The topic that is the most significant to me from the list is childhood
obesity. It is a sensitive topic that causes people to get very heated in
discussion. Because it is a complex issue with several causes it is not
easy for some to understand. When psychological problems are
involved, people have a harder time 'figuring it out'. This is true when
discussing why people are overweight/obese. Another reason why
this is a hot topic is because children are involved. Noone wants
people talking about their children and things can get heated. Lastly,
because fast food and junk food are so promoted in many parts of the
world it has become normalized to children. When people become
comfortable with something, even if it is harmful, they can get
defensive when anyone goes against it. This is a big part of why it is
difficult to improve the issue of childhood obesity.
a This topic is extremely important to me because it is about the
well-being of children. I have my own children to worry about, but I
have always had the biggest soft spot for all children. It is our job to
protect these innocent babies from troubles they do not deserve and
may not be able to fully recover from. This problem creates life-long
health issues physical and mental. Children are not capable of making
the right choices about food and exercise. Many children are being
neglected and used as consumers by companies to push their
product. Children should be protected. This is not an issue that can
simply be blamed on parents and guardians. Although, without their
protection not much will change for the better. I feel it is my job to
speak up for the safety of children.
a When a child is tormented everyday either by family, friends, or
even their own minds it can cause them to fall into depression and
have a bad self-image. These are serious problems that can lead to
devastating conclusions. It can also feed into the cycle of searching
for comfort in food. This can lead to a child gaining more weight and
feeling hopeless. Many people carry genes that cause them to be
more susceptible to obesity. This is why some children eat the same
amount of food as another child but hold more fat. Because they see
that they are given an unfair deal it can cause them to isolate and
have a negative outlook. They may also feel that there is nothing they
can do to change it. These are some psychological effects that child
obesity can have, but there are physical health impacts that are
important to consider as well. A child suffering from obesity is at a
greater risk of respiratory failure, suffering from COVID-19, and
other health problems (Ertz & Bouhart, 2022).
a This issue is considered a pandemic. It has affected a lot of
children. Even with the knowledge there is about the facts and
dangers regarding childhood obesity, society seems to push
unhealthy habits. Stores and restaurants (especially in the U.S.) are
filled with unhealthy choices. In fact, it is hard and sometimes
impossible to find food that is actually good for you in certain areas.
Marketing is catered to children from very young ages to prefer junk
food over healthy food. The laws and corporations are not helping in
this matter either. Society is paying economically for childhood
obesity with it straining healthcare systems. Therefore, this issue
impacts and is impacted by society (Ertz & Bouhart, 2022).
a Many concepts from this psychology course are connected to this
topic. To try to understand childhood obesity we may question the
cause of the disease. The causes are from nature and nurture as I
previously discussed (chapter 1.4). In nature genes play a part in why
these certain children are obese and may have a hard time physically
and mentally. In nurture or environment culture has a big effect on
how children are taking care of their bodies with food and exercise.
There are more processed foods and less exercise. Another concept
that can help us understand this issue is positive and negative
reinforcements. How a child associates with food through the ways it
is presented in times of behavior and thoughts (good or bad) can
affect their food habits. For example, if a child is throwing a tantrum
and a parent or guardian gives them candy, they may associate that
candy with feeling better. Just like when the child gets older and they
have negative feelings they may turn to sugary foods to cope.
a To help with the childhood obesity issue the concepts from this
course that will help are having a growth mindset to help the child
improve and for people to develop their emotional intelligence. When
people have a higher emotional intelligence, they are working
towards helping children heal. Instead of placing judgement, there
should be compassion and empathy to understand that this issue is
complex. There is no easy fix and there is a lot of psychological
factors that must be considered. With this in mind there can be a
positive change towards social justice for these children who are
suffering from something that they are too young to understand and
control.
References
Ertz, M., & Le Bouhart, G. (2022). The Other Pandemic: A Conceptual
Framework and Future Research Directions of Junk Food Marketing
to Children and Childhood Obesity.
Journal of Macromarketing
,
42
(1),
30–50. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1177/02761467211054354
