Childhood Obesity

1455 Words3 Pages

A healthy, average 6-year-old child has the lowest BMI than any other time in his or her life. However, in this day and age overeating and other health habits have given evidence to research that this generation has the highest rates of obesity in children. Since 1980, the prevalence of obesity has almost tripled (“Centers for disease,” 2011). Childhood obesity is becoming a serious national problem. It’s even becoming a concern internationally as well. Historical comparisons from every nation find obesity increasing at especially alarming rates in children. Even our pets are overweight. A recent USA Today magazine includes the headline, "How to help your fat dog” (Moon, 2008). Unless the rate of childhood obesity decreases, today’s children in the United States may be the first generation to die at younger ages than their parents (Devi, 2008). What causes these alarming rates of obesity and obsessiveness with food? To halt this epidemic we need to understand the factors that contribute to it.

Many would argue that it’s just in their genes and they can’t help it. Even though there are people who are genetically predisposed to have a high proportion level of body fat, that attitude of not having a choice is false. Genes do not change dramatically from one generation to the next, so they could not have been the main cause of this dramatic increase in obesity (Berger, 2008, p. 318). There is choice in your eating habits and exercise program. Anne Moore, a previous overweight citizen, tells of her success story. Her sister commented lightly on her weight so she started with smaller portions, no seconds, more fruit, less bread and cheese, longer walks. “I hate running. A friend's trainer told me to swim faster; I swapped sprints for...

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Moore, A. (2010). Dieting and exercise can help people lose weight. Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com.byui.idm.oclc.org/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Viewpoints&disableHighlighting=false&prodId=OVIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010380251&userGroupName=byuidaho&jsid=a4955964d46d2949e860f3076aa0770

Obesity in children is a serious problem. (2010). Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com.byui.idm.oclc.org/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Viewpoints&disableHighlighting=true&prodId=OVIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010380241&userGroupName=byuidaho&jsid=554bdfc662895a487b3c7194acd75819

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Childhood Obesity

The Weight of the Nation: Choices

Review Of The Documentary 'A Growing Plague'