1.

0 INTRODUCTION Overweight and obesity are defined by the WHO as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to an individuals health. Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer and while it was once an issue only in high income countries, overweight and obesity has now dramatically risen in low- and middleincome countries. Such countries are now facing a "double burden" of disease, for while they continue to deal with the problems of infectious disease and under-nutrition, they are also experiencing a rapid upsurge in chronic disease risk factors such as obesity and overweight, particularly in urban settings. Under-nutrition and obesity often exist side-by-side within the same country, the same community and even within the same household and this double burden is caused by inadequate pre-natal, infant and young child nutrition followed by exposure to high-fat, energy-dense, micronutrient-poor foods and lack of physical activity.

1.1 BACKGROUND

Childhood obesity is a condition where excess body fat negatively affects a child's health or wellbeing. As methods to determine body fat directly are difficult, the diagnosis of obesity is often based on BMI. Due to the rising prevalence of obesity in children and its many adverse health effects it is being recognized as a serious public health concern. The term overweight rather than obese is often used in children as it is less stigmatizing. In order to prevent or reverse obesity in children it is necessary to perform a population wide reassessment of the calorie intake as well as activity recommendation due to the sedimentary lifestyle of children nowadays.

1.2 PURPOSE

The purpose of this assignment is to analyse how a children lifestyle and cultural influences has been an underlining factor in causing their medical condition. We will be looking at their lifestyle and the environment in which they live in, how statistically trends have influenced the healthcare provision, the structure in healthcare systems involved and their contribution. We will be looking specifically at Childhood Obesity.

Obesity is a condition in which excess fat has accumulated in the body and an individual has a Body Mass Index of over 30 in adults (Oxford, 2008). The World Health Organisation (2007) defines Body Mass Index (BMI) as a simple index of weight-height ratio that is commonly used to classify underweight, overweight and obesity in adults. However, in children over the age of 5 this is adjusted to take into account their age and gender and healthcare professionals now more commonly use the term percentile which uses a percentage of the overall BMI.

1.3 SCOPE Childhood obesity is growing at an alarming rate in the Malaysia. Today, nearly one in three children are overweight or obese in Malaysia. Children are spending less time being active than in the past. Eating out more, especially at fast food restaurants, can lead to an increase in obesity. With so much food advice out there, knowing what is true and what is false can be very confusing. This report will focus on Course of Obesity among Rate Children in SKBB at Age of 6 to 12years old. We want to know of Obesity among Rate Children in SKBB at Age of 6 to12 years old. The data was collected on May 2013. The respondents were randomly selected among the parents. The instrument which has been used to collect the data was questionnaire.

1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT Childhood obesity is becoming an increasingly large problem in the Malaysia. The epidemic of obesity and associated diseases poses a serious public health challenge worldwide. A major concern is the dramatic and continuing increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Overweight and obesity in childhood have significant effects on both physical and psychosocial health with both short and long term adverse effects. Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnoea and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem. Lastly obese youths our more likely than youth of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and therefore more at risk for associated adult health problems, including heart disease, Type II diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Across the United States, childhood obesity and lack of physical activity continue to impact both the current and future health of our children.