Child Obesity Causes and SolutionsChild obesity is increasing at an alarming rate. In some cases, obesity can occur because of genetic disorders. The Prader-Willi syndrome is a form of obesity, which occurs because of abnormalities in some genes. Although genetics can contribute to children being overweight, it is often not the main cause of child obesity. Dietary changes and lack of physical activity are the main causes of child obesity. Several factors contribute to unhealthy eating. The economic situation in the country has forced many to reduce their expenses. Fast foods are generally more convenient and cheaper and more people are opting for this alternative. Fruits and vegetables, which are the healthy choices, are harder to acquire than the readily available processed foods. Processed foods have high quantities of sugar and unhealthy fats.In schools, less emphasis is put on physical education. Fewer children walk or cycle to school and this has contributed to more children being overweight. Availability of vending machines in schools is also a cause of concern. These vending machines make it possible for children to have easy access to soft drinks, which are loaded with sugar. They are relatively cheap but they are full of calories. In the home, children prefer to spend their time indoors playing indoor games. This sedentary lifestyle has contributed to the increased rates of child obesity (McCann, 2005). Increased cases of crime and lack of security, especially in low-income areas means that most parents prefer their children to remain indoors. Children do not feel secure enough to play in the parks and other open areas and so they choose to stay indoors watching television and playing video games.Parental influences can contribute to child obesity. Parental influences such as the food they prepare for their children, the length of time that they live their children unsupervised, and eating interactions greatly influence their childrens eating behavior. Studies have shown that children from single parent families are more likely to be obese than children from two parent families. This is because, with their busy life, single parents do not find the time to prepare nutritional meals for their children and will rely on fast processed foods. The children are left unsupervised most of the times when the parent is at work and they will make poor food choices when left unsupervised (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, n. d.). Parents who do not have knowledge concerning healthy lifestyle choices will not know how to direct their children and teach them good eating habits.SolutionsPeople who have obesity can use several methods to reduce their weight. Exercise cannot be overstated and it is the most important and effective solutions. For people suffering from obesity, they should not start any physical activity without supervision from a qualified health specialist. Exercise decreases body fat thereby preventing further weight gain. Apart from exercise, there are other alternatives such as medication and surgery. Weight loss drugs are readily available in the United States. Prescription drugs include amphetamines, benzphetamine, phendiraetrazine, phentermine, diethylpropion, mazindol, sibatramine and orlistat. Orlistat works by impairing digestion and absorbing the dietary fat. Sibatramine makes a person to feel more satisfied with food and it increases the use of energy (Green & Tanz, 2004). Although the drugs work, one has to stay for a while before he or she sees the results. They also have side effects such as vomiting, nausea, anxiety and depression. The side effects of using orlistat include oily stools and deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins. Sibatramine causes hypertension, constipation, insomnia, increased heart rate and dry mouth (Green & Tanz, 2004).Severely obese people with a body mass index of more than forty can choose to have surgery. The NIH has set guidelines for weight loss surgery. Only people with a high risk for obesity related morbidity and mortality, those who have failed medical therapy, have stable psychiatric status and those who are committed to lifestyle changes can undergo surgery. Surgical procedures include malabsorptive procedures such as duodenal switch, restrictive procedures such as adjustable gastric band and combined procedures such as the gastric by pass can be performed. Patients can experience complications such as bleeding (Feldman & Christensen, 2007). Other complications include wound infections, leakages, and anemia (Green & Tanz, 2004).Various governmental and non-governmental agencies have intervened to make sure that cases of obesity are reduced. They have led various campaigns in homes, schools and other institutions, where they teach people about healthy lifestyles. Most of these campaigns place more emphasis on dietary changes. This is because poor dietary habits and availability of processed foods is the main cause of child obesity. School administrators and educators have realized the benefits of physical education and most of them have included it in the curriculum. The U. S. food and beverage industries have initiated various campaigns where they are urging manufactures to reduce the calories they use in their products by replacing sugar with calorie free artificial sweeteners. The US Food and Drug Administration have been at the forefront to ensure that processed foods have nutritional value. It has required that all foods should be correctly labeled so that the consumer is aware of what he or she is taking. Moreover, they have ensured that the school feeding program contains a healthy menu and they have limited the number unhealthy soft drinks in the school. in some states, restaurants have been authorized to indicate the calorie content of their foods.References:Feldman, D. M., & Christensen, F. J. (2007). . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill ProfessionalGreen, T., & Tanz, R. R. (2004). . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill ProfessionalMcCann, B. (2005). Giving children better access to healthy choices. . Retrieved from www.activelivingresearch.org/files/childhoodobesity021105.pdf