Childhood Obesity as an Epidemic in America - Assignment Example

Week Five Questions1. Childhood obesity is an epidemic in America. What is the relationship of poor nutrition and childhood obesity to disease? Based on the information in the Week Five NGS video, “Teen Obesity and Exercise,” what role does exercise play, if any, in combating childhood obesity? What is the role of government, if any, to prevent this epidemic? Provide a rationale for your answer. Childhood obesity, Poor nutrition and Diseases have direct relationships. Poor nutrition leads towards childhood obesity which finally results in childhood diseases.

According to Pretlow (2010), childhood obesity is caused by the imbalance between the calorie intake and calorie utilized (Pretlow, p.1). Many parents have the habit of feeding their children with fatty and sweetly foods. They wanted to see their children in good health. Overweight is often visualized by them as the symbol of health. But in reality, it is not so. Even though parents are keen in feeding their children with food, they are not so in forcing the children to engage in some physical workouts to shed the excessive calorie intakes.

Exercise plays an important role in reducing childhood obesity. Karnik & Kanekar pointed out that “Lack of playtime, little or no physical education at schools, videogames and excessive TV viewing time are proposed as the major cause of the childhood obesity epidemic” (Karnik & Kanekar, p. 4). Government should implement compulsory physical education at school levels. Along with academic subjects, physical education and exercises should be made the part of curriculum. 2. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, passes through breast-feeding to 1 in 7 infants born to HIV-infected mothers.

However, in developing countries, some HIV-positive women are advised to breast-feed. Explain this advice, considering what you know about the benefits of breast-feeding. “Even in high-income countries, breastfed babies are less likely to become ill than those given replacement foods”(HIV & Breast Feeding). However, HIV mothers are normally advised to stay away from breast feeding to prevent the spreading of HIV. It should be noted that breast feeding is one of the major activities which spreads HIV among infants.

“Under exceptional circumstances, and after seeking expert professional advice on reducing the risk of transmission of HIV through breastfeeding, a highly informed and motivated mother might be assisted to breastfeed” (HIV & Breast Feeding). The merit of breast feeding against the possibility of spreading HIV is taken into the consideration while the authorities ask the HIV mothers to breast feed their children. It should be noted that breastfeeding has the ability to maintain the physical and mental health, not only of the children but also of the mothers.

Mother’s milk is most nutritious food an infant can get. Because of these facts, “women in industrialized countries who are on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) and have undetectable viral load should be advised that breastfeeding may be an acceptable option”(Should Breastfeeding be an Option for HIV Positive Women in Developed Countries?). Many studies have proved that the chances of spreading of HIV through breast feeding are negligible in the case of women who are on effective antiretroviral therapy. 3. In which stages of the lifecycle is nutrition more important?

How is the effect of nutrition on growth, development, and learning different during the various stages of life? How might current choices affect future health? Provide a rationale for your answers. Nutrition is always important; however it is more important in the case of growing children. It should be noted that the growth of intelligence, physical and mental health take place rapidly during childhood. In fact the base for future physical and mental growth is laid during childhood. Many studies have proved that the reasons for many of the physical and mental health problems during adulthood were acquired during childhood itself because of malnutrition.

So, childhood food habits can play an important role in controlling the future life of a person. Works cited“HIV & Breast Feeding”. Web. 30 August 2012. Karnik, Sameera and Amar Kanekar. “Childhood Obesity: A Global Public Health Crisis”. 2012. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, Jan2012, Vol. 3 Issue 1, p1-7. Print.Pretlow, Robert A. MD. “Overweight: What Kids Say: What's Really Causing the Childhood Obesity Epidemic”. 2010. Publisher: CreateSpace (April 24, 2010). Print.

“Should Breastfeeding be an Option for HIV Positive Women in Developed Countries?”. 2011. Web. 30 August 2012.