“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” was a comedy reality TV show released in 2012, that stars a young pageant girl named Alana.  During the show series Alana struggled with obesity along with the rest of her family, but what might seem to be a funny show can actually be fearsome. Many viewers that have watched this show don’t realize how serious obesity is and the affect it can have on the wellbeing of a child especially Alana and the rest of her siblings. For a child to be obese their BMI must be in the upper end of the BMI distribution, at or above the age and gender-specific 95th percentile of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions BMI charts for children and youth aged 2 through 19 years (Koplan). Childhood obesity is growing fast, over the past 30 years in the United States there has been a two-fold increase in obesity among children and a three-fold increase in adolescents (Naticchioini). Childhood obesity can affect the physical, emotional and mental health of a child. Some of the problems associated with childhood obesity includes; cardiovascular disease, academic success, social problems, brain development and many more (Naticchioni). It is important for people to understand the effects of obesity on a child especially parents so they can give their child can have a long and healthy life. 

One of the most common issues associated with obesity in children is health. There are many health issues that are associated with childhood obesity. One of the major health issues associated with obesity is heart complications. According to the American Heart Association obese children can develop signs of heart disease and significant heart muscle deformity as early as the age of eight (Goshen Health). There was a study done in the past few years that compared the hearts of 20 obese children with the hearts of 20 normal-weight children. This study was done by Linyuan Jing, Ph.D., a lead study author, and a researcher at Geisinger Health System. Jing found that obesity was linked to 27 percent more muscle mass in the left ventricle of their hearts and 12 percent thicker heart muscles, which are both signs of heart disease (American Heart Association News). Forty percent of the children with thicker heart muscles are at high risk for adult cardiac strain and cardiac disease because thicker heart muscles impair their hearts ability to pump. These heart complications can become even worse in adulthood and could even result in premature death (Goshen Health). It is important for children with obesity to helped instantly so they don’t end up with the complications associated with this disease. 

Heart complications are not the only problems associated with childhood obesity. Some of the complications of obesity that could be unalterable including metabolic syndrome. Childhood obesity has been linked to metabolic syndrome, which is linked to more health problems including; stroke, diabetes, heart disease and insulin resistance. Antonia Convit, M.D. professor of psychiatry and medicine at the NYU school of medicine states “We are seeing brain changes in kids with metabolic syndrome and we don’t know if this is reversible” (Diabetes in Control). Convit did a study to assess the physical changes that occurred in teenagers with metabolic syndrome and found that obese or overweight teenagers with metabolic syndrome showed changes to their brain and a lack of proficiency in the areas of math and reading. Children who are struggling with obesity are more likely to sustain this syndrome than a child of normal weight. Metabolic Syndrome is also affecting childrens academic achievement as well. Convit found that the kids struggling with their weight and moving towards have this syndrome may have lower grades, which could end up leading to lower professional academic achievement. 

Academics is very important today in society and for most careers it is required. It is important for children to succeed in academics early in life so that they don’t struggle when they get older. Childhood obesity can affect not only the health of a child but the academic achievement. Many studies have proven that there is a negative relationship between obesity and academic achievement and a positive relationship between nutrition and academic achievement. There was a study done in 2004 by a well-informed group that found that on average, overweight kindergartners and first-graders scored lower in math and reading than students who were of average weight. Two years later in 2006 this group did another study with 7,000 third graders which they tracked throughout kindergarten. The results of this study are very interesting, they found that children who were obese were more likely to repeat a grade than their classmates who maintained acceptable weight. Another interesting study was conducted by Joseph Sabia, a professor at American University in which he assessed the academics of 14-to-17-year-olds, and found that there was a negative relationship between body weight and academic achievement among White females (Sabia). Metabolic Syndrome which can be caused by childhood obesity can also affect academics. Antonio Convit M.D, found that “kids who are struggling with their weight and moving toward having MetS (metabolic syndrome) may have lower grades, which could ultimately lead to lower professional achievement in the long run"(Diabetes in Control). It is important for parents and teachers to understand the effects childhood obesity has on academics so that they can help these children with their disease and academics. 

Emotionally it can be hard for a child with obesity, especially females. Emotional ramifications are greater in females than in males and also increase as age increases (Koplan). Female girls struggling with obesity struggle to interpret and communicate their feelings appropriately and connect with their peers (Naticchioni). The social and emotional impact on some of these children can become long term. Steven Gortmaker, a Professor of the Practice of Health Sociology with a research focus on the health of children and adolescents did a seven year follow up study on women aged 16 to 24 years of age who had previously been overweight. He found that these women completed fewer years of school, earned less money, and were less likely to be married (Koplan). Not only do children struggling with obesity have emotional problems, they also can have social issues. Obese children and youth are subject to negative stereotyping and discrimination by their peers. Not only can this come from peers alone, but it can also come from adults, including parents, teachers, and even health-care providers. It is important that people, especially adults, are careful about what they say to a child who may be struggling with obesity. 

Obesity has increased dramatically in the past 30 years but why? One problem is that children today don’t even know what their own weight status is. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Health Statistics about 30 percent of kids misperceive their weight status. If a child doesn’t have the correct perception of their weight they aren’t going to take the steps to lose it (Hobson). Another reason that childhood obesity has increased is because of fast food, home environment and school environment. Many people have different thoughts on why childhood obesity has increased. Jamie Oliver a chef and activist talks about obesity and food and what’s wrong with today’s society. He talks about how 30 years ago most food was mostly local and largely fresh but now processed and full of additives and the portion size is awful (Oliver). Kids are also not being taught in school’s what kind of food is good to eat and what is bad. An example he uses to prove his case is about his friend Brittany who is only 16 years old and only has six years to live because of the food she eats. Brittany was never taught what foods are good and bad for you and what can happen if obesity takes over your life (Oliver). Not much has been done to help children in school other than Michelle Obamas Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. To help kids in the future and now, more must be done to protect children from obesity so that they can live a long and healthy life. 

The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act was created in 2010 by Michelle Obama to help improve child nutrition in the schools. After the Act went into effect many children were not happy, which makes sense because what kid wants sweat potato french fries instead of regular french fries? Kids aren’t the only ones who disapprove of this Act, some people who work in the educational system and parents even disapprove. One person who disapproves of this Healthy Act is Daren Baskt. He stated “It doesn’t mean that she should be a co-parent to your children. Make no mistake; the underlying assumption is that federal technocrats and educated individuals such as her need to act on your behalf to meet the best interests of your children” (Baskt). In some ways this argument is understandable, but at the same time if a parent doesn’t like what the school is feeding their children they can send them to school with a bagged lunch. Michelle Obama isn’t trying to be a co parent she is just simply trying to help give children the healthiest life possible to prevent or help childhood obesity. One of Baskt’s main concerns was that some of the schools were having to cut teachers’ salaries to pay for the food that is mandated by this Act (Baskt). The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act is not perfect and this is one of the areas where it needs improvement. Salaries of teachers shouldn’t have to be cut to provide healthy food to children, if the government is going to make a new law or Act especially concerning money they should at least help provide the schools with the necessities required to fulfil the Act. 

The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act is a good step in the right direction but the children need more than just healthy food at school. Teachers should be required to teach about nutrition and the right kinds of foods to eat and the consequences of not eating the healthy. By implementing nutrition into learning children will be able to take this knowledge home to their family, in hopes to change the eating lifestyle of both the child and their family. Certain ethnic minority populations, children in low-socio-economic-status families, and children in the country’s southern region are more likely to struggle with obesity than the rest of the population (Koplan). Children and parents in these regions need to be educated on nutrition and how important it is live a healthy life style to help prevent childhood obesity or to help children who are already struggling with obesity. Living a healthy and nutritional life helps prevent health and improves academic achievement (Naticchioni). All parents should want their child to live a healthy normal life and the best way for them to achieve it is by motivating their child to play outside, feeding them healthier foods and educating them. Hopefully one day not a single child across the globe will struggle, with obesity but the only way for this to happen is for all parents, teachers and health care-providers to try and help prevent it.
