Nursing 3110: Child Obesity

Running head: Child Obesity
Child Obesity
(Name)
(University) Running head: Child Obesity
Nursing 3110: Epidemiology Paper
Asha Bali
Student #: 300111811
Douglas College
Author Note
Asha Bali, Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program, Douglas College
This paper is submitted May 11, 2011 to Susan Hammond in partial fulfillment of
Nursing 3110: Health III Teaching & Learning, Section #002.
Introduction
Obesity is a health problem that has reached international proportions. In fact, this condition has raised awareness among different health organizations, health personnel and even the public. Obese people have more than normal Body Mass Index (BMI) and fat distributions. In the social context, obese people become subject to social seclusions. More seriously though, obese people are subject to higher risks of deadly diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and even cancers (Pischon, Nothlings & Boeing, 2008).
An escalating problem in many countries around the world today is the incidence of child obesity. The increase in child obesity cases has caused alarm to different health organizations. Obesity in childhood entails a potential for the condition to persist until adulthood (Watson-Jarvis et al., 2011). Child obesity therefore increases the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes in adolescents and further, in adulthood.
This paper will compare the prevalence of child obesity in the United States and Canada. The factors that contribute to this condition will also be presented. Community nursing actions will also be recommended. In the end, obesity rates were found to be higher in the United States than in Canada.
Prevalence of Child Obesity in the United States and Canada
Child obesity has been observed in epidemic proportions most especially in developed countries Mendeley Citation{7bbe8da1-1d89-4fba-bbbe-d650b0c8e957} Prev:{(Dehghan, Akhtar-Danesh, & Merchant, 2005)}(Dehghan, Akhtar-Danesh, & Merchant, 2005). Thus, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom are in the forefronts of countries with the highest prevalence of child obesity. Comparisons between prevalence rates in the United States and Canada revealed that there is a higher prevalence of obesity in American children (Phipps et al., 2005).
Certain studies have compared the difference in childhood obesity prevalence rates in different countries around the world. Studies revealed that the United States has a higher prevalence rate for obesity compared to Canada (Phipps et al., 2005). The prevalence rate of obesity in Canada was 16.1% while in the United States, the prevalence rate was 20.7% (Phipps et al., 2005).
Phipps et al. (2005) also correlated the prevalence of child obesity to poverty. The results of poverty patterns were also the same, with Canada gaining a lower rank than the United States. In the study, the authors concluded that poor children in Canada and the United States have a greater extent of becoming obes...