Childhood Obesity: A Big Problem Today

Obesity continues to be a problem in the United States. With obesity rates on the rise something must be done to prevent this massive issue. Seventeen percent of children and adolescents about 12.5 million are obese (Diet). Obesity is the result of a rise in fat that accumulated over time due to the lack of exercise and having a calorie surplus due to unhealthy food. An adult with a BMI (body mass index) higher than 30% is considered to be obese (Obesity). There isn’t a direct focus on obesity, because people don’t think it’s an important issue. To ensure a better future, solution is needed now. The solution to ending the obesity epidemic by encouraging a healthier lifestyle on children at young ages, improving nutrition at schools and restaurants, as well as providing more time and space for citizens to get physically active.

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. More than one third of children are overweight. This figure is increasing rapidly. This epidemic puts children at risk for various health problems such as type two diabetes and heart problems. Although they are several risk factors for obesity, parents play a significant role in this issue. This paper will look into how parents are influential to their children, how they contribute to this problem and how they may help fight the fight against obesity. Obesity is a very serious problem and there are solutions that parents can apply to help their children lead a healthy lifestyle. Obesity does not only affect a person physically, but mentally and psychologically as well.

Obesity in America is literally a growing problem, affecting every age group. Children are the most venerable group because they have no control over where they have dinner or how often they have fast food. Parents and guardians make decisions about food and are responsible for the health of children. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in the last twenty years. This is concerning because Type Two diabetes is a horrible, crippling disease that is affecting children and teens dramatically whereas the disease was primarily seen in adults. Children are said to have a shorter life span than their parents for the first time ever. In the United States sixty-six percent of adults are overweight and one in

The new generation continues to increasingly fall under obesity’s evil spell. Although many Americans recognize that their children are obese, they fail to accept that this is an epidemic that should be controlled and given dramatic attention to. Research suggests that childhood obesity in the United States has doubled in the past decade. Despite the fact that we have necessary resources to control these statistics, Americans continue to expose their youngsters to unhealthy and fattening meals. It is no joke that America is the fattest nation in the world. Thus, preventing this serious issue should be perceived as a life-or-death situation where if we fail to control it, many more overweight children will grow up to be obese adults in the future.

Obesity has become an increasing issue in the United States and all around the world. The study that I read about analyzed data from 68.5 million persons to assess the trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adults between 1980 and 2015 (The GBD 2015 Obesity Collaborators. 2017.). Children learn lifestyle choices from the adults that are around them. We, as adults, influence children on a variety of things, such as; eating or sleep patterns, exercise, or how we act towards situations or people. It is important to set a good example for the younger generations so that we can thrive in the future.

Childhood obesity is a huge problem facing America today. It’s like an epidemic, spreading across America at alarming rates. Just in the past 30 years, childhood obesity rates have more than doubled among children and quadrupled among adolescents. Today, it has been estimated that one in every six children or adolescents is obese ("Childhood Obesity Facts”). And if things don’t change soon, those numbers will just keep rising. This isn’t a problem that we can leave up to children to deal with themselves. Parents and adults need to take responsibilities for children’s health and futures. Children or adolescents who have a body mass index of over 30 are considered to be obese. Too much body fat can lead to many negative

In 2012 CDC statistics show that “over 35 percent of adults and 32 percent of children in the United States of America are recorded as obese (30kg/m2), the obesity rate has doubled since 1971.1” Not only is epidemic growing in numbers of victims but also in expenses. The United States spent 147 billion dollars in 2008 on medical expenses costs and that does not include the programs that fight against the problem. “In 2003 over 300,000 died due to obesity related health problems, diseases and cancers.6” One of the most important battles we wage on American soil is the war for citizens to be fit, and it nearly always starts in the childhood. Since 1971 the problem of childhood and adult obesity started to grow annually due to many reasons related to our ways of living. Now the food industry, including fast food has been getting more and more unhealthy due to unnatural modifications. What Americans eat is not organic anymore and is taking its toll on American lifestyle. The fast food industry has been making advertisements and foods focused upon youth. Since the original commercials directed towards children, it has nearly tripled since the rise of technology. Technology has been growing rapidly as obesity is, statistics show that with the advancement of technology, the population starts to slow down, stop exercising and eating healthier foods. As long as there is childhood obesity, there will be adult obesity, with effects on children causing obesity, there will be a

Obesity is becoming an increasing problem with children in America. The obesity rate among children and adolescents have been greatly increasing in the last thirty years. “In 1976, about 7% of children and 5% of adolescents were obese, with a body mass index (BMI) in the 95th percentile; in 2000, over 15% of both groups had become obese.” Nearly one third of American children were obese by 2000.

Childhood obesity is the constant build up of excessive fats that impair the health of a child. When children are obese, they have high cholesterol and high blood pressure that threatens their lives with CVD. It also causes extreme breathing problems, joint problems, and an increase in contracting type 2 diabetes. Nearly one in three kids in the United States is obese and that is more than triple the amount from the 1960’s. Childhood obesity is taking control of many kid’s lives throughout the country, and they need help (Par, 1-2). Childhood obesity has had a dramatic increase over the past fifty years due to many low budget families and cheap fast food. This makes it more convenient for families to buy their products. The government has taken part in trying to reduce this epidemic by doing a number of things. To start off, they have promoted better eating habits, and enforcing the younger ages to not eat fast food as much as they do now. The first lady, Michelle Obama, has put childhood obesity at the top of her list of problems in the Unites States. Let 's Move, “a federal program intended to increase the rates of physical activity among children and educate them about nutrition and proper eating” (Par. 3), was launched by Michelle in 2010. This is one prime example of how the government is helping fight this epidemic. Also, the FDA and the USDA have brought together some health and marketing experts. According to the experts, a guide with a set of principles

Childhood obesity is an unmet problem all throughout the world, including in the United States of America. According to Greg Critser, a writer of medicine and science, in his excerpt, "Too Much of a Good Thing," childhood obesity is a growing health issue and has been for over a decade. He claims that approximately one quarter of all Americans under the age of nineteen are overweight (161). However, Critser states that parents are not to be blamed for childhood obesity because "a child restrained from overeating will either rebel... or suffer such a loss of self-esteem that a lifetime of disastrous eating behavior will follow" (161). He also points out how the stigmatism of being weighty can be reduced by stigmatizing unhealthy eating behaviors (161). Using a study by Pennsylvania State University on the eating habits of children, Critser displays how three-year-olds ate generally the same amount of food each serving, while five-year-olds consumed all that was on their plate (161). In addition, Critser claims, while parents believe children have the right to choose their own poor nutritional decisions, fast-food chains, such as McDonalds, spend a billion dollars a year to influence families to eat at their chains (162). By providing examples of stigmatisms for unhealthy behaviors in his essay, Critser effectively proves that childhood obesity can be expelled if people are willing to take the proper steps to do so.

The big problem with society today is child and teen obesity. Obesity is when a person is able to gain weight easily and is not easy to get rid of it.A child is not considered obese unless there weight is 10 percent higher than a kid the same age.Children who are obese when younger normally stay obese when they become adults unless if they actually try to start a diet or start exercising. The reason this is a big problem today is that there are 12.7 million children in the United States that are obese.This problem is very easy to find in children and teens but is very difficult to treat. Obesity is caused by genetic biological and behavioral factors.obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body can burn off. If a child’s parent

Childhood obesity is a growing problem that needs to be resolved. Many people may say it is the Child’s fault, he is weak willed. This is just a common misconception; there are hundreds of different reasons for childhood obesity. I will just be scratching the surface of this paper. By the same token childhood obesity is a growing problem that needs to be resolved. We can achieve this by understanding some common misconceptions, understanding health problems, and understanding fitness.

In order to impede the epidemic of childhood obesity, the actual causes of the problem need to be evaluated and dissected. Obesity in children is becoming a huge problem in American society. In the past three decades, the rate of overweight children has increased by 300%. This is an alarming rate that is only climbing higher. Every member in society should take steps to becoming healthier. This would help the present generations as well as future generations to come. The lifestyle of Americans keeps us too busy to be a healthy society.

“Parental behavioral patterns concerning shopping, cooking, eating and exercise have an important influence on a child’s energy, balance and ultimately their weight” said diet specialist, Anne Collins (“Childhood Obesity Facts”). Childhood obesity has more than tripled since the 1980’s (“Childhood Obesity Facts”). Childhood obesity often leads to obesity as an adult which can put a person at greater risks dealing with the heart, diabetes, and many other obese related diseases. People want to blame the schools and today’s technology for childhood obesity, in reality, the responsibility lies in the hands of their parents.

"Today, about one in three American kids and teens are overweight or obese; nearly triple the rate from 1983. With good reason, childhood obesity is now the Number 1 health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking. If current trends continue, today’s kids could be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents" (Clinton, para. 3 2011).