (BMI) (CDC, 2015). Several studies conducted on the racial and ethnic health differences in school aged children have established that Hispanic children run the greater risk of obesity than the non-Hispanic (NCHS, 2016). The Hispanic childhood obesity reflects the socioeconomic disparities in the community, and is widening to an alarming proportion. According to the Minority Health, 2016, the Hispanic children aged 2 to 5 years have obesity about five times higher than that of the non-Hispanic, while the obesity in children aged 6 to 11 is 25% against the 1.6% of the non Hispanic. This indicates that the disparities in childhood obesity begins in early childhood (Minority Health, 2016). Obesity can cause physical and mental problems that reduce life expectancy (Vaida, 2013). The mothers pregnancy, gestational diabetes, the way a child is raised, eating habits, genetics, lifestyle, attitudes, and socioeconomic status determine childhood obesity (WHO, 2016). The complication due to obesity is detrimental to the health care system, because it involves huge amount in combating it. A recent estimate shows that a 10 year old obese child needs about $ 12660 as incremental lifetime medical cost (Finkelstein, et al., 2014). Adoption of proper obesity management intervention, physical activities, introduction of nutrition, fruits and vegetables, combined diet, desisting sweets and beverages, and change in behavior, community settings, socioeconomic and geographical backgrounds can reduce obesity in children (Asieba, 2016; CDC, 2016). The existing racial or ethnic disparities in Hispanic children can be minimized by identifying and removing the risk factors at the root levels (Asieba, 2016). Reference Asieba, I. O. (2016). Racial/Ethnic Trends in Childhood Obesity in the United States. Journal of Childhood Obesity. Retrieved 8 Sept, 2016 from https://childhood-obesity.imedpub.com/racialethnic-trends-in-childhood-obesity-in-the-united-states.php?aid=8597 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2015). Childhood Obesity Facts. Department of Health Human Services. Retrieved 8 Sept, 2016 from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm Finkelstein,E. A., Graham, W. C. K., Malhotra, R. (2014). Lifetime Direct Medical Costs of Childhood Obesity. Pediatrics, Vol. 133/Issue. Retrieved 8 Sept, 2016 from https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/133/5/854 Minority Health. (2016). Obesity and Hispanic Americans. US Department of Health and Human services. Retrieved 6 Sept, 2016 from https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=4lvlid=70 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). (2016). Health, United States, 2015: With Special Feature on Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. DHHS Publication No. 2016-1232. Hyattsville, MD. Retrieved 6 Sept, 2016 from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus15.pdf Vaida, N. (2013). Prevalence Of Obesity Among Children Studying. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy, Vol 3, Issue 1. e-ISSN: 2250-3013, p-ISSN: 2319-4219 PP 04-11 Retrieved 6 Sept, 2016 from https://www.iosrphr.org/papers/v3i1/part_3/B031304011.pdf World Health Organization (WHO). (2016). Report of the Ad hoc Working Group on Science and Evidence for Ending Childhood Obesity. Retrieved 6 Sept, 2016 from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/206549/1/9789241565332_eng.pdf