Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity in America is a growing disease that has become
an epidemic that has lasting psychological effects. Because of advertisement of fast
food, lack of physical activities, and parental control, food has become a major health
issue in many adolescents lives today. According to the obesity society The number of
overweight and obese children in America has increased at an alarming rate over the
past years. In the past 30 years, the occurrence of obesity in children has tripled and it
is now estimated that one in five children in the US is overweight (17%). There is no
chance of it slowing down unless action is taken. There are many factors that can
contribute to obesity in children.
A fast-food craze has swept over the country. CBS news states that Fast-food
corporations seem to be encouraging children to consume regular amounts of unhealthy
foods by giving away toys with the purchase of a child’s meal. Fast-food consumption
has heavily increased among children since 1970. The highest levels of fast-food
consumption were found in children with higher household income levels, and children
living in the South. The lowest levels were found in children living in the West, rural
areas, and those aged 4 to 8, but more than 20 percent of children in each of those
groups still reported eating fast food on any given day. The presence of obesity is
especially higher among certain populations such as Hispanic (16%), African American
(19%), Mexican Americans, and Native Americans were some studies show 35-40%.
While more children are becoming overweight, the heaviest children are getting even
heavier.
While fast food is a big contributor, these children aren’t getting the food on their
own. For parents quick and easy food is a great thing, but it is very unhealthy for your
children. There are rarely any time convenient and healthy options for busy parents.
Children tend to eat what their parents eat, these adolescents are more likely to eat at
least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day if their parents do. Poverty may inhibit
some parents from being able to provide their children with exercise and a proper
nutritional diet due to a lack of time or money. Childhood obesity is thought to not only
result from emotional problems, poor nutrition, or lack of financial resources, but also
from genetics. Genetics are a cause of obesity in children, because metabolic disorders
can be inherited. If one of a child’s parents is obese, the child has a 50 percent chance
of becoming obese as well. If both parents are obese, the child has an 80 percent
chance of becoming obese The child's behavior usually stems for their parents
behavior. Children's eating patterns develop in the early social interactions surrounding
feeding. Young children are ready to learn to eat the foods of their culture's adult diet,
and their ability to learn to accept a wide range of foods is remarkable. It is harder to
break a child's dietary habit...
