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Recommended: Obesity among schoolchildren

Let’s think forward to the future. Imagine children from this decade. How might someone look? Unfortunately, obesity is a rapidly growing epidemic in children, and adults. Society lives a life in the fast lane. Everything these days is done to fit into a rapid lifestyle, such as fast food, vending machines, weight loss pills, delivery for meals, even texting rather than a phone conversation. This issue has filtered into the lifestyles of school aged children. Due to the rise in obesity levels in school ages children, school districts must set forth health oriented programs to encourage students to live a healthier and more active lifestyle, before it is too late.
Standards for health are starting to lower year after year. Due to the lack of interest for improving health and nutrition for children a study has been done by retired servicemen and has shown that, “25% of 17-to24-years-old Americans are above the weight threshold for military service” this shows that students growing up in the public school system are not provided with programs and proper nutrition to provide service for our country (Gollust). When children grow up living an unhealthy lifestyle, it usually follows them into the rest of their lives; “more than 70% of obese children and 85% of obese adolescents will become obese adults” (Phillips). Although many internet searches say that it takes 21 days to form a habit, many people believe this to apply to all habits. Unfortunately, this is unrealistic unless we are taking about something as small as drinking a bottle of water. Habits that deal with lifestyle alterations, such as a strict diet, and extensive exercise take much more time to apply to daily living (Popova).
If children are not brought up into a life...

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...Children participating in school wide programs have a higher chance of incorporating those activities into their future. The answer is so easy, by incorporating healthier food choices for children, and increasing physical activity their lives will be much better. If there is an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children, shouldn’t someone answer the call?

Works Cited

Gollust, Sarah E., Jeff Niederdeppe, and Colleen L. Barry. "Framing The Consequences Of Childhood Obesity To Increase Public Support For Obesity Prevention Policy." American Journal Of Public Health 103.11 (2013): e96-e102. Business Source Complete. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Phillips, Frankie. "Facing Up To Childhood Obesity." Practice Nurse 42.11 (2012): 14-17. Business Source Complete. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Popova, Maria. "Brain Pickings." Brain Pickings RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

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