Essay Kids Obesity

Pontificia Universidad Cátolica Madre y Maestra
Campus Santo Tomás de Aquino

Name
Mario Ceballos

ID
2009-5513

Teacher
Jamila Hussain

Topic
Childhood obesity in the United States
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Cause and effect essay
Childhood obesity in the United States

Recently a big problem has presented in the children from United States. Obesity is a huge issue nowadays, according to the to the American Obesity Associaction between 16 and 33 percent of children are obese and those numbers are expected to continue incrementing, this situation is cause by many reasons like as selling junk food in schools, anxiety, and lack of physical activity. All of these factors are stimulators for children under twelve years start getting weight disproportionately.

Junk food sold in school has brought risks in the childrens health, especially for students susceptible to obesity. Recent studies have shown that Children whose parents are overweight or obese are at higher risk for becoming obese themselve, thats the reason why (Allen,2010). Over the past few decades, the obesity rates for children has tripled, the reason for that is because children find it much easier to get junk food than vegetables, fruits and lowfat snacks and the first one are cheaper and more accessible.

Maintaining a healthy weight goes hand in hand with proper nutrition and of course, more exercise. Most children cannot make healthy food choices alone, their parents needs to take the initiative to help them understand the difference between healthy snacks versus unhealthy snacks. If parents became more proactive in the decision making and showing their children, for example that eating vegetables are good, the statistics would not be consistently rising each year. Obesity is also linked with internal factors such as anxiety or stress, and understanding the connection between those two is an important element for parents who have children that are struggling with weight problems. According to Jim Folt president of the anxiety centre there are over 100 symptoms of anxiety, making easier for those parents to identify the situation. An obese condition is also associated with stress because children tend to eat more when they are under pressure, generated most of the time by school or social aspects.

Another important cause for obesity is the lack of physical activity because without having proper exercise children tend to gain weight faster, some factors involved are the use of videogames which induce children to stay at home instead of going out to play sports or do it exercise. This sedentary life style does not allow their body to burn all the calories consumed in the day (Podel, 2008).

Many are the reasons behind overwighted kids, all related with internal and external factors, junk food, anxiety and lack of physical activity are just some of them, but the most important thing about this problem is for parents to realize when their children are suffering from obesity, which is a medical desease and not some simple extra pounds. The key is to prevent and being informed because obesity is among the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat.

References

Collins, A (2007). Cause of Child obesity. From http://www.annecollins.com/child-obesity-causes.htm
Unknown Author (2010). Obesity in Children and teens. From http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/obesity_in_children_and_teens
Stern, J. (2010). Obese Parents Influence Children 's Weight. From http://www.yalemedicalgroup.org/stw/Page.asp?PageID=STW001880
Folt, J.(2011). Anxiety Symptoms, Anxiety Attack Symptoms. From http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms.shtml
Souza ,John(2009). The Causes of Obesity: Is It Lack of Exercise?. From http://shroudedindoubt.typepad.com/bodyparts/

References: Collins, A (2007). Cause of Child obesity. From http://www.annecollins.com/child-obesity-causes.htm Unknown Author (2010). Obesity in Children and teens. From http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/obesity_in_children_and_teens Stern, J. (2010). Obese Parents Influence Children 's Weight. From http://www.yalemedicalgroup.org/stw/Page.asp?PageID=STW001880 Folt, J.(2011). Anxiety Symptoms, Anxiety Attack Symptoms. From http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms.shtml Souza ,John(2009). The Causes of Obesity: Is It Lack of Exercise?. From http://shroudedindoubt.typepad.com/bodyparts/