Obesity is one of the leading causes of death in the world; in fact, it is responsible for 300,000 adolescent deaths each year. From 1980 to 2000 alone, teen obesity rates went up 10 percent. Although obesity does not seem like a big dilemma, it is a problem that’s growing every year, affecting children and their lives. Teenage obesity can result from many factors and prove hazardous to a person’s health, yet it is controllable with proper treatment and care.
Although there are many cases of teen obesity, not all of them are related. There are numerous origins behind being overweight. One of them is emotional difficulty. People who are overweight, especially females, tend to have very low self-esteem. When at a bottom point, low self-confidence can lead to depression. People who suffer from depression will often look to food for a source of relief; and more often, people will eat food full of carbohydrates, as stated in “Radical Diets Lead to Teen Obesity”. Obesity also greatly depends on dietary habits. Studies have shown that 26 percent of TV ads are commercials for junk food that affect children tremendously. Teens consume high fat and calorie products regularly. Eventually this leads to great weight gain that causes teens to look for a quick fix, more specifically, harsh dieting plans. These dietary regimens include: vomiting (also known as bulimia), skipping meals (anorexia when it is at a severe point), laxatives, etc. As if poor eating habits were not enough, over the years teens have become increasingly physically inactive. This is particularly due to the expanding technological advances of modern times. However, some reasons for obesity are involuntary. For example, a person can have an extensive history of overweight people in their family; therefore, obesity can be passed down by genetics. Obesity can even be caused by medical issues like problems with the endocrine and neurological system, or as an effect of taking medications like steroids or psychiatric medicine.
Teen obesity is a growing problem around the world, and many people fail to acknowledge the health risks that accompany it. A teen that is overweight will have an increased risk of heart disease and cardiac arrest. They can develop high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Diabetes is also one of the main diseases obese teens can develop; in fact, 150,000 overweight teens are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes due to poor nutrition and inadequate physical activity. Aside from physical health, mental health is affected as...
