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The current epidemic of obesity in children that has fast become a worldwide phenomenon has attracted the attention of anthropologists. The harmful effects of obesity in children have been well documented. |
They range from unhealthy habits and potentially harmful tendencies to contract diseases to the social stigma that accompanies childhood obesity.We have seen all kinds of advertisements that make fun of children, who are obese, and this leads to a decreased sense of self worth among these children. Hence, the topic of obesity in children has been studied in detail by anthropologists who ascribe various cultural and social reasons for this obesity epidemic. The risks associated with childhood obesity that have been found by anthropologists after studying children of all age groups include a tendency to be susceptible to heart disease, coronary failure among other diseases.
The social and cultural factors that have been put forward by anthropologists show that children in advanced and industrialized countries are at a greater risk for this epidemic than the children in poorer countries and those are not as advanced as the western societies. The obvious explanation for this is the relatively advanced lifestyle that the children are exposed to in the western countries. Compared to children in the less privileged countries, children in rich countries have access to a variety of what are called junk foods and have a tendency to gorge themselves on these unhealthy food substances. Of course, the fact that genetic disposition is a causal factor is also emphasized. What is worrying to anthropologists is that children in less advanced countries are also falling prey to the obesity epidemic.
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