Obesity Epidemic In Children Essay

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Obesity Epidemic in Children

Even though skinny is not always synonymous with healthy, too many children in America are obese and it is the most common chronic disease in this age group, as one third of children are overweight or obese. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period(www.cdc.gov). Obese youth are more likely to have health problems that are normally only seen in adults. Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases(www.cdc.gov). …show more content…

They can get involved in the fight against childhood obesity by not rewarding their kids with food, encouraging kids to only eat when they are hungry, not using the clean plate as an indicator of fullness, reducing the amount of time on electronics or tv, and getting them outside to play. Schools can get involved by making sure their students are getting the proper nutrition and the right amount of exercise. Kids spend the majority of their time at school so school should be a place that takes care of their kids. Communities can join the fight by promoting activities that teach healthy habits like developing skate parks, community bike paths, tennis courts, volleyball courts, etc. There are more than 3 million cases of obesity each year and many of them could have been prevented.
Obesity is a simple thing that could be prevented early on. Many people choose junk food, tv, sitting around, and technology over exercise and healthy food. It is ok to enjoy the sweet treats every once in awhile, but they are called treats for a reason. Being skinny is stereotyped as having the perfect body. With the society telling us who to be, it is very hard for kids to fit in and they get depressed which leads to eating disorders. Instead of reaching for the ice cream reach for your favorite fruit or