Select a topic: topics include subjects that have been covered in the course thus far (e.g., substance abuse, adherence to complex medical regimens, reducing health risks to cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes).

Effects Of Obesity On The Adolescent Population

Personal identity of body image is an essential goal of development for adolescents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the recent decades, the rate of obesity has increased significantly in the United States. Over three decades, the rate of obesity in adolescents has quadrupled (ACAP, 2016). Today, the percentage of adolescents who are diagnosed with obesity has increased to 21% from 5% since the 1980s. Approximately one-third of adolescents in the United States are considered to suffer from obesity. Obesity is defined as an excess amount of body fat that is greater than 20 percent of one’s normal Body Mass Index. One of the most common eating disorders that affects the adolescent population is obesity. Studies have found that children who are overweight grow up to be obese adults and that the belief of growing into their weight is false. Teens become overweight because they consume a more significant amount of calories than burning them off. By being less active, the calories that are not being burnt accumulate and contribute to obesity. Although genetic factors may be the reason, unhealthy lifestyle choices are the main factor in becoming obese (ACAP, 2016). The American diet consists of junk and processed foods and a sedentary lifestyle; while teens are spending more hours on social media then being active contributes to the increase of overweight youth (H.C.V., n.d.). Obesity is a public health issue that is ongoing because obese adolescents are at risk of developing chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiac disease, cerebrovascular accidents, musculoskeletal and joint problems, hypertension, asthma, sleep disorders, liver/gallbladder disease, and various types of cancer.

Adolescents who are obese remain obese as they become adults; their life expectancy as adults declines as a result of complications and conditions that develop as a result of being overweight. Social debilitation, low self-esteem, and depression can also result from obesity influences, which can result in increased stress and disorders of mental health. Studies have found that compared to teens who are a healthy weight, obese teens have a higher rate of being bullied, as well as bullying from name-calling, teasing, and physical bullying (Lui, 2016).

Various environmental and genetic factors are linked to obesity in the adolescent population. Teens who grow up in low-income households are exposed to multiple stressors, resulting in higher rates of obesity. Multiple psychosocial stressors that contribute to the obesity epidemic face adolescents. By identifying the external stressors that are linked to obesity in teens, we can use that knowledge to modify or remove those factors that contribute to obesity — external stressors related to various adverse health outcomes for teens. The conditions in the home that cause stress include the influences that parents and their parenting have on the youth, exposing them to domestic violence, problems in marriage resulting in divorce, risky behaviors, child abuse, and chronic conditions within the family that add to increased strain within the family unit (Gundersen, 2015). The psychological stress creates negative influences on the teen’s well-being, setting the stage for becoming obese. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to teens becoming obese because they do not adequately cope with stressors, as manifested by eating foods that are not healthy and result in them being overweight (Gundersen, 2015). Screening for obesity in youth involves calculating the body mass index, which represents the data points for children of the same gender and age. B.M.I. percentiles that are within the 5th to 85th percentiles are within the recommended range for health; over the 85th and 95th percentiles confirm the youth being overweight. It is crucial to change behaviors in teens to prevent obesity; these changes include better food choices that promote health, increasing physical activity, and making sure they get adequate sleep. When the whole family is involved in maintaining healthy diets and being active, the teens who are at risk of being obese can find hope in losing weight (H.V.C., n.d.). Programs that are in place as a resource for overweight teens include Let’s Move, The YMCA, Kids Health, and Healthychildren.org. Many of these programs provide counseling for children, promote activities to get them exercising more often, and provide other educational support for both teens and parents to remain consistent in preventing obesity (ACAP, 2016).

It is essential for the health care provider to approach the adolescent competently and confidently, which incorporates an understanding of ethical issues related to adolescent health. There must be a balance between respecting the teen’s development aptitude for making decis