Controversial Topic

            Just saying the words childhood obesity draws many different public opinions. Questions, such as is childhood obesity a form of neglect and is childhood obesity a disease or illness     cause’s controversy over what childhood obesity really is.

Childhood obesity is it neglect?       

When a parent repeatedly ignores opportunities and resources to help their children maintain a healthy weight, should this be considered a form of neglect? This controversial topic raises questions, such as are parents of obese children failing to sufficiently care for their children, should the law step in and remove these children from their home, and should parents be allowed to feed their children as much as they want without consequences?

Usually child neglect is referred to as a parent or caregiver failing to provide proper medical care to a child or the child is being intentionally harmed.  Until recently, the medical community has not considered obesity a form of child neglect. The medical community has started asking questioning, such as whether or not over-feeding a child is a form of neglect and when is it acceptable to refer to an obese child as being neglected? What guidelines are in place to determine when a child’s obesity is a form of neglect? A case for neglect could be made if the child’s obese state is harming their health and caregivers refuse medical care, do not follow their physician’s instruction, or fail to monitor their child’s eating behaviors allowing the child to become ill or die from an illness related to obesity, such as heart disease or diabetes (Varness, Allen, Carrel, &  Fost, 2009).  

Is childhood obesity an illness or disease?

There has been an ongoing debate as to whether or not childhood obesity is disease, illness or condition.  Opponents disagree with those who categorize childhood obesity as a disease or illness.  Opponents see childhood obesity as a direct result of their upbringing, environment and chosen lifestyle. At one point in time obesity was a term used to describe someone’s weight and was not considered a disease, but over the years, the term obesity is now synonymous with the word disease.  There are no symptoms of obesity unlike genuine diseases which normally have symptoms; one solitary indication a person is obese is the amount of excess fat they have on their person (Allison et al., 2008).

Childhood obesity is clearly a problem in today’s society, but it is not a disease. The definition of a disease is “an abnormal condition affecting the body brought on by infection, internal dysfunction or an autoimmune syndrome” (Allison et al., 2008). Normal functioning of the body is not impaired because someone is obese unlike diseases. Obesity can contribute too many ailments and may assist in creating a disease for a person that is obese, but obesity itself is not a disease.  People who are obese can have long fulfilling lives without developing any diseases commonly associated with obesity unlike real diseases that usually shortens a person’s life expectancy or even lead to death (Allison et al., 2008).

In my opinion, obesity is a problem derived from of personal choice and not taking responsibility for their health. Poor choices, such as unhealthy dietary choices and not enough physical activity, or any physical activity at all can contribute to a person’s obesity and the downfall of their health. Obesity is the consequence of a combination of an overindulgence of unhealthy foods and a sedentary lifestyle. It is not a disease or illness.

References

Allison, D., Downey, M., Atkinson, R., Billington, C., Bray, G., Eckel, R., Finkelstein, E., Jensen, M., & Tremblay, A. (2008). Obesity as a disease: A white paper on evidence and arguments commissioned by the council of the obesity society. Obesity a Research Journal, 16(6). Doi: 10.1038/oby.2008.231 Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v16/ n6/full/oby2008231a.html

Varness, T., Allen, D., Carrel, A., & Fost, N. (2009). Childhood Obesity and Medical Neglect. Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 123(1), 399-406. Doi:10.1542/peds.2008-0712 Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/ content/123/1/399.full

Lesson Plan Reflection

Here is my lesson plan reflection.

After the presentation and upon viewing my video, I feel pleased with my presentation performance. There were a number of areas in the presentation that went well and other areas that need improvement.

In the beginning of the presentation, I felt the delivery of my material was moving at a quick pace and needed to be slowed down.  I believe my timing was off with some of the sections because of the fast pace in which I was presenting my material. Although I did feel my energy was high and I presented my material with an upbeat and positive attitude. 

In the video, I noticed I use my hands a lot and was animated when presenting the material to the class.  I don’t believe this is a negative quality, although in some instances it may be distracting to some of the participants causing them to miss important information. Preparing for any presentations in the future, I will be mindful of how much I am moving my hands.

            I thought my handouts and comparing food items to objects was a strong section of my presentation. This section allowed the participants to be involved in the class and gave them portion control knowledge. Hopefully this will increase their confidence (self- efficacy) in their ability to incorporate portion control guidelines in their family meals. I do feel I could have made this section even stronger if I had more time and had explained the objects in more detail.

            I felt my words did not flow as nicely as I would have liked. There were too many times that I said “um” and “so”. Even though some of my words were not as smooth as I would have liked, I believe I was able to make the connection between childhood obesity and portion distortion and portion control contributing to the epidemic. Including background information and health risks also assisted me in making this connection.

All in all, I worked hard to organize my presentation and make it relatable to everyone and feel the material was represented well. In future presentations, I need to work on slowing down my speech and reducing my hand movements. Overall, I am very satisfied with my presentation.

Healthy Eating Habits

Healthy Eating Habits for Children

It is essential we teach our children how to eat properly; to help them avoid falling into food pitfalls and traps which can lead to the child becoming overweight or obese.  It is important to speak with our children about food choices in order to open the lines of communication and allow us to help our children choose their foods wisely.

Tips to healthy eating

• Children look up to their parents and caregivers and will learn from example so take time to interact with your child through cooking, grocery shopping and eating together.
• Not all children will like the same food so change things up and serve a variety of foods, let them choose a different vegetable or fruit to try and change the way in which the food is served.
• Have them try something new in small bit size servings to introduce them to new healthy foods.
• Teach your children how to recognize when they are full and when they should stop eating.
• Decide on a time to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner as stick to this schedule as close as possible.
• Teach them to fill their plate with healthy portioned amounts of food using the My Plate model.
• Encourage children to ask questions about where their food comes from and how it is processed or made.

(ChooseMyPlate.gov, n.d)

Knowledge is a key component to helping our children choose their food and meals wisely. 

Knowledge is Power!

Reference

ChooseMyPlate.gov. (n.d.). Develop Healthy Eating Habits Retrieved from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/preschoolers/healthy-habits/know-when-they-had-enough.html