Childhood obesity
Detrimental Effects of Fast Food on Children
Imagine young children walking to Burger King after being released from school. This is a place that makes millions of dollars a year by selling high calorie foods. Picture a world where obesity is killing more people than smoking itself. Suppose that I told you this world isn’t your imagination but it’s a world we are living in today? Many people find that fast food is convenient due to its availability and low price. But while the food is readily accessible, it’s not healthy at all. Thanks to advertisements, lack of exercise, and parental control, childhood obesity is a problem that has become rampant and contributes to long-term health issues in many young children on a yearly basis.
The childhood obesity epidemic is a serious public health problem that increases morbidity, mortality, and has substantial long term economic and social costs (Impact of Food Advertising on Child Obesity, 2014 )Some children who are obese face many health problems such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and liver disease. Children that are obese at a young age will usually be obese their whole lives.
Exposing children to fast food is creating a terrible eating habit that will probably follow them their whole lives. It’s not only fast food that hurts them, but it’s also what they eat at home. For children, who do not understand the health consequences of their eating habits, junk foods may appear especially appetizing (Fleck, 2014). According to the Women’s and Children’s Health Network, junk food has a significant effect on children’s study habits. Junk food and foods with high sugar content consume energy levels and the ability to concentrate for extended periods of time (Fleck, 2014). Subsequently, it is not healthy for children to be exposed to high calorie and fatty snacks at home.
The White House and four U.S. agencies has suggested terminating the promotion of junk-food to
Imagine young children walking to Burger King after being released from school. This is a place that makes millions of dollars a year by selling high calorie foods. Picture a world where obesity is killing more people than smoking itself. Suppose that I told you this world isn’t your imagination but it’s a world we are living in today? Many people find that fast food is convenient due to its availability and low price. But while the food is readily accessible, it’s not healthy at all. Thanks to advertisements, lack of exercise, and parental control, childhood obesity is a problem that has become rampant and contributes to long-term health issues in many young children on a yearly basis.
The childhood obesity epidemic is a serious public health problem that increases morbidity, mortality, and has substantial long term economic and social costs (Impact of Food Advertising on Child Obesity, 2014 )Some children who are obese face many health problems such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and liver disease. Children that are obese at a young age will usually be obese their whole lives.
Exposing children to fast food is creating a terrible eating habit that will probably follow them their whole lives. It’s not only fast food that hurts them, but it’s also what they eat at home. For children, who do not understand the health consequences of their eating habits, junk foods may appear especially appetizing (Fleck, 2014). According to the Women’s and Children’s Health Network, junk food has a significant effect on children’s study habits. Junk food and foods with high sugar content consume energy levels and the ability to concentrate for extended periods of time (Fleck, 2014). Subsequently, it is not healthy for children to be exposed to high calorie and fatty snacks at home.
The White House and four U.S. agencies has suggested terminating the promotion of junk-food to
References: Corporate Accountability International. (2014). COUNTERING FAST FOODS HEALTH EFFECTS. Retrieved from http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/countering-fast-foods-health-effects Fit Day. (2013). Fast Food Nutrition: Junk Food’s Effect On Your Body. Retrieved from http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/fast-food-nutrition-junk-foods-effect-on-your-body.html#b Fleck, Alissa. (2014). How Junk Food Affects Children. Retrieved from http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/junk-food-affects-children-5985.html Fox News. (2013). Fast Food restaurants are doing little to promote healthy options for kids. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/11/08/fast-food-restaurants-doing-little-to-promote-healthy-options-to-kids/ Healy, Melissa. (2014). Fast food isn 't making our kids fat. It 's the rest of their diet. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-fast-food-child-obesity-20140116,0,5246333.story#axzz2r5Tzr2nI McLaughlin, August. (2014). Detrimental Effects of Fast Food on Children. Retrieved from http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/detrimental-effects-fast-food-children-2635.html