Childhood Obesity Epidemic Essay

“America’s favorite drug: kid tested, government approved.” (Soechtig). Childhood obesity is an ongoing disease that over the last thirty years has grown at a startling rate. The problem with childhood obesity is that is it not fully understood as it is believed to be a disorder with multiple causes such as environmental factors and lifestyle preferences, with the cultural environment playing a pivotal role in its rising prevalence worldwide. Since there are sadly so many environs that play a dominant role in contributing to childhood obesity such as the home, school, and the surrounding community, through research, a myriad of solutions have arisen to solve the “epidemic” such as healthier school lunches, more motivation to exercise, more
community involvement, and more opportunities for children to learn healthy eating habits. Childhood obesity is when a child's weight is above the average BMI for his or her age group. The increasing development of childhood obesity is due in large part to excessive sugar intake from soda, increased portion size, and a steady decline in physical activity (Sahoo, et al.). Depressingly, childhood obesity has reached its worst peak in the last three decades as children are exercising less, and failing badly at food consumption control, leading to multiple health and emotional issues in early adolescence. Childhood obesity is a not just a condition affecting children and adolescents. Rather, it has many long-term effects associated with the condition.

It's found its heaviest generation with kids five to seventeen years old (McMurray). It’s been a growing problem for decades with the steady increase in fats, sugar, portion size at home and in restaurants (McMurray). However, society needs to understand that obesity isn't only caused by greasy, fattening food or lack of exercise. Childhood obesity can be caused by genetics through parents and a “chunky” family tree, or influenced by certain diseases or body conditions a child may have (Karnik). There are no winners in the childhood obesity epidemic.
I cannot imagine anybody ever benefiting from childhood obesity other than doctors and specialized experts who help in assessing the needs of affected children and their parents, or the stores and restaurants that offer the unhealthy food for purchase. One of the main contributors to obesity in children is the fact that fresh produce tends to be more expensive than the average junk food snack. Unbelievably, the main enablers of childhood obesity are whomever a child lives with whether it is parents, grandparents or some other legal guardian (Smith). Also, schools have a part to play, as they often offer many unhealthy options from which to choose including pizza, nachos, and cookies instead of fresh fruits, salads, and vegetables. Most people need an incentive to make a change to their daily lives, so government has installed some national policies to decrease the incidence of childhood obesity through fiscal policies which include taxing unhealthy food options, increasing the distribution of inexpensive healthy foods, and investing in convenient recreational facilities that improve the esthetic quality of neighborhoods
(Sahoo).
Nobody would ever intentionally want to be a contributing factor to obesity. However, many places tend to indirectly be contributing to children's health. One simple change that could improve children's health is creating kids’ meals at restaurants by adding healthier side options instead of food that just “tastes good” (Smith). Yet as a society, we need to take a step back and remember that childhood obesity is caused by many so many factors besides children’s food choices—from disease and genetics to emotional health problems, children's living situation, parents’ choices, and a lack of physical activity. Aside from the causes of childhood obesity there are many shocking effects that come as a package deal.
While childhood obesity seems like a simple personal problem, it has a direct effect on society, the environment, the economy and the children both directly and indirectly associated with it. First off, the children who suffer from obesity have multiple health issues along with the emotional pain of feeling worthless and immovable (Soechtig). Next, the effects on the environment from obesity include incessant parent-child interactions at home focused on eating healthier foods, plus schools’ need for interceding in pushing more healthy and natural food choices for lunch, plus a need to get kids outside longer for more exercise. The effects on communities include budgetary spending to make food more affordable and outside play areas more accessible (Karnik). The effects of obesity on the economy include the depressing possibility that children growing up obese tend to be obese as adults, causing many to be unable to work need welfare and other governmental programs (Smith). Some regulations have been put into place to help fight obesity such as improving transportation, land use, education, agriculture, and economics, providing access to healthier food options, building bike paths, walking paths, and playgrounds to promote exercise everywhere.
(Karnik).