Video Mediums and Childhood Obesity

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Video Mediums and Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity has now reached a critical level. The main reason for the growing number of obese children is inactivity. With obesity in children being related to many health issues, it is important that we not only stop the rise in childhood obesity, but reverse it. With their health at risk, it is imperative that we assure our children are in good physical shape and at healthy weight levels. The stakes are quite high, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Being overweight during childhood and adolescence increases the risk of developing high cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression and type 2 diabetes…,type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically in children and adolescence,”. Our children are getting fat because they spend more time in front of video screens, either watching television or playing video games than they do participating in physical activities. Although technology is improving lives in many areas, it is having a negative effect on the physical welfare of our youth.

Television did not always play such a major role in family life. It was not a daily activity it was something done on occasion. Before television was in the forefront of daily family life and technology gave us video games that are almost lifelike, children played outside. They played baseball, football and flashlight tag. They built tree forts and rode bikes. These were not organized events, just the way they played, everyday. “A study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that our youth now spend an average of five hours a day–40 percent of their awake hours–in front of electronic devices. And the behavior starts y...

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...t children would prefer physical games and activities. They just do not know what to do, or how to get physical activities in their routine. It is time to teach our children new and active ways to have fun and be healthy.

Works Cited

Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Childhood Obesity, aspe.hhs.gov. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. 10 February 2012.

Food Research and Action. Relationship Between Poverty and Overweight or Obesity.,frac.org 2011. Web. 10 February 2012.

Kumanyika, Shirika, and Sonya Grier. The Future of Children Princeton Brookings. Childhood Obesity, Targeting Interventions for Ethnic Minority and Low-Income Populations., futureofchildren.org. Spring 2006. Web. 11 February 2012.

Video Games, Television and Childhood Obesity. Daddy says. Daddysays.com., June 2010. Web. 10 February 2012.

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