Obesity in Children

Obesity is when your body stores unused energy (kilojoules) as body fat. The reasons for childhood obesity include unhealthy food choices, family eating habits, lack of physical activity, spending a lot of time on sedentary pursuits, overweight parents and genetic factors.

The statistics shows, in Australia, one in five children and adolescents are either overweight or obese. The numbers of overweight children aged 7–15 are almost doubled from 1985 to 1995 and the numbers of obese children have more than tripled. However, obesity is a serious medical conditions not only in Australia but also in many other countries.

Some changes of life style are making worse of the obesity problem. For example, Energy-dense foods and drinks are more popular, the use of cars has increased. These changes have led to people either eating more or becoming less active, all of which has contributed to an increase in overweight and obesity.

Potential health problems for obese children include: type 2 diabetes , eating disorders , sleep apnoea, cardiomyopathy and so on.

Social problems for obese children and adolescents Obesity can have a major impact on how children feel about themselves and how they interact with others. Obese adolescents are more likely to have low self-esteem, which may impact on other aspects of their lives such as the development of friendships and competency at school.

Go to your doctor to get some help and suggestion.

Summary and Personal Reflections of ' it's not just what you eat'

Briffa, J 21 July 2010 'It's not just what you eat' in The Epoch Times.

Notes:

*eat for fat loss and eat food off smaller plates
*some of us can be prone to overeating when food supply is plentiful
*people can get more satisfaction by putting a dish on a smaller plate and to make it look bigger
*food presentation is important

Summary:

This is an advice about how to eat for loss fat. People know if we reduce our calorie intake, we can lose weight. However, some of us can be prone to overeating when food supply is plentiful. A recent study shows that food presentation is important. People can get more satisfaction by putting a dish on a smaller plate and to make it look bigger. That is, we can eat less by using a smaller plates.

Personal Reflections:

I am always prone to overeating when I have a buffet or a rich dinner, so it is hard for me to lose my weight. Now there is a useful way to keep fit, which is eating on a smaller plates. I think it is amazing.

Summary and Personal Reflections of "TAFEs to offer degrees"

Craig N & Dow S, August 22,2010 "TAFEs to offer degrees" THE SUN-HERALD

Notes:

*TAFEs offer bachelor degrees
*TAFE become a higher-income education provide
*TAFE students pay more for their degrees than university students
federal government subsidises only university degrees
*TAFE degrees give poor and regional students better access to higher education
*help students from low socio-economic areas get the degrees they deserve
*help the federal government achieve its goal to increase the number of people aged 25 to 34 with a degree

Summery:

TAFEs institutes are going to offer a limited number of bachelor degrees and to become a higher-income education provider. This plan would give poor and regional students better access to higher education, and help them get the degrees they deserve. It also would help the federal government achieve its goal to increase the number of people aged 25 to 34 with a degree. However, TAFE students have to pay more for their degrees than university students because the federal government just subsidises university degrees.

Personal Reflections:

It is a fantastic news for TAFE will offer bachelor degrees because it will help more students to achieve their goals. I also believe that TAFE could become a higher-income education provider because there are many high-caliber and responsible teachers in TAFE. However, I think the government should subsidise TAFE students as well as university students.

Summary and Personal Reflections of Children 'wrongly diagnosed'

Dow S August 22, 2010 "Children 'wrongly diagn0sed'" The Sun-hearald

Notes:

*children in NSW are given diagnoses of behaviour disorder and emotional disturbance they don't have
*enrolled in special schools and support classes
*pressures on paediatricians to inflate diagnoses so kids get support in class
*special education costs sharply rose


Summery:

In recent years, many children in NSW have been diagnosed of behaviour disorder and emotional disturbance which they don't have. Three separate studies also indicated that "pressures on paediatricians to inflate diagnoses so kids get support in class". As a result, special schools and support classes enrolments skyrocket and the costs sharply rose, specially in south-western and western Sydney.

Personal Reflections:

In my opinion, if too many children are being wrongly diagnosed, the special education funding assistance system might be ripped off. In the other hand, if doctors get too much pressure to diagnose children with behaviour disorder and emotional disturbance, some kids who really need to be medicated might be ignored. Therefore, it is very difficult to solve this problem.