Childhood and Teenage Obesity

Who is at fault for childhood obesity? Is it the parents or is it the fault of health officials for providing lack of information? No matter who is at fault, childhood obesity is very real and needs to be addressed. It has reached epidemic proportions and has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Our children are at risk for a variety of health issues that are preventable. The estimated 9 million overweight children, including 4.5 million obese children, are at risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, asthma, and other pulmonary diseases, high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, stroke, and other chronic illnesses (Weiting 545.) This growing epidemic of overweight and obese children as well as teenagers must be stopped. It is up to us as parents, family members, caregivers, and medical professionals to educate our children to exercise and eat right to prevent childhood obesity.

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “Between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese” (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry). That number is beyond outrageous. Steps must be taken to prevent this from continuing. Our children are our future; without them we won’t even have one. In a country where there is a vast amount of information available, many parents are ignorant to the ramifications or consequences of letting their children eat whatever they want in addition to the long term effect of allowing them to sit in front of a computer or television, as well as allowing them to play video games all day. Eight to 18-year old adolescents spend an average of 7.5 hours a day using entertainment media, including TV, computers, video games, cell phones and movies, and only one-third ...

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