Childhood Obesity Research Paper
Hawai’i Pacific University
THE RISING COST OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY
The relationship between income and childhood obesity
Barbara Can
Ms. Amber Leonard
WRI 1200
Mar 1, 2011
Just take a short drive down any main street in a popular city and you will drive past no less than eight fast food restaurants and three convenient stores within a couple of blocks from each other. If that is the route driven on your way home every day from work and you don’t feel up to making a home cooked meal, what do you think your family will be eating that night. It is sometimes cheaper to buy a cheeseburger off of the value menu rather than cooking one at home. Fast food is a large reason why childhood obesity takes place. Fast food restaurants do not only aim to attract tired parents but also aim to gain those who obtain low and high incomes with their reasonable, in-budget, menu prices. The fast food industry knows this and has placed themselves in high traffic areas so they can capitalize on tired and hard working parents. There are many reasons for childhood obesity, one of which is poverty; income levels significantly impacts obesity amongst children in a variety of ways. Food insecurity happens when children do not have proper access or have limited access to nutritionally sound foods. In limited income houses, children tend to live in food insecure homes where food may be scarce or diets altered (Gundersen), poverty produces food insecurity Childhood obesity is a rising health problem, if gone untreated it can be life threatening. Obesity can lead to diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, sleep apnea, low self esteem and discrimination just to name a few problems. While there are many health and mental issues an obese child might go through, a good question to ask, that many people think to themselves while witnessing such a disease, would be how exactly did they get that way? There are many reasons a child could become obese, but a very significant
THE RISING COST OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY
The relationship between income and childhood obesity
Barbara Can
Ms. Amber Leonard
WRI 1200
Mar 1, 2011
Just take a short drive down any main street in a popular city and you will drive past no less than eight fast food restaurants and three convenient stores within a couple of blocks from each other. If that is the route driven on your way home every day from work and you don’t feel up to making a home cooked meal, what do you think your family will be eating that night. It is sometimes cheaper to buy a cheeseburger off of the value menu rather than cooking one at home. Fast food is a large reason why childhood obesity takes place. Fast food restaurants do not only aim to attract tired parents but also aim to gain those who obtain low and high incomes with their reasonable, in-budget, menu prices. The fast food industry knows this and has placed themselves in high traffic areas so they can capitalize on tired and hard working parents. There are many reasons for childhood obesity, one of which is poverty; income levels significantly impacts obesity amongst children in a variety of ways. Food insecurity happens when children do not have proper access or have limited access to nutritionally sound foods. In limited income houses, children tend to live in food insecure homes where food may be scarce or diets altered (Gundersen), poverty produces food insecurity Childhood obesity is a rising health problem, if gone untreated it can be life threatening. Obesity can lead to diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, sleep apnea, low self esteem and discrimination just to name a few problems. While there are many health and mental issues an obese child might go through, a good question to ask, that many people think to themselves while witnessing such a disease, would be how exactly did they get that way? There are many reasons a child could become obese, but a very significant
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