Why is this a hot button topic?
Childhood Obesity is a Hot Topic for the mere fact that we are raising
our children in an unhealthy manner, and leading down a path of
lifelong illnesses.
Why does it matter to you?
This Hot Topic of Childhood Obesity concerns me because I see what
parents put into their shopping carts. And I see how children can't run
and some have a hard time walking or doing simple activities.
• How does this hot button topic affect individuals?
This topic affects children and their families, it can cause
psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Low self-
esteem and lower self-reported quality of life. Social problems such
as bullying and stigma.
• How does this hot button topic affect society?
As children age and reach adulthood, discrimination can follow with
the stigma of not being able to perform their job duties for underlying
health concerns. Having a lower quality of life, possible shorten life
span.
• How would you use some of the psychological concepts from
this course to understand these issues?
Understanding the family structure, understanding neighborhood
surroundings, social connections. Educational level, teaching how to
improve self esteem, “Knowledge through Education,” “Role Models,”
“Fat is Bad,” and “Mixed Messages.” The implications of these
findings and considerations of the methodology are discussed in full
(AmyL. Fielden, Elizabeth Sillence & Linda Little 2011).
• How does this hot button topic apply to any of the following
programmatic course themes:
o Self-care
Childhood Obesity is self-care, children depend on their parents and
how they are raised. Parents are the beginning of teaching children
"self-care", after all parents are role models and children mimic what
they see in observation this is how humans start the learning process.
Reference:
1. AmyL. Fielden, Elizabeth Sillence & Linda Little (2011)
Children's understandings’ of obesity, a thematic analysis,
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-
being, 6:3, DOI: 10.3402/qhw.v6i3.7170
