One of the biggest health problems of the USA is childhood obesity. Levels of overweight and obese children are extremely high and this has a direct influence on their health and that of the future working class of the United States. Children are our future and we must take care of them both physical and mentally in order to guarantee prosperity for our motherland. In order to have a full view of the problem of childhood obesity, the causes, results and possible solutions should be discussed.
I believe that the main cause of childhood obesity is family life style. This includes eating habits, hobbies and, simply, the outlook on life which is essential to a child growing up. When you live in a family, you must follow the set rules and traditions. As a child, one rarely gets to change something which had been done by the parents for years. You simply do not have a say in such things as nutrition. I believe that it is the eating habits that have a significant influence on the weight of the family members. From my experience, I can say that I had rarely seen a family which differs greatly in weight levels. In the families I have known, all of the members were obese, overweight, normal or slim. It is quite rare that a child be obese in a family of fit parents. A family lives one life and so have similar habits and, consequently, similar physical health. That is because correct nutrition does not allow one to become overweight. This is similar to when a member of a family gets sick. In such a case it is extremely difficult to protect the other family members of the infection. Even though obesity is not an infectious disease, in a way it becomes one when living in the same home with people.
Eating habits can also differ depending on the racial background of a family. For example, a traditional American family for me seems to enjoy macaroni and cheese, hamburgers and many other not truly healthy foods. I am an Asian and so the food prepared in my house can be rather different. Of course we enjoy all the different traditional American foods as well, but there are consumed in moderation and in combination with less fatty and healthier plates. However, it is not only nutrition that comes from the family influence.
I sincerely believe that a fit family must have appropriate hobbies. If the ideal weekend for them is lying on the coach and watching TV, then this will be true for their kids as well. However, if the parents take their kids out hiking, scatting, camping or any active engagement, this will not only have a good influence on the weight of the family as a whole, but will also make each and one of them healthier and stronger. The element of fun must be introduced. Nobody wants to work out for the sake of working out. Kids don’t think about looking good until they hit their teens and so it is by making them enjoy an active lifestyle that parents need to prepare their kids for the future.
Now that the causes have been discussed, some possible results of childhood obesity should be looked at. Too much weight can have both mental and physical effects on a child’s life. An overweight child is more prone to bullying and low self-esteem. Consequently, this may lead to lower grades and fewer achievements. When one is worried about going to school because of being bullied, the last thing the child will think about is his homework or the upcoming test. In order to learn well, a safe and happy learning environment must be present. This cannot be done if the child is constantly worried about what others think about him or where he may end up in the end of the day. Moreover, it is not only about what people may think.
Mental issues are not the only problem. Physically, access weight can be quite dangerous. “Overweight children, as compared to children with a healthy weight, are more likely to develop problems such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which are associated with heart disease in adults” (Marcus) “It was first noticed by researchers in the 1980s as a relentless upward slope that threatened to undo progress on heart disease and exacerbate other killer illnesses influenced by weight, including diabetes, high blood pressure and some types of cancer” (Zarembo, 2008) All of this already at the age of 10 is more than a child’s body can handle. These are not the kind of illnesses that a child should have to go through. This not only makes him or her suffer at the present, but will also affect their state of health for the rest of their life. If a child suffers such health problems then he is bound to keep suffering them for the rest of his life. All in all, the effects of childhood obesity are great and only stop our future generation to be the best they can be.
Many things have already been done to decrease the number of obese children. Programs have been started and awareness has been raised. It is true that the healthy lifestyle is the way to go nowadays. Everyone tries their best to eat right and exercise. It is popular as it should be. However, “Dietz said the fact that 60% of U.S. adults were either overweight or obese suggests that children had plenty of room to grow”. (Zarembo, 2008) The percentage of overweight children might have gone down in the recent years; however, the problem is still very much present. Perhaps some truly drastic changes are to be made. For example, in order to limit smoking some laws have been passed. Perhaps the same could be done for fatty foods. Perhaps higher taxes should be implemented or the production should be limited by law. Something apart from making people understand the right way of life should be done. It is true that all the seminars and health classes, all the posters and projects at school do make children want to eat healthier and to exercise. Nevertheless, they may still not be able to do so. Perhaps some kind of a program to help families learn how to eat right and exercise needs to be introduced. I believe that such shows as “The Biggest Looser” is a great way to motivate people. It is these kinds of reality shows that truly change the life of their participants and inspire others to do the same. It is only by changing yourself, your lifestyle and pushing yourself to the limit that drastic changes should be made. Obesity in children starts from obesity in parents. If the grownups learn to live a healthy lifestyle, they can pass it on to their kids and open a bright future for them.
I believe that a successful person is successful in everything, starting from the way they look. It is my point of view that the correct outlook on life helps children grow up into confident, healthy and successful adults. The way goals and priorities are set in the family, defines who they are as people. I believe that any parent needs to get his children involved in at least one sport and as many other extracurricular activities as possible. This will open many possibilities to the little girl and boy and allow them to be anyone they want in the future. Not only that, it will keep the child both physically and mentally healthy. It will keep them away from TV and video games and won’t make these distractions a priority.
In order to understand the phenomenon of childhood obesity in the U.S., one must look at its causes, effects and discuss possible solutions. It is my belief that the main cause of obesity in children is the family traditions that they are brought up in. The effects of access weight in children has its mental effects, such as low self-esteem, bullying. It may also lead to serious health problem. In order to decrease such levels, it is the parents that need to understand such things as correct nutrition, proper hobbies and priorities.
Works Sited
1. Alan Zarembo. “Childhood obesity rate in the U.S. hits a plateau”. Los Angeles Times. May 28, 2008
2. Lauren Marcus. “Childhood obesity: The Effects on Physical and Mental Health.” NYU Child Study Center. http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/childhood_obesity_effects_physical_mental_health 20.06.2012
