Childhood Obesity
Childhood Obesity
Childhood Obesity is a mounting problem that if controlled at an early age, could stop the mental and physical evils of today’s children and adults. Everyone is affected by obesity, whether it is someone you know from work, a family member, or even yourself. These days you can’t turn on the television without seeing a new item at McDonald’s with a great new toy for the happymeal, news of a new updated game system, an infomercial for a new fast way to lose weight or a reduced calorie snack food on the market. This is marketing towards our youth as well as people who have poor eating habits and a lack of exercise, which results in obesity. It is obvious that today’s marketing has turned towards the obesity of people, and where better to target this, but in our youth. It is far too easy to give into a child who is screaming at the grocery store for the candy at the check out isle rather than having everyone in the store turn in your direction. The neglect of not teaching our children the effects of poor eating and not exercising starts a domino effect on our society. It is pure laziness of not only children but the adults who choose to ignore it.
Given that we all have busy lifestyles; it is convenient for microwavable boxed food, drive through restaurants, and snacks to keep everyone’s belly full. These days the average family dinner has been taken over by snacking throughout the day. Children today also show a decrease in physical activities. This is contributed to the technology that children are involved in such as computers, too much time watching television, and a lack of physical education at home and in schools. It is much more convenient for a parent to sit their child in front of the television with a snack while they can complete their own tasks around the house then to go outside and watch them play. The only unpreventable cause of childhood obesity is genetics, and even this can be manipulated with the...
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