Persuasive Essay On Childhood Obesity

As years go by American weight struggle has been getting worse. People with diabetes today has more than double since 1994. While there are ways to help bring down obesity, most companies have not taken action. There are many factors to why obesity has only been increasing all these years.

Today, about one in every three children, in America, are obese or overweight. Child obesity is a health issue where a child is obese for their body mass index (BMI). A child has to be in between the eighty-fifth and ninety-fifth percentile to be considered overweight. According to (heart.org), ”The prevalence of obesity in children more than tripled from 1971 to 2011.. With good reason, childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking.” (heart.org) Child Obesity is an increasing problem in the United States due to poor nutritional habits, lack of physical exercise and an increase in availability of fast food. Child obesity also leads to long term physical and mental health problems. Although, there are many negative effects of child obesity, there are slight changes that can be made to slow or stop childhood obesity. Prevention can be managed by keeping a balanced diet and staying active.

Childhood obesity is a global health crisis and an epidemic that has drastically increased over the years. A comprehensive report from 2010, revealed forty-two million children below the age of five suffer from obesity worldwide, which is a 50% increase since 1980 (Garel, 2014; Moore, Wilkie, & Desrochers, 2017). Not only is the issue of childhood obesity a public health threat, but it is also a form of child abuse with potentially fatal consequences. However, many people do not consider childhood obesity to be a child abuse issue. As a result, this topic is hugely controversial and has attracted some heated public debate. Even more controversial is the argument that the state should intervene on behalf of morbidly obese children. People opposed to the idea that the state should interfere in such matters often argue that blame cannot be placed solely on parents when there could be other factors involved, such as an underlying medical condition or a genetic predisposition to obesity. Moreover, some argue that the 14th amendment gives parents the right to raise their children how they choose and state intervention in such cases is an overreach of government power, and there are better ways to address the problem without removing children from homes (Garel, 2014). Although there are undoubtedly other factors that contribute to the widespread prevalence of childhood obesity, studies have shown that parents are primarily to blame for the growing problem (Wolfson, Gollust, Niederdeppe, & Barry, 2015). Parents indeed have the right to raise their children how they wish, as long as their children are healthy and thriving. If a child is in harm's way or is not adequately taken care of, then by law, the state must intercede on behalf of the child. Nevertheless, parents are responsible for the health and well-being of their children. Therefore, this paper is intended to show that morbid childhood obesity is a severe and life-threatening form of child abuse worthy of state intervention when parents fail to comply with lifestyle changes and recommended medical treatments.

Childhood Obesity is a growing epidemic within Australia. Studies have shown that children who are obese during their childhood are more likely to stay obese and are at an increased risk of developing both short and long-term health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes as they transition into adult hood, (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). Important key concepts can reduce the risk of childhood obesity such as educating individuals of the risks and the detrimental factors that childhood obesity can cause if left untreated. Health care professionals such as nurses, doctors and health practitioners all play an important role

Childhood obesity poses a serious threat to the health of our nation. This generation of kids and young adults is unlike their parents. Instead of playing outside all day every day until the street lights come on; however, this generation got sick with coach potato syndrome and it struck these kids all across the nation, and it happened fast because the “U.S. childhood obesity rates are 3x greater than in 1980” (Childhood obesity). Being overweight during childhood increases the risk of developing diseases such as high cholesterol, orthopedic problems, depression and type two diabetes. However, it does not get any easier as an adult because most overweight children will likely become overweight adults. So, due to the severe consequences and publicity associated with childhood obesity, health and physical education specialists across the nation have focused their attention on strategies and solutions for reducing obesity

With the rise of cardiovascular diseases, it is the time that we create ways to incorporate more daily physical activity each day and emphasize health and nutrition with students. One approach I would take would be to warn the families of the importance’s of physical activity and good eating habits. A way to do that would be to set up a meeting where all health educators can come together to introduce fun and exciting activities that their children can participate in and present them with hard evidence of the rise of childhood obesity. Having this meeting will hopefully open parent’s eyes so they can start enforcing their child to eat better and be more active rather than having them sit behind a gaming system all day long. The goal is to hopefully make these students participate in physical activity for the rest of their lives.

What is childhood obesity you ask … Well childhood obesity is a “Serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents it occurs when a child is overweight than usual “(Barlow SE, Nd.). Helping kids with childhood obesity will help everyone in particular . Childhood obesity is very common condition on kids . We should help kids at young age with this problem . This will decrease the amount of people with health issues like diabetes,high cholesterol, and high blood pressure that could lead to death . It will also save you money for doctors , medicine for them , etc.

Obesity is defined as a disorder involving excessive body fat that increases the risk of health problems: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. Obesity is a nationwide epidemic, especially in today’s younger generation. This is caused by all the processed, fatty, fried junk food that is easily accessible everywhere. For instance, schools are promoting unhealthy eating habits by providing unhealthy lunches and allowing students to buy unhealthy junk food through vending machines and fundraising method. The government must begin financing for healthier food in schools to promote healthier eating habits as well as making unhealthy foods less accessible and healthy foods more accessible.

The percentage of children with obesity in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970s (“Healthy Schools.”). Childhood obesity is a medical condition that affects children and teenagers who contain excess body fat. This condition is very common today, having about 3 million cases per year (“Healthy Schools.”). A sign that a child is suffering from obesity is when their weight is well above the average for a child’s height and age. Today about one in five school children, ages 6-19, are obese (“Healthy Schools.”). I will be addressing the causes, health complications, treatments, controversy, and supporting obese students.

Can you imagine struggling with everyday things because you are overweight? Obesity is the condition that is characterized by excessive storage or accumulation of fat in the body. Experts have said that a leading cause of this disease in children today is the unhealthy beverages and junk food that is being offered to students in school (Ballaro and Griswold). In fact, nearly 90 percent of the public schools in the United States sell very unhealthy food for their youths to purchase (Ballaro and Griswold). As a result, the rate of obesity among children has nearly tripled over the past 4 decades (Harkin). School lunches must be controlled with healthier food options, controlled portion sizes, and a reduction in vending machines available to the students in order to help fight child obesity.

America is nearly the most obese country in the world. The obesity rate is nearly one-third the population, and the main cause is the food we eat. That means that over 100 million Americans are considered obese. In order to be labeled as obese, an individual’s body mass index (BMI) must be 30.0 or greater. BMI put simply, is a ratio of an individual’s height and weight. This extremely high obesity rate poses a problem because our society is gradually moving towards a community of immobile people with shorter life expectancy. Along with the excessive weight comes weight related diseases such as: diabetes, heart disease, gout, osteoarthritis, and possibly some cancers. How we can help reduce the obesity rate and create a society of healthy and active people is to start with helping our obese children. The national childhood obesity rate is averaged out to be 18.5%, a percentage that was up exponentially from one generation ago (“The State of Childhood Obesity”). Childhood obesity in the United States is an epidemic, and the only vaccination is proper nutrition and dieting.

Obesity is a major problem in the U.S. and many people are aware but do little to nothing to fix it. This is why schools having created in-schools activities such as physical education where students play sports such as basketball and soccer, being active. Schools should not just flat out ban junk food, schools regulate the flow and consumption of food. Student athletes are very active after and out of school as well, which is why. Athletes participate in physical sports after school.

Over the recent years, public concerns are drawn to fast growing number of children who are obese mainly caused by unhealthy eating. Child obesity lead to serious health problems and affecting mental well-being in childhood and later adult life. Therefore, healthy and balanced diets are crucial to prevent child obesity and help them to grow and develop well. In 2004, chef Jamie Oliver's Channel 4 television programme ‘Feed Me Better’ led a healthier dinner campaign to improve the low quality of food served in 80 schools. The public demanded for healthier school meals and supported for increased school meal funding. Nick Clegg, deputy prime minister, initiated the free school meals scheme. Since September 2014, all children under age of 8 attending state-funded schools in England are eligible for free hot meal at lunchtime every day. The policy is aiming to ensure that all children have chance to healthy lunch every day at school, improve children’s health, behavior, educational attainment and social skills, promote long term healthy eating habits; support families with the cost of living, and eliminate disincentives to work.

Bright, eye-catching colors, flashy logos, and happy, charismatic childhood icons don sugar-laden, fat-filled, nutritionally deficit food packages designed for young consumers. Disconcertingly, the waistbands of America’s youth continue to increase as does the bank accounts of the junk food industry moguls. Childhood obesity is on the rise as is the afflictions that accompany sizeable weight gain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “children with obesity in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970s. Today about one in five school-aged children (ages 6-19) has obesity” (“Healthy Schools,” 2017). Furthermore, childhood obesity leaves children vulnerable to experience significant and devastatingly enduring effects; these effects occur both immediately and in the child’s distant future (“Healthy Schools,” 2017). Physical, social, and psychological plights are considerable threats faced by obese youth (“Healthy Schools,” 2017). While there are numerous contributors to this childhood misfortune, directed focus needs to be aimed at changing the junk food industry’s various advertising strategies and maneuvers, employed to increase the positive association, purchase, and consumption of their unhealthy food stuffs by targeting America’s juvenile population.

Child obesity is a condition characterized by the child having too much fat in the body to an extent of his or her health being in danger. “Obesity is the result of a chronic caloric imbalance, with more calories being consumed than expended each day” (Pulgarón. Pg 18).  Childhood obesity is considered one of the most widespread issues in the United States that need to be diminished. Children have to realize that what they eat actually affects their body. If children have the habit of eating sweets and fattening foods, the chances of them being diagnosed with type II diabetes increases significantly. If a child is obese, they have the risk of being diagnosed with many other illnesses and the cost of treating these illnesses are high unless the parent has any type of healthcare. “Obesity imposes substantial negative external costs on society.It raises the risk of heart disease, type II diabetes, and cancer, and the vast majority of the costs of treating these illnesses are paid for by health insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid” (Cawley. Pg 465).  I am proposing a solution to stop the increase and also prevent childhood obesity. This proposal will consist of spreading awareness and knowledge to not only children, but also their parents about this prevailing problem, and how to prevent it. This proposal is mainly directed to elementary school children and their parents.