Should Parents Be Responsible For Their Childrens Obesity

Running head: SHOULD PARENTS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN OBESITY 1

Should Parents Be Responsible for Their Children’s Obesity

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SHOULD PARENTS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN OBESITY 2

Should Parents Be Responsible for Their Children’s Obesity?

Recent findings indicate that childhood obesity is the predominant health issue,

surpassing smoking and drug-abuse in America today. In 2016, over 12.5 million children were

either obese or over weight, thereby elevating chances of acquiring chronic ailments, such as

hyper-tension and cardio vascular diseases at premature ages. Childhood obesity has been cited

to emanate from minimal physical activities, unhealthy food intake, and lack of effective

parenting. The guardians are solely to blame for children’s obesity, considering that it is usually

caused by irresponsible lifestyles and parenting.

According to World health Organization (W.H.O), the prevalence of the issue has been

caused by two factors. One of the elements is consumption of foodstuffs that have high amounts

of energy. Principally, the foods have been noted to contain substantial fat levels, with slow rates

of digestion (WHO 2017, para. 15). The organization suggests that the trend continues to prevail

due to substandard food choices within the American households. Again, most families fail to

include nutritious foods like nuts and legumes within their meals, but instead provide sugary and

junk components to their children.

W.H.O also reveals physical inactivity to be a contributing factor towards children’s

obesity (WHO 2017, para. 15). The institution cites urbanization and change of transportation

modes as the predisposing elements towards children’s inactivity. Essentially, it highlights that a

majority of the American children rarely walk to their learning facilities, and instead use

automobile to commute on a daily basis. Additionally, more playing fields are rampantly

diminished as a result of infrastructural developments, subsequently influencing children to

remain in-doors.

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Similarly, the American Heart Association (A.H.A) validates inactiveness and poor

feeding to be the profound causes of children’s obesity (AHA 2014, para. 4). Due to this, the

children are at risk of enduring chronic ailments like diabetes, besides psychological problems

sooner or later. The children are periodically bullied by their peers, who may henceforth accrue

depression and reduced self-worth. The unhealthy lifestyle has further been envisioned to affect

future generations in regards to limited lifespans and poor health conditions.

In accordance to the groups’ perspectives, the element of poor parenting can be vividly

recognized. I second W.H.O’s opinion by affirming that unhealthy food content amplifies cases

of childhood obesity in most families. As an illustration, food consumption amounts, their

availability, feeding methods, and food types, are predetermined during the children’s younger

years (Tzou & Chu 2012, p. 1464). Therefore, the guardians are responsible for their children’s

ill health, as they are mandated to act as role models. In my observation, the custodians ought to

dictate when and what their offspring eat in their home or outside setting.

Providing moral values at the young age has an instrumental effect on their future

developments. This is because parent-child associations during mealtimes impact some level of

authority, which prevents or coerces the child to consume or neglect specific food items (Tzou &

Chu 2012, p. 1465). Similarly, in most American homes, turkey is usually consumed during

ceremonial occasions. Conversely, the delicacy falls under red meat, which is objected by

nutritionists due to its harmful effects. I concur that a child will adopt what he or she has been

nurtured with, and progress with the behavior as they mature.

One of the factors that illuminate parental influence in children overfeeding practices is

parental style (Sahoo et al. 2015, 190). The children may develop unhealthy eating patterns due

to lack of stringent parental involvement in their feeding routines. To illustrate, if the parents fail

SHOULD PARENTS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN OBESITY 4

to enlighten their children on the aspect of self-control, the children may eat uncontrollably,

leading to over-weight health issues. At the same time, feeding styles impact the young ones

feeding behaviors.

Under emotional feeding, the custodians encourage the child to take food even when they

are out-rightly satisfied. The guardians occasionally perceive that weighty toddlers are healthier

than lighter babies. The baby will instrumentally grow with this perception, and eat

uncontrollably as a result of his or her parents’ initial encouragement. The nurturing aspect is

also determined by the mothers’ body image (Sahoo et al. 2015, p. 190).

In my opinion, normal parents tend to limit their young ones food intake as compared to

over-weight parents. This is because the latter perceives weight gain as a representation of good

health and adequate parenting (Sigmund & Sigmundova 2017, p. 18). Following this, the parents

incorporate solid items even before the child’s appropriate period, leading to early obesity among

the victims. Some parents also implement unconventional methods, while rearing the youngsters

and influence unhealthy outcomes. For instance, offering an extra amount of food to qualm the

toddler’s tantrums or excessive crying.

In reference to American Heart Association’s standpoint, I support that inactiveness

contributes to children unhealthy weight gain, adverse ailments, and psychological issues

(Sigmund & Sigmundova 2017, p. 10). Allegedly, the inactiveness is realized through the

parents’ detachment in their young ones activities. As an illustration, children nowadays spend

excessive time playing video-games and watching television than engaging in out-door activities.

The situation is aggravated by children who eat while participating in inactive indoor

ventures. The parents have the sole power to limit their children inactivity by persuading them to

engage in out-door functions (Sigmund & Sigmundova 2017, p. 37). However, most custodians

SHOULD PARENTS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN OBESITY 5

fail to initiate the virtue or promote inclusive participations. In my perception, the parents can

launch the objective by participating in the physical activities themselves. Through this, the

guardians can avert dysfunctional consequences like antisocial behaviors, and advance normal

health among their young ones.

To prevent the situation, guardians can observe healthy dieting to control their children

weights. Importantly, the parents should offer drinks and foodstuffs that have minimal amounts

of calories (O'Dea & Eriksen 2010, p. 261). To enhance the initiative, parents can provide

heavier but healthier diets during break-fast to suppress daytime hunger. On the same note,

parents can caution their young ones from eating outside.

Through the practice, the guardians can control their offspring eating behaviors, and

unwanted food items (O'Dea & Eriksen 2010, p. 348). To facilitate the strategy, parents can

educate the children on healthy foods, or buy the snacks beforehand, and issue small amounts as

they leave the house. Parents can also minimize the portion of the foods served. In practice, the

parents can gradually replace big cups and plates with smaller materials to limit their food intake.

Moreover, engagements in physical activities allow the breakdown of consumed

calories, while necessitating social relations (Akabas, Lederman & Moore 2012, p. 435).

Through active participations, the children can improve their aerobic functionality in regards to

respiratory and heart efficiency. Ideally, the aspect elevates energy balance between the amount

accrued from foods, and the quantity utilized in strenuous activities.

Physical exercises further necessitate productive social relations and performance

(Akabas, Lederman & Moore 2012, p. 50). Parents can implement the strategy by limiting the

duration of in-door activities with an increase in the duration of out-door ventures. In the same

notion, parents can withdraw electronic machines from children’s bedroom to manage their

SHOULD PARENTS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN OBESITY 6

usage. To eradicate inactivity within the house, the guardians can switch off the devices during

mealtimes to eventuate food etiquette and moral actions among the children.

This issue is personal to me being a future parent and a victim to an affected cousin. My

relative developed high blood pressure at a tender age of 6 and a half years, which was a result of

his obese condition. In effect, the situation compelled me to develop my own gym, where I

currently work with over-weight children to mitigate their concern.

Biblically, God holds parents accountable for their children’s actions. In Isaiah 65, verse

23, the Creator commands parents not to bear children for them to suffer, for they are His

offspring. Again, in Proverbs 22, verse 6, the Lord asserts that the guardians should train their

young ones in the right ways, for they would not deviate from this, even in their older age. In this

respect, it is the mandate of the parents to guide and monitor their children’s developments,

because it is God’s will.

The guardians should be accountable for their children’s obesity, since it emanates from

irresponsible parenting and lifestyles. The notion is supported by nongovernmental institutions

like W.H.O and A.H.A, which justify that children’s inactiveness and dieting relies on parents’

involvements. Even in the religious scripture, God instructs parents to take active roles in their

offspring developments because it is an ordained responsibility. Therefore, I agree that healthy

dieting and physical exercises should be the paramount intervention to diffuse the issue.

SHOULD PARENTS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN OBESITY 7

References

Akabas, S. R., Lederman, S. A., & Moore, B. J. (2012). Textbook of obesity: Biological,

psychological, and cultural influences. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

American Heart Association. (2014). “Overweight in Children.” Retrieved from

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyKids/ChildhoodObesity/Over

weight-in-Children_UCM_304054_Article.jsp#

O'Dea, J. A., & Eriksen, M. P. (2010). Childhood obesity prevention: International research,

controversies, and interventions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Sahoo, K. et al. (2015). Childhood Obesity: Causes and Consequences. Journal of Family

Medicine and Primary Care, 4(2), 187–192. http://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.154628.

Sigmund, E. & Sigmundova, D. (2017). Parent Child Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and

Obesity. USA.

Tzou, I. & Chu, N. (2012). Parental Influence on Childhood Obesity: A Review. Health, 4(12),

1464-1470.

World Health Organization. (2017). “Obesity and Overweight.” Media Centre. Retrieved from

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/

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