First Name:
Meghan
Last Name:
Kusper
Major Department:
Cell and Molecular Biology
Thesis Director:
Rebecca Battista
Date of Thesis:
May 2013
In the United States, 16.9% of children ages 2-19 years of age are classified as obese, indicating a health concern for their future as being obese increases the risk of developing adult like risk factors for chronic disease such as hypertension, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia in young children. This analysis explains the impact of physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet, and psychosocial factors on childhood obesity, as well as discusses other risk factors, such as race, socioeconomic status, sex, and neighborhood factors and their suggested relationship to childhood obesity. The high prevalence of childhood obesity and related adult like risk factors in the Southeast and North Carolina specifically, are also described. The prevalence of risk factors for chronic diseases in children is presented, and the likely progression of these risk factors to chronic disease, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, in adulthood is discussed. Currently, interventions are being implemented, yet have not led to a decrease in prevalence of childhood obesity, suggesting there are some limitations including lack of evidence-based protocols, discrepancies in measures of obesity, or limited follow up to determine efficacy. Nonetheless, there is a need to understand childhood obesity and monitor trends, determine causes and risk factors, and develop effective interventions in order to prevent children from developing adult like chronic diseases.