The Debate Of Childhood Obesity

A few decades ago, the debate of childhood obesity was not a matter to be discussed. Our

parents and grandparents never questioned the weight of their children, their friends’ children or

any other child they came into contact with. Their children ate healthy foods from the table and

played outside all day. The subject of childhood weight has changed quit a bit since those days.

With the introduction of fast foods, Playstation and Xbox games, our kids live sedentary lives

and therefore, have become very overweight. The epidemic of childhood obesity is rapidly

rising throughout America. In just two decades, the commonness of overweight U.S.

children ages 6 to 11 have doubled. The annual National Health and Nutrition Examination

Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that about one-third of U.S.

children are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. Overall, approximately 25 million

U.S. children and adolescents are overweight or nearly overweight. This finding is very

disturbing to many Americans and has caused many debates on how to handle the growing sizes

of our youth.

Most Americans agree childhood obesity is more prevalent today than ever before. If you take

a look into any American youth’s bedroom today, you will find video games, a computer and

other electronic gadgets of all kinds. In this day and time, American kids have access to

anything they could every want; just by asking mom or dad to buy it. If you looked into that

same room fifty years ago you would have found baby dolls, Tonka trucks and books to read.

The playing of physical activity games outdoors has been taken over by the inactive high tech

toys of today. Physical activity for kids at school has been replaced with more sitting behind a

desk and learning. The kickball, dodge ball and volleyball games of fifty years ago have been

replaced with class time learning about how they should exercise for health. But not all of the

blame can be put on the school systems; parents need to lead by example. Kids of today learn

about the right things to do at school but come home to mom and dad sitting on the couch

watching television. One-third of today’s parents are overweight or on the verge of becoming

overweight.

If you took another look into the house of fifty years ago, you would also find mom at home

and dad off at work to provide for the family. With the rising cost of day to day living in

America, most homes consist of both mom and dad working to make the ends meet. This new

way of life has caused American families to eat whatever is convenient for mom or dad to

prepare for that meal. Usually those meals come in greasy bags from fast food establishments or

either in plastic wrappers that need to be taken off before microwaving the food to doneness. In

most homes the stove never gets warmed from preparing a meal more than once a week. This

has caused our youth’s weight to escalate. The obesity epidemic is especially a problem in areas

where many people eat more convenience foods, which are typically high in calories and low in

nutritional value. You can find that type of area just about anywhere in America.

Based on intake and physical activity data, the increase in the number of obese children is

likely the result of a combination of children and youth eating more calories than they are using

though daily physical activity. Weight gain results when energy expenditure is consistently

exceeded by energy intake over time. Achieving energy balance is important for children to win

the battle against obesity. Over decades, social and environmental issues have collectively

created an adverse environment for maintaining a healthy weight. There are decreased

opportunities for physical activity at school and after school and the competition for leisure time

that was once spent playing outdoors is replaced with sedentary screen time including watching

television or playing computer and video games.

Now, let’s take a look at a few facts that show how the American youth stands on obesity.

Over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool

children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for

children aged 6-11 years. Take note that, the trends in childhood obesity parallel that of U.S.

adults. The obesity epidemic affects people of all age, race and ethnic backgrounds. An Asian

child will gain weight the same as a Japanese child but there is evidence that the increase in

weight is especially evident among African-American, Hispanic and American Indian children.

Approximately 30.3 percent of children, ages 6-11, are overweight and 15.3 percent are obese.

Overweight prevalence is higher in boys; 32.7 percent, than girls; 27.8 percent. With those

kinds