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Obesity is on the rise. About a third of all adults in America are obese and 17% of all children are obese (Ogden, 1). The rise of fast-food restaurants and the ease of access to them create an unhealthy lifestyle. Parents don’t cook as they are very busy working to support the family. Fast-food is becoming cheaper, resulting in families choosing that over home cooked food, which takes up a lot of time and requires skill. This results in obese children, and obesity leads to a lot of serious health conditions like diabetes and heart-attacks. Obesity should be countered with parental involvement and school programs because parents have control over the child’s lifestyle including their diet; children imitate their parents; and, finally, some
Firstly, it may be unrealistic to have the child on diet, while all the other people in the family are following a lifestyle contrary to the child who is on a diet. For example, it doesn’t make sense if the parents are eating steak, and the child eats a salad. Of course, the child would feel left out as they would crave the steak. Secondly, parents serve as mentors and support the change and maintain the exercise and the eating behaviors. Finally, it may be necessary to teach parents use of specific behavior change strategies such as positive reinforcement. This creates the intended behavior change in the child. (Epstein). Dr. Ana C. Lindsay from Princeton University reports in her study, The Role of Parents in Preventing Childhood Obesity, that, “it is important for parents to model healthful eating habits and to offer a variety of healthful foods to their children” (Lindsay, 171).This means that parents should have a strict control over their child’s diet. They have to expose them to healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. However, Lindsay provides a counter effect that might happen if the diet was not implemented correctly. She says, “Recent research challenges this assumption. Imposing stringent controls can increase preferences for high-fat, energy-dense foods, perhaps causing children’s normal internal cues to self-regulate hunger and satiety to become unbalanced” (171).This means
Children have a higher chance of premature death and disabilities when they are obese. Obese children are more likely to stay obese when they become adults (WHO). They are also likely to develop NCD’s (non-communicable diseases) while they are young. These might include diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (WHO). Obese children suffer from both short-term and long-term health consequences (WHO). The World Health Organization lists some significant health consequences that do not become apparent until adulthood. These are: cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke); diabetes; musculoskeletal disorders, especially osteoarthritis; and certain types of cancer (endometrial, breast and colon) (WHO). It also says that, “At least 2.6 million people each year die as a result of being overweight or obese.” (WHO) This shows us the vast gravity of the problem and the danger it poses to on the
Our families could do more to encourage their children to make changes in their lifestyle early on in their lives. You can see this in a child who is raised in a family that is not concerned about the eating habits that he is developing, by the time the he enters school it may already be too late. The child could enter depression as other kids make fun of him for not fitting in the “norm”. Then back at home the family may even encourage such eating behaviors to the child. Families spend lots of time being concerned about other health aspects of their kids, but fail to see that being obese can have very powerful emotional impacts on their children.
It is apparent that living an unhealthy lifestyle, as well as eating poorly, negatively affects one’s health. From a young age it is quickly learned which foods are considered healthful as opposed to junk food. It is a parents responsibility to supervise the intake of their child's food, however there is a higher risk than ever before of childhood obesity.
Is obesity a disease? This is a question many people have asked. Yes, obesity is a disease; but one essential question many people tend to forget to ask is, “Can obesity be prevented,” or “how could obesity be prevented?” Prevention does not put an end to obesity, but in fact it can decrease a person 's risk of becoming obese. There are many challengers towards the decision to why obesity rates are increasing; many say it refers back to the person’s lifestyle, eating habits, and environment. Obesity should be prevented in a childhood versus being corrected later in life, but in order for obesity to be prevented people must first be aware of the causes then conclude by learning the fundamental factors that play into prevention.
In today’s time, most parents are busy with their work. They don’t have time for their children. The child’s health depends on the parental influences. Parents have the most important role in their children activities. Some parents allow their children to consume more outside food and junk food. They do not have time to encourage their children to do physical activities and outdoor activities. The type of food available in the home and the food preferences of family members can influence the children diet and
Obesity is a serious problem that increases year after year and affects the lives of many Americans. It is a problem that needs to be eradicated, but who is responsible for this problem? Some argue that individuals are responsible for their own weight; that it is a private concern. Some others, on the other hand, argue that it is a public concern; therefore, the government should play a significant role to stop reduce obesity from the public domain. They also argue that advertisements for junk food are factors that increase obesity. As persuasive as the advertisements can be and even with the help of the government, it is our decision to not eat healthy and end up in a state of obesity.
Short-term health effects such as, high-cholesterol, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and poor self-esteem. According to the CDC, obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5-17 year olds, seventy percent of obese had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease (Freedom DS, et.al, 2007). Obese adolescents are at risk for developing pre-diabetes. Both children and adolescents are at a greater risk for developing bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem(2015). These conditions can lead to long-term health effects as well. Obese children become obese adults with a risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, and many types of cancer. For the first time we may be raising a generation of children that we will
In today’s society, there is a spotlight on the topic of staying healthy and fit. In the recent years weight loss programs have become increasingly popular, for example, Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig. These companies drive their business on improving unhealthy dietary habits. But, this increasing popularity is due to numerous large sized drink and meal options becoming available. Higher intake of calories and sugars eventually causes obesity. Although eating is essential for survival, what you eat is a personal choice. Many government officials have made strides to improve America’s obesity problems; both Mayor Bloomburg and Michelle Obama have approached this topic. Rather than a public health issue, obesity is a personal responsibility.Government
“One out of every deaths in America is caused by an illness directly related to overweight and obesity” (Carmona). Over the years, the number of Americans has risen.This increase is a result of excess; it hasn’t been rising until Americans started making bigger meals and eating fast food.If one doesn’t make food for himself/herself, the individual doesn’t know exactly what is being put into his/her body. Food where they didn’t make their self, therefore they don’t know what they are eating. In today’s society faces an obesity epidemic; to remedy this issue America should consider creating a national weigh in. A national weigh in would be a requirement for all Americans to go to their medical clinic and be updated on their weight. Many would think it would cost more money towards the health care, but due to the availability of the Affordable Care Act this should not be an issue. No one should live an unhealthy life.
Prejudice- having a negative attitude towards a person because of what they believe in or who they are associated with.
Obesity is becoming a national epidemic in America. It often starts in childhood and follows a child into adulthood. There are several different ways that parents can help promote a healthy lifestyle for their children, from healthy diets to daily exercise, but many times having a healthy family is not enough. It will take America moving towards healthier life choices and away from the fast foods and sodas. America as a nation needs to promote exercise and eating healthy, making it the “cool” and trendy thing to do.
1. Introduction.- What does it mean to be obese? When people eat more calories than they burn off, their bodies store the extra calories as fat.
America is one of the most obese countries in the world, and the reasons are quite obvious. Take a look around. Fast food chains on every block, more and more technology to make our lives easier, and high amount of stress are just a few factors to weight gain in our country. There are many different views on obesity and how the people think it should be resolved, whether it's government making the change or the people taking care of themselves. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Are we doing enough to bring these statistics down? No. In the last 40 years, there has been a growth to more than 160,000 fast food restaurants in America (“Adolescent and School Health”). Restaurants (such as Wendy's, McDonald's etc.) serve more than 50 million people per day, generating about 65 million in sales annually. Only since obesity has become a national epidemic have fast food restaurants changed their ways. But we need to do more than just change the kind of oil the french fries are fried in. Better yet, why don't we remove, or intensely decrease the number of the unhealthy fast food chains, and spread more healthy fast food chains, such as Subway? Is it something government could take act in? Should the United States government take measures to fight the rise of obesity in the country, or are choices concerning diet and nutrition better left to the individuals, free of government interference?
As Americans, we all take our own approach to food, but most of us have the same initial feeling about it. And that is that we live and eat an unhealthy lifestyle to one that is leading to the increase of obesity and other diseases. In just 28years the rate of obesity in children has raised from 6.9% to 19.6%. We take that childhood obesity into our adulthood with us. Not only is the obesity rates increasing, but so is our chance of developing diabetes along with hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease. People want to comment and have a say about the situation. But very few people want to take action and change the way our food today is processed and made accessible to us. The major argument people have is that they do not have the money for a healthier lifestyle. But,
Parents are not teaching children how to eat healthy. They feed them cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, and fries. Kids are not being exposed to a regular diet of health fruits and vegetables. Now some people are just naturally overweight, but being “overweight” is not the same as being “obese.” Someone who is overweight has reached a maximum weight limit for their height. When someone goes beyond this maximum limit, then they are considered “obese” (Kiess 1). Research shows that “obesity is generally defined as the abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat in adipose tissue” (Kiess 1). The increase in childhood obesity today is mainly the fault of the parent because they are unable to tell their children “no” when it comes to junk food (Kiess 104). Parents are the one buying all the food that comes into the house. They are the ones buying the sugary drinks and chips. They are the ones allowing the children to “have what they want.” Because parents are not teaching their children how to eat healthy, we will continue to see childhood obesity increase. Unfortunately, overweight children will be the ones who suffer because statistics show children who are overweight are more likely to become obes...
face everyday. Child Obesity is not something to take lightly, it is an unhealthy lifestyle that