How to Prevent Childhood Obesity

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Recommended: Child obesity and the negative effects

When I was twelve years old, I began to struggle with my weight. I remember when it got to the worst point: in the fifth grade. My classmates would comment on my weight and tease me about it on a regular basis. It wasn’t until the 8th grade that I decided to do something about it. Sports, weight lifting, and a healthy diet became parts of my daily life and were the major steps that I needed to fight obesity and become healthy. The reason I am telling you this story is because the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta launched an extremely controversial ad campaign to show the significance of childhood obesity. The ad campaign has ads that state, “It’s hard to be a little girl if you’re not,” and, “Fat prevention begins at home. And the buffet line,” which also feature children that are heavily obese. This ad campaign shouldn’t be taking the steps to put down the children with weight problem, but rather encouraging them to take on a healthier lifestyle. With positive encouragement from parents and better ad campaigns around America, children would be more likely to be inspired to become healthier.
First, parents need to be on board with the major change that the children are going to make with their lives. Research conducted by the University of Rochester stated, “Nearly 80 percent of obese 10- to 14-year-olds with an obese parent will be obese as adults.” Children are likely to have an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise if their parents do. In many ways, parents can cause the children’s obesity by feeding them unhealthy food and not encouraging enough active play. Plus parents need to regulate the amount of time spent on the computer, the television, or on video games. The generation nowadays find themselves on social media website...

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...e/childhood- obesity-task-force-unveils-action-plan-solving-problem-childhood-obesity->. (NIH) "Eat Right.Get Active.Reduce Screen Time." Welcome to We Can!, NHLBI, NIH.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 09 Dec. 2013. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
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(UDC) "Childhood Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Feb. 2014. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
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(University of Rochester) University of Rochester, . N.p.. Web. 24 Mar 2014.

D=713>.
(CBSNews) Holguin, Jamie. "Fast Food Linked To Child Obesity." CBSNews. CBS Interactive,
05 Jan. 2004. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
child-obesity/>.

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