Disparities in Childhood Obesity in Low Socioeconomic Status and
Racial/Ethnic Populations: An analytical literature review
Kimberly Hutapea1
1Dept. of Nursing, STIKes Rajawali, Bandung, Indonesia
[email protected]
Abstact
Introduction: Since childhood obesity is linked with an increased risk of obesity in adulthood, obesity in children and adolescence brings a multitude of adverse health outcomes including, but not limited to cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, diabetes, some forms of cancer, hypertension, and death. This study focuses on analytical evaluation of disparities of childhood obesity in low socioeconomic status and racial/ethnic populations.
Methods: The analytical review was conducted on the literature available online focusing five dimensions for the analysis is expressed in the following points: (1) What is evel of incidence of childhood obesity in the United States, (2) What is definition of childhood obesity? (3) What are the factors that impact obesity? (4) What is the appropriate theoretical framework for research on childhood obesity? (5) What are the knowledge gaps and the recommended future research?.
Results: The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents is very alarming and needs to be addressed because this health status, being overweight/obese, has a significant and unfavorable impact on not only the health of young Americans today but also the future health of young Americans. Using the percentile categories to determine childhood obesity, there are noteworthy differences when comparing obesity rates by race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. There was no significant correlation between race/ethnicity and overweight/obese when controlling the income.
Discussion: When addressing disparities in childhood obesity it is important to understand not only the causes of obesity, but also other factors which may amplify the causes of obesity. Socioeconomic status during childhood, being male, white, has a high possibility of adiposity in adolescence. Exposure to media and marketing, the reduced access and availability of quality and affordable food products is an example of a factor that may amplify the cause of obesity.
Keywords: childhood obesity, socioeconomic status, ethnic population.
The Disparities in Childhood Obesity in Low Socioeconomic Status and Racial/Ethnic Populations: An analytical literature review
