Childhood Obesity

Growing up I was an active kid, I was always outside playing, involved in sports and it was rare that I would be watching TV.  I feel that because of all the new technological accessories, such as smart phones, IPads, and video games, you find kids hook on these accessories instead of being active. In addition, everyone is always in a rush to be somewhere and many people have little time to actually cook, so when they are hungry and or their kids are hungry they turn to fast food. On the subject, thirty years ago, kids just ate one snack a day, whereas now they are trending toward three snacks, resulting in additional 200 calories a day ("Learn the facts," 2010). Things have changed and it is not a good change as you can see. It is not hard to see why so many kids are obese in America. It is important that parents start taking action.     

            According to Centers for Disease Control childhoodObesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term effects on health and well-being. One immediate effect is that obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease and are more likely to have prediabetes, which can later develop into diabetes. ("Childhood obesity facts," 2013). Now diabetes is only one major health problem, but other Obesity related health problems are heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and asthma. 

          Kids should not be worrying about these diseases, which is why parents need to take action. Kids will eat what their parents eat. If the parents are eating unhealthy it is likely that the child is eating unhealthy. First Lady, Michele Obama started a campaign called “Let’s Move,” which is dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams ("Let’s Move," 2010).  This idea is just what parents need. It focuses on health and being active. This website provides tips and how to get started. According to Blaze.com, Michele Obama said “childhood obesity is just a public health issue, it’s not just an economic threat, it’s a national security threat as well.” Michele Obama getting involved shows that it is a huge problem and it is something that needs to be solved.  

            Small changes can make a big difference. Forcing kids to play outside instead of watching T.V. can make a huge difference or staying away from fast food and making healthier choices. Implementing portion control by allowing the child to eat a certain amount instead of the whole bag of chips or candy. Taking kids to the park or even on hike at least three times a week. There are many ways to control obesity; you just have to implement these ideas.   

References

Learn the facts. (2010, February 9). Retrieved from http://www.letsmove.gov/learn-facts/epidemic-childhood-obesity

Childhood obesity facts. (2013, July 10). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm