Introduction
Obesity is a societal problem, not just in America but all over the world. There are drastic measures that the American society mandates to prevent obesity especially in young children. One of these programs is America’s First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, which, according to Healy (2014) of the Los Angeles Times restricts unhealthy foods being promoted and sold at schools. Preventive measures for children in young ages are appropriate as this will help them maintain a healthy weight as they grow old.
On the other hand, Daniels, et al. (2005) assert that obesity in children may lead to the impairment of one’s health with diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension among several others. The most effective way of preventing abnormal weight gain is prevention. Prevention of obesity in children is a national concern and has become a main concern of America’s national public health boards. While this is a helpful way of looking at the issue, Puhl and Latner (2007) suggests that childhood obesity should also be seen with consideration of the social stigma that is associated with obesity. Social stigma due to obesity can cause serious, not just physical but emotional damage as well. Preventing childhood obesity should factor in on the emotional stress that it causes children as well, not just the physical harms it causes.
In comparison to the newspaper article, the information provided by the journal articles are more credible as they are based on sound research. The articles also described the methods used for the research, which leaves no question as to how the findings were arrived at. In contrast, the information provided by the news article was not based on research but was merely based on interviews which credibility and validity may be questioned and which some may consider hearsay.
References
Daniels, Stephen R. et al. (2005). Overweight in Children and Adolescents Pathophysiology, Consequences, Prevention, and Treatment. Retrieved from http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/111/15/1999.short
Healy, M. (2014, March 3). Obesity levels fall for young children; New numbers show a big decrease among ages 2 to 5 and a small drop for ages 6 to 11. Los Angeles Times, 6-11.
Puhl, Rebecca M., Latner, Janet D. (2007). Stigma, obesity, and the health of the nation's children. Retrieved from http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/bul/133/4/557/
