Childhood Obesity Persuasive Essay

Imagine a world where a school aged child can step out of their school and walk into a McDonalds. A world where soda companies make millions of dollars a year by placing soda machines in schools. A world where obesity is killing more people than smoking. What if I told you this world is not in your imagination but is the world we live in today? You Can't Escape the Headlines. You Can't Avoid the Facts. Childhood obesity has reached unbelievable heights. The future health of an entire generation is at risk.
Obesity is on the rise, and it is becoming more and more of a national health concern. The increasing number of obese children and youth throughout the United States has led policy makers to rank it as a critical public health threat. (American Academy of Pediatrics 10). Healthy eating habits should begin in infancy and
Currently, obesity is the second-leading cause of preventable death, after cigarette smoking (Fuhrman 105). If our children continue to gain weight at the current rates, obesity will soon become the leading cause of death in the United States Prevention of obesity in children should be the first line of treatment. If obesity is not prevented, the cornerstone of treatment for childhood obesity is modification of dietary and exercise habits. Decreasing portion sizes, decreasing high-calorie food and drinks, and decreasing snacks are the most common dietary recommendations for obese children. A recent study done in a school setting, without parental involvement, showed that education of children about nutrition and the adverse effects of sweetened soft drinks on body weight resulted in improved food choices both at home and at school, with subsequent weight loss (Dalton 155-57). This study suggests that public health campaigns targeted at children may be an effective means of approaching this problem and, if initiated, could be the beginning of