Childhood Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Childhood Obesity - Essay Example considered, little researched yet greatly damaging cycle these children have been caught in that provides little room for success and tremendous costs for failure. The book covers the topic of overweight children from a variety of perspectives based on results of the previously mentioned administered questionnaire, literature reviews and in-field practice. By covering the public health implications of overweight children early in the book (chapter 2) with a section written by her son, Dr. Eric Rimm with the Harvard School of Public Health, the author gets this broadly based topic out in the open and out of the way both at the same time. A discussion of why excess consumption of food and reduced levels of activity occurs as a child begins to gain weight opens the book and sets the stage for the remainder of the discussion. More than just the mathematics of more food plus less exercise equals an overweight child, Rimm goes into deeper detail to look at the emotional aspect of both of these questions. Food becomes equated with love, good times, special occasions and celebration. To deprive children of these foods automatically induces an impressi on of punishment whether that was the intent or not. At the same time, because of natural awkwardness or as the result of an increasing middle section, many of these kids are not as coordinated, quick, able or flexible as other kids, inducing a further punishment idea behind the concept of activity which further pushes them to avoid exercise. The rest of the book deals with the emotional impact of being overweight from many different angles. Explaining how being overweight can affect a child’s self-esteem, self-confidence, relationships with peers and acceptance of self, the impact this has on their academic careers as they evaluate themselves and as teachers evaluate them based on preconceived notions of the â€Å"fat and lazy† variety, exploring why these children’s interests are typically much different from the