Abstract
The recent past has seen childhood obesity become a major discussion subject in the medical given its unhinged increase. The current rate of increase, compared to the previous generations, has been classified as alarming by both researchers and medical experts. The adverse impacts not only affect the children but the medical field and the entire societies. The quest to address the root cause of the problem has seen researchers and medical experts collaborate with a bid to projecting the possible causes and finding a long-lasting, if not permanent solution. Among the dominant factors suspected to influence childhood obesity is parenting styles. Parenting, though superficially easy, is intricate and determines the outcome of the development process in a child. There is little room for errors as each choice that a parent makes has long-term impacts on who the child will become even in their adulthood. Unhealthy parenting invites, for instance, abnormalities like child obesity that may remain problematic throughout the life of the child. Since the parent stays with the child most of the times, and basically determine most of the developmental spheres of the children, studies have embarked on determining the effects of different modes of parenting on the overall health of the children especially with regards to obesity. These studies have focused on three major areas of parenting including parental attitudes, control, and behaviors related to child obesity and weight problems. The following comprehensive literature review looks into some of the most prominent studies on this subject from the PUBMED database with a view to examining the effect of different styles of parenting on childhood obesity.
Introduction
The literature review will attempt to answer the question, ‘What is the effect of different parenting styles on child obesity?’ which is a major concern of current medical researchers going by the abundance of literature that contemporarily characterizes the scope of research. I particularly selected this topic given that I work with a diverse range of people from various ethnic backgrounds, thus, it is relatively easy for me determine the different styles of parenting and gauge their effects on the nutritional health of the children. In particular, the effects of the parenting styles on child obesity. However, I also chose this topic since it has contemporarily become one of the most prominent issues in the medical field, and has drawn a worldwide attention. My quest to contribute to the existing body of research through expanding the knowledge base from the current studies greatly informed my choice of this topic.
Summary and Critique of the Articles
See the appendix section.
Summary and conclusions