One out of three American kids are obese. This rate has nearly tripled in the past thirty years. According to the Medical Dictionary, obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, twenty percent or more over an individual’s ideal body weight for their age and height. As we know obesity can lead to horrible things such as illness, disability, and death. To put a stop to obesity we need to start educating kids at a younger age, considering their rate is skyrocketing. Children need to be more aware of obesity, the facts and statistics, and how to avoid it and be healthy. Our job as a teacher is to promote physical activity in a classroom on a daily basis. Unfortunately, we cannot control what our students do for exercise at home or what they eat, but we can control what goes on in our classrooms, and that is the best place to start.…
For instance, sports have a big effect on the number of kids that are not a part of the great percentage of kids in America who are obese. In the article Benefits and Drawbacks of Youth Sports states, “… obesity affects so many people in the world, it is important for children to find enjoyable forms of exercise to maintain a lifelong healthy weight. “ Also, in the article What in the Name of High School Football the author states, “The greatest factor in preventing the nation’s number one killer – heart disease – is regular and vigorous exercise.” These two articles show how sports can help kids live a long healthy life and keep the fit.…
Another key issue is a child’s use of technology, which has led to lack of exercise. Technology driven society has promoted children to stay inside, rather than going outside and playing. In recent years, our society has tried to counteract these factors by creating healthier menu options, and programs to promote…
Exercising is a huge factor on staying healthy. A vastly amount of kids in America are not participating in physical education. In the article “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home” Daniel Weintraub indicates “We limit television and encourage our boys to get out the house, either to participate in organized sports or to ride their bikes, skateboards, or roller blades(Weintraub,P.43,Par.15).” This particularly indicates that parents need to push…
Child Obesity Everywhere you look there is a fast food joint. In America it’s all about convenience, but convenience has become hazard to our health. When we as adults have unhealthy eating habit, we hurt ourselves and our children. As a parent it’s important to set good eating habits and be active. There are plenty of statistics available that prove child obesity in America is at epidemic levels. One third of the nation’s children carry to much weight. There are lots of reasons why child obesity in America is on the rise. Doctors say there are two causes in creating obese children. First the children and teens are not eating the right kind of foods. Second, America’s children are getting less and less exercise. These two things are creating…
This shouldn’t come to a surprise to most, that America holds the number one position for obesity. (Wintrup) Not only Americans as a whole but the children. More than one of five children between the ages of 6 and 17 are considered overweight. This is something that needs to change immediately. There are too many health risks at stake for these young children including: diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, and poor academic performance. (Alan) In 2005 a study found that children today may have shorter lives by two to five years than their parents because of obesity. (Palmer) Childhood obesity alone is not the only issue facing children today, although being overly large may prevent the child from living life to the fullest. However, the co-morbidities relating to childhood obesity are the real killers. Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, respiratory ailments, sleep apnea, and depression are just some of the common problems linked directly to obesity in children (Henry). Others…
Factors such as unhealthy food choices on school campuses, lack of physical activities in schools, and inadequate health education for America’s youth are the main causes of childhood obesity in America. Although public schools could have a large impact on creating a healthier generation of children, many more accomplishments would have to occur in order to see a complete reformation. Firstly, the American culture would have to be completely revolutionized. Supersized meals and poor exercise habits would have to be abolished in order to see drastic changes. Secondly, parents would have to embrace the health and fitness ideals their children are being taught at school. Healthy, nutritious meals and exercise patterns could not stop once school is dismissed. Parents would have to adopt these principles and implement them into their homes. Finally, legislation would have to be passed that integrates health education and physical fitness classes as core subjects. These specific changes would create bright children that are eager to learn. Also, healthy minds and bodies would allow children to reach their full potential academically, socially, and physically. As John F. Kennedy once said, “Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual…
Through mass media televisions, magazines, and commercials seem to have all focused on topics that are trending with debate within the U.S. such as abortion, legalizing of gay marriage, or even legalization of marijuana. All of which has taken away the attention of this rising epidemic other wise known as obesity. Overweight children are more likely to experience health problems that can drastically affect development through their adolescent years. The risks associated with obesity include asthma, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and a higher risk of obtaining chronic conditions like stroke; breast, colon, and kidney cancers. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist “Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled for the children 2 to 5 years of age and youth 12 to 19, and it has quadrupled for children 6 to 11 years of age.” It is a startling statistic that although we are continuously battling against obesity it seems as though our efforts have not made a significant achievement. Changes must be made in the current process of how we deal with this situation, going from government involvement, to the parents of young children, and most importantly how to transition the new information in to…
Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the United States. Over the past few years overweight and obese children have increased at an alarming rate and there seems to be no slowing down unless some type of action is taken soon. The fast food industry offers poor nutritional food and continues to encourage children to regularly eat the unhealthy foods and also encourage parents by making these “kids Meal” affordable. Unfortunately televisions, computers, and video games, are also contributing to our epidemic. Technology has taken over the importance of exercise. Obese children not only have unhealthy weights but they can also suffer from weak lungs and poor blood quality. Although, this epidemic is growing quickly there are ways that we can try to prevent them. We can attempt to get children to eat healthy, balanced and nutritional meals. We can also help slow it down by encouraging them to take part in varies physical activity. Cutting of or monitoring the usage of televisions, computers, and video games.…
Did you know that between 1980 and the year 2000, the obesity rates had doubled among adults in America ? About 30% of the adult population in America is suffering from obesity . Since 1980 , overweight rates have doubled among children and adults . Most people still do not practice healthy behaviors that can prevent obesity because they are lazy. More than 50% of American adults do not get the recommended amount of physical activity to provide health benefits . More than a third of young people in grades nine - twelve do not regularly engage in vigorous physical activity . If more people in America would get out and do physical activities then this could reduce the amount of obese people and they could live happier and healthier . If people do not eat healthy and lack physical activity , then they may get diabetes and become obese .…
One in every three children in the United States is overweight or obese. (Solving Obesity 3) Childhood obesity has always been a problem in the United States, and continues to be a factor in the lives of many young children. This happens in many other countries around the world, but tends to be much more prominent inside the United States. The growing obesity in children is posing serious problems to their health, and will affect them for the rest of their lives. This leads to having one third of all children be predicted to develop diabetes in their lifetime. (Solving Obesity 3) This problem could no longer be ignored, it is ruining the lives of americas children and…
Obesity can begin at a very young age. Many children in our society are overweight, setting themselves up for serious health problems later in life. Type 2 diabetes, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart problems are just some of the risks. They get teased, criticized, and judged. In many cases, the problem is not the child’s fault. Being overweight may run in that child’s family, or their parents do not encourage them to be active and get enough exercise. Many children spend too much time indoors wasting away in front of the TV, playing video games, or spending time on the computer, and consuming high fat snacks, soft drinks and candy at the same time. The CDC performed a study in 1994 that was described in the book Fat Land; it showed that children who watched over four hours of…
Supportive environments are those that enable a healthy lifestyle to be attained (Ben-Sefer). In the everyday child’s environment, a major factor of obesity that is commonly overlooked is the amount of physical activity than an individual engages in. This is a major premise that needs to be addressed in our attempts to limit obesity in our next generation. The more time an individual spends in front of the television, the less time that person could spend exercising and burning extra calories. Parents should encourage their children to watch less television and engage in sports or extracurricular activities at school instead. Hyunjae Yu reaffirms this correlation when he states “A sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits are both frequently discussed as being among the main causes of childhood obesity in the United States” (Yu). Being one of the main causes of obesity in the United States, parents should support and participate in physical activities with their child to reduce their chance of become obese. This also involves parents giving confidence to their child to remain active and maintain a high self-esteem so that their environment continues supporting a healthy lifestyle. The efforts of parents go a long way, but when the child is outside the family environment it is the responsibility of health workers and…
Childhood obesity is increasing in different ethnic groups in both gender and all across the world. Let me start off by saying that childhood obesity has become a deadly disease in united state it important thing that should know firstly over other thing in life. Many parents are getting worried about their children being obese. First of all, combining poor eating habits with low physical activity double a child risk of becoming obese. Children are spending an increasing amount of time in front of a screen: TV, computer, and video games. Excessive eating-out contributes to obesity in a number of ways.…
In the United States, physical activity has played a significant role in helping to end childhood obesity. Recent programs such as the “We Can! Obesity Prevention Program” and the Michelle Obama “Let’s Move! Campaign” has proven to express positive vibes towards families and more importantly the younger generations. Both programs encourage kids to participate in activities helping to decrease their chances of developing certain health issues concerning obesity. Physical activity does not particularly have to be the way athletes are being trained, but simply parking further away from a grocery store to get a little…