The Epidemic of Childhood Obesity

Seyed Ali Askari

Dr. Constance Farley

ENG 102

Essay # 1

February 21, 2016

The Epidemic of Childhood Obesity

        Childhood obesity is one of the serious concerns in the United States and many other countries. Irregular growth in the number of obese children in recent years is very worrying for global society. Obesity in U.S. children has increased dramatically since the late 1980s. Obesity is a condition resulting of accumulation of excess fat in human body that it leads to great harm on the human body and increasing disease and lowering the average of life expectancy. Weight gain and obesity can lead to many health problems such as hypertension, stroke, breast cancer, asthma, hepatitis, impaired fertility, prostate cancer and diabetes. You may lose 17-27 years of life. The health threat posed by children obesity is a problem for which several potential solutions exist such as; healthy eating lifestyle habit and physical activity.

        According to “The Childhood Obesity Epidemic” by Lubna Mahmood, this is a great relationship between childhood obesity and media. Lots of children tend to spend their time watching TV and consuming and consuming large amount of fatty food that it leads to gain weight in short time. In addition, children’s natural is to imitate to others that is play important role about their weight. They love cartoon and Hollywood stars and they usually imagine them as their role models. When a cartoon character represents food or candy that is not suitable, they cannot distinguish between TV programs and advertisement.

        The same thing for school’s meals, since children spend most time at school, then it is logical that they eat more than one meal. New standard that phased by government, they want make sure that children can meet their nutrient needs. A research by Food and Nutrient of Primary School Children compare 120 children between six to eleven years old at school that demonstrates effect between school meal and their weight. In research a recorded consumed meal for lunch and nutritional analysis was performed. Later, they determined that amount of energy provided in different meal was same, but meal packed at home was different. This study showed that children who packed lunch meal with them to school gain double fat and sugar in contrast with those who eat lunch in school. Thus lunch packed have more material and less healthy than school meal due to amount of saturated fat children can gain weight. Also, fast food restaurant can contribute in childhood obesity when fast food served in big size. In fact fast food restaurant are responsible at least half of child obesity in societies. Children tend to eat a lot burger, pizza and fries which have no nutrient for their body need.

        Finally, the author suggests that parents should encourage children for healthful eating habit and offer variety healthy food to them. Also, studies suggested that parents should encourage outdoor play since children of active parents double as likely to be active than inactive parents. In this essay author emphasizes in two part; first the role of parents to encourage their children for healthy eating habit and avoid from fatty food and sugar sweetened sodas. Second is role of government which makes many plans in schools to offer a healthy and suitable food based on children’s need at school. Eventually, she believes media attraction, fatty food and environment factor all can play important role for children to gain weight and being obese.
        Another possible solution has been researched by Shumei Xu and Ying Xue from Department of Endocrinology, China. According to the outcomes, there are three principal solutions for childhood obesity: family factors, physical activity and prevention and treatment.

        First of all is family factor and obesity. Interaction between parents and children in home environment may increase risk of child obesity. New lifestyle tends to dining meals at restaurants and spends more time watching TV. Also, the meals that serve at restaurants are including larger portion of energy dense in contrast to homemade meals. Author suggested that families have to decrease watching TV and improve quality of diet as less saturated and trans fat, less fried food,  lower glycemic load, more fiber, fewer sweetened beverages and more fruit and vegetables are consume.

        Second factor is about physical activity and obesity. William and associates studies demonstrated that health benefit were associated with physical activity lifestyle in children, including a weight control program, physical exercise for obese individuals, low blood pressure, modest consumption of fatty foods, and high‑calorie drinks or beverages. Physical activity increase life expectancy and decrease risk of heart disease in children. It is require to exercise 4 or 5 times per week for 30 to 60 minutes to keep healthy level of physical fitness. Many exercise such as, walking, cycling can help children to have healthy body. In addition, lack of playground in parks limits children for physical activity in some areas. Thus, a physical fitness program is essential for the pediatric health care of children.