What Is The Ballooning Problem Of Childhood Obesity?

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Although there have been many studies on the underlying cause of high childhood obesity rates in America, there are many combined factors contributing to this issue instead of a single cause. These factors include: an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, genetics, socioeconomics, and the contribution of schools and parents. Yet, the major contributions to childhood obesity seem to be a lack of physical exercise and a proper diet. However, many researchers have opposing opinions on which factor is more or less likely to cause childhood obesity.

The first article is about genetics and how they can determine a person’s weight. Many people believe genetics is the complete reason for obesity, but many people use this only as an excuse for why they …show more content…

In the article, "The Ballooning Problem of Childhood Obesity" by Dr. Aggarwal, parents are as a major contributor to young obesity. Parents buy the groceries, cook the meals, and decide what their child will eat day to day. Although portion sizes have increased, a parent has the control over how much food their child will receive on each plate (Aggarwal). This argument is valid because children learn behaviors from their parents. If a child learns to eat unhealthy food, he or she is more likely to become overweight. Also, sweetened drinks can be included in an unhealthy diet. It has been shown that a major contributor to a child 's calorie intake stems from sweetened beverages. A child’s weight loss depends primarily on the parent’s commitment to helping the child. Dr. Aggarwal discusses a few ways for parents to become more involved. He suggests that when grocery shopping, choose fruits and vegetables and cut back on crackers, cookies, and other foods high in fat. Also, he suggests that a majority of meals should be cooked and eaten at home. When rarely eating out, he advises to watch the portion sizes, as they are usually larger than needed. Suggesting ways for parents to help guide their children to healthy eating is a wonderful way to combat childhood …show more content…

Those are all basic explanations that are extremely common. Genetics, socioeconomics, and sugary drinks are also factors to consider when thinking about the cause of this issue. Discussing sugary drinks goes well with how an unhealthy diet causes obesity. Genetics also adds to the discussion of parents. Socioeconomics discusses how race, culture, and the environment can all cause obesity in children. The socioeconomic factors are what cause an unhealthy diet and a lack of exercise in children. Being able to discuss how these three factors contribute to childhood obesity helps us to find the root of childhood

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