Childhood obesity is a problem that has been around for decades. Throughout the past few years, it has become much more dangerous than ever before. There are many factors that influence childhood obesity such as what children are being fed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in school cafeterias, a child’s genetics, parental and environmental influences, spending time with friends, a family’s income, and how much time a child spends exercising. The childhood obesity phenomenon is not something that is going to disappear, so as people who care about the well-being of others, we must be well aware of what our youth is eating, what they are doing with their free time, and how this could be affecting their weight today and in the future. The people that should be most aware and care about the health of their children are parents. As parents, most should recognize that their child is overweight, but half fail to see this. Some argue that healthy habits start at home, since children learn by example from watching their parents. A child’s environment, parental involvement, and a child’s lifestyle habits are all reasons why childhood obesity must be controlled. In today’s society, the trends of obesity in children are rising, and children categorized as obese are more likely to have serious health problems and shorter life spans than their parents, which shows the major dangers of this epidemic. 

Scientists have found genetic mutations that are linked to obesity. These genes can cause certain people to have slower metabolisms which ultimately results in them being unable to lose weight at the rate that people without this gene do. The gene MRAP2 is the most common genetic mutation found that is linked to obesity (Ornish, 2008). This gene helps to regulate energy and food consumption. People who lack this gene end up eating normal amounts of food and still gain abnormal amounts of weight afterwards. People who have the gene do not have the receptor which tells the brain to increase metabolism and decrease appetite, which most people have.

Certain people have an excess amount of the hormone Leptin. Since these people have a lot of Leptin, the brain is resistant to it so their brain never gets the signal to stop eating. Most obesity cases are traced back to Prader-Willi Syndrome which occurs in about 1 in 25,000 people (Walley, 2006). Children with this syndrome often have increased body mass and mental retardation. Since this syndrome causes people to have reduced lean body mass, it is harder for them to keep a slim figure and harder for them to fight off unnecessary weight.

 Medications can also cause people to gain weight because of the way that they alter the brain and function of the body. Certain medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and diabetes medications can do this. These medications cause fat to store in the body instead of get burned. Insulin, the hormone that regulates the energy stored in the body, can cause the fat cells to store the fat instead of use it to use for energy, causing weight gain as well. These are the main reasons why people who have genetic mutations and take certain medications to help with their weight gain get frustrated. Genetics is the main reason why obesity is such a controversial topic. Due to the fact that many people die every year from obesity related health problems such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, clogged arteries, and heart problems, people are very sensitive to the subject. Even though scientists have made numerous discoveries concerning the relationship between obesity and genetics, more research must be done to establish the role these genetic mutations and syndromes play in obesity. 

Studies have found that obese people not only get frustrated with the inability to lose weight because of their genetics, but some people have also reported feeling inferior to their fellow employees at work. Overweight individuals have found to be more depressed as well, because they can have a harder time getting a job, adopting a child, and receiving healthcare. When interviewed, managers described their top employees as being determined, conscientious, ambitious, and disciplined. These same managers said the opposite about their obese employees, which is why it is harder for those who are overweight to get a promotion or a raise. Obese families also have the challenge of adopting children because adoption centers have started a new weight standard. This weight standard is a new rule that adoption centers have created to ensure the children in the center are going into a stable and healthy household. The discrimination is clearly prevalent among obese people which makes seeking healthcare from a professional very difficult. Studies have shown that doctors have seen obese patients to lack self control, willpower, and display signs of laziness. All of these factors convince the doctors that the patient is not going to be making an effort to change their lifestyle habits. Patients that are seen this way through a doctor or nurse’s perspective are far less likely to seek healthcare, in fear of failing and receiving negative feedback. When interviewing Dr. Nazrat Mirza at Children’s National Medical center, he revealed that "the kids who are fat are getting really fatter," who has patients as young as 5 years old with obesity-caused sleep apnea (Collins, 2002). This proves that getting the right amount of sleep and limiting electronics close to bedtime could be very beneficial to children in early childhood.

The relationship between income and obesity is also a very important, often overlooked, factor. Most people don’t realize how much food they waste and the unhealthy food they are spending their money on. However, people in poor areas who don’t have access to healthy and clean foods, are much more prone to obesity and disease than people living in wealthy communities who can afford to take care of themselves. People living in poverty have high obesity rates because they do not have access to fresh food and vegetables. These people are also more prone to diabetes, which is the leading chronic disease in obese people. All chronic diseases in obese people such as sleeping disorders, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, account for more than seventy percent of health care costs. Premature death, chronic diseases, and sleeping disorders are also linked to obesity in poverty-filled regions which causes people to be less active. The violence in other countries that tracks with poverty prevents people from wanting to go outside and exercise, as well as the fact that parks and outdoor activity spaces are more scarce than they are in wealthier countries. There are many reasons to explain why people living in poorer areas are more prone to obesity, environmental reasons being the greatest factor. More research must be done to determine whether or not reversing poverty in these areas would decrease the obesity rate or not. Since the obesity rates and poverty rates are both rising, this is a matter of the upmost importance to address immediately. 

Many parents work late shifts and have very busy lives. When this happens, children tend to end up at daycare, with a nanny, or staying at school late. All of these can lead to obesity, since children would rather stay inside and watch TV or play video games than go outside and play with their friends. Parents also find it much easier to give their kid a sugary snack that they enjoy, than a healthy snack that they may not enjoy as much, but would benefit them. When interviewed, parents responded with they didn’t Children that were fed homemade dinners, had limited TV time and had sufficient amounts of sleep were 40% less likely to be obese in the future than kids who did the opposite. When a parent spends more time with their child, the child has been found to be happier, more well rounded, and healthier all around. To work around a parent’s busy schedule, parents could take time out of their day to exercise with their child, or teach them how to cook healthy meals together. Studies have shown that when parents and children exercise together, parents are more likely to lose weight as well. 

While it is true that genetics due impact whether or not someone become obese, they do not play a huge role in the obesity epidemic. The gene MRAP2 impacts less than one percent of people in the United States (Silventoinen, 29). More research must be done, but scientists believe that there are other genes that may be found more frequently. Scientists have done many studies and have found many genes that have been linked to obesity, but they all have the same conclusions-while genes may be present, a person’s environment is proven to have a bigger impact on their weight than genetics ever will (Majzoub, 2013). There is still a lot scientists don’t know about how genes interact with a person’s environment, but what a person eats, how they exercise, and what mental and social conditions they live under all have a decisive effect on tendency to gain weight.

If a child’s parent is obese, they are fifty percent more likely to become obese. While this is a true statement about how genetics is involved in the childhood obesity epidemic, it is proven that a child’s environment has a much bigger impact. The environment in a child’s life is very important, especially in the early years. During the first five to ten years of a child’s life, if they are surrounded by peer pressure from friends, parents who will not cook homemade meals, false advertisement from athletes and famous people, or people do not encourage a healthy lifestyle, they are much more likely to be become obese and stay obese than kids who are active frequently and spend more time with their parents (Meyer). It is proven that children learn from example, so when parents come home from a long day a work and make a microwavable meal while sitting on the couch, their children and more likely to do the same as them. Parents think it is acceptable to give their children microwavable meals and snacks whenever their child asks for them. This can lead to the child thinking they are in charge instead of the parent and unhealthy eating habits, which is why being able to recognize when your child is obese is very important so it can be controlled early on in life.  Most parents don’t realize how much their children look up to them, so they should spend time with their kids to make sure they are living a healthy lifestyle. (Braden, 494) 

Since children spend most of their time at school or with their parents, schools must provide sufficient amounts of healthy food and enough time for exercise during the school day. Studies have shown that students who get some form of exercise throughout the day focus better and get higher grades than students who do not get any physical activity at all. There is a disease called “sitting disease” that is very prevalent among younger students. This disease usually starts at a young age, so scientists recommend to get up and move around at least once every hour to avoid getting this disease. Studies have also found that children at different schools were all eating excessive amount of sodium and saturated fat in their lunches and not getting enough vegetables and whole grain food. There have been several health laws passed which forced cafeterias in schools to start serving healthier lunches, but when students started getting healthier food, the school officials recognized that the laws were more popular with the elementary kids since the middle and high school students were seen throwing the healthy food away. I think this shows that healthy habits must be started at a young age with kids. When kids become accustomed to unhealthy habits, it is very hard for them to turn away from those. Another factor that affects what and how much a child eats during lunch at school is the environment they are placed in. Studies have found that children placed in a noisy environment filled with distractions and their friends are less likely to eat the healthy food they are given and end up throwing it away. The students that ate with the teachers were more likely to eat their fruits and vegetables. Congress has been trying to push the Child Nutrition Act through so that there will be standards for different types of storage, fresh fruit, and others.

The childhood obesity phenomenon is not something that can be ignored. It has been a worldwide problem for decades and must come to an end. All of the factors, cafeteria lunches, genetics, environment, parental control, peer pressure, and many others, are all something that can eventually be overcome. Genetics being the most important and debatable factor, is something that needs more research done to determine whether or not it has a huge impact on obesity (Fernandez, 479). People who struggle with obesity and fear the judgment of others can seek help at counseling sessions or group therapy to help work through their problems together. These prevention and therapy groups have been proven to work, especially if parents and children attend the group together. The hardest, most challenging barrier is the pressure of society that parents face on a day to day basis. As parents, they face the pressure from tempting ads which come from athletes and people their children look up to, convincing the parents to buy into the unhealthy products. Children also face the pressure of society by the peer pressure from their friends and making the right choices while out of the house. As a country who only wants to see our youth excel and live long, happy, healthy lives, we can only hope that the obesity rates will be on the decrease as we challenge ourselves and others daily to say no to the tempting ads, peer pressure, and microwavable meals, and start saying yes to fruits, vegetables, and exercise. 
