Final Capstone Essay: Childhood Obesity

A quick prick and the blood comes gushing out of her finger. My grandma who has a severe form of diabetes sits and measures her blood sugar level on the glucometer. She gives me a quick look and tells me to go get her clear bag with injections from the refrigerator. I dart towards the fridge and grab what looks to be a syringe and hand it to my grandma. She slowly lifts up her shirt and injects herself with clear looking medicine. At the time I did not know what she was doing so as a curious little girl I questioned what she was doing and why she was doing it.

She stated “This is what happens when you eat too much candy as a kid. Its diabetes kiddo!” I was astounded, but I still did not understand what she was trying to say. As intrusive as I was, I asked my dad what diabetes was and he told me “it’s when someone consumes an excessive amount of sugar and they cannot control their sugar intake so as a result they have to take insulin shots to regulate their sugar level. It can stem from childhood obesity, so watch what you eat”. From this point on, my curiosity sparked and has led me to my capstone idea of obesity and how it relates to children.

Obesity is a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body. The question that needs to be addressed is what are the causes of obesity and how can it be prevented among children. The latest data according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows that the national obesity rate among youth ages 2 to 19 is 18.5%.z To further investigate the issue of obesity among children, I researched how obesity impacts the body, is impacted by diseases and bodily functions, methods that are used to treat this, and how obesity is directly related to the rise in other medical issues. More children are becoming consumed by this epidemic each year as they struggle to recognize the detrimental effects of obesity on their bodies.

Overall, the research conducted regarding this issue served a greater purpose and helped to inform me about several different aspects. Obesity is a disease that can often be managed through physical activity, diet, and the appropriate use of insulin and other medications to control blood sugar levels (Kahn 1). People with obesity are at an increased risk of serious health complications including premature death, vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and amputation of toes, feet, or legs (Krushnapriya Sahoo et al. 3).

The general public is not aware of how detrimental this disease can be. This not only includes the methods that are used to treat this disease, and how obesity is directly related to the rise in medical issues (Parsons 583). The number of children that suffer from this disease increases every year. The parents are the ones that are in control of the child’s diet when they have children that are on the verge of developing obesity or have obesity (Vittrup and McClure 1). In order to secure our future, it is crucial that the parents and the small children be cognizant of the effects of obesity and take the precautions necessary so they do not develop it in the future.

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