Childhood Obesity: The Fault of a Parent

741 Words2 Pages

America is becoming fat. It is a simple fact, and everyone knows it. Already, Americans weigh on average 24 pounds more than they did in the 1960’s (Hurst). Twenty-four pounds may not seem like much, but it is not just the adults that are being affected--America’s children are the main victims. The future of the United States is at stake, and yet all anyone can seem to do is blame one another. The latest accusations are directed at the United States school system, and one might be surprised to find that the party pointing fingers is the parents of the students (Beavers). However, their blame has been incorrectly placed. The true culprits in inducing the weight gain that America’s children are experiencing are the parents who have no discipline themselves, are bad examples of nutritional eating, and have not disciplined their children correctly. The main case that parents are using to support their cause is, “Students are at school all day long. The school cafeterias provide fatty meals that are filled with empty calories and little nutritional value.” However, when schools began cutting the fat in their kitchens nationwide, the parents were faced with the dilemma of unhappy children, and not surprisingly, their stance on the matter slackened. When students complained about the lack of empty calorie packed food, their parents took action. The students were given money to buy lunch from restaurants, or even vending machines. This is a major mistake that parents make that encourages unhealthy behavior. Parents have also been seen pushing junk food through the fences of the school yards during lunch time (Long). Why do parents feel the need to sneak the food to their children as though they are committing a crime? The citizens of the... ... middle of paper ... ...ildhood obesity crisis needs to end, and it is up to the parents of our nation’s children to take the first steps. Works Cited Beavers, Kim. "Obesity, School Lunch and the Blame Game." Augusta Family Magazine. Morris Publishing Group, Aug. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. h-and-the-Blame-Game/>. Hurst, Marianne D. “USDA Obesity-Prevention Conference Targets Research.” Education Week. 3 Nov. 2004: 10. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. “Long Life.” Spectator 16 Feb. 2013: 55+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Nov 2013. Wadas-Willingham, Val, M.D. "Pushing Kids to Eat May Cause Obesity Later." The Chart RSS. Cable News Network | CNN, 22 Apr. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. .

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Childhood Obesity: The Fault of a Parent

Analysis Of Fed Up By Stephanie Soechtig

A Proposal to Reverse Obesity Rates

Killer at Large: Childhood Obesity in America

Are Schools Making Children Obese?

Reflection On Weight Of The Nation

Analysis Of Fat Land By Greg Cristler