Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity
In today’s world we see many serious issues such as gun control, health care, and rising prices of oil, but one major issue that isn’t making headlines is childhood obesity. One in every six American children is obese. Childhood obesity is caused by an unhealthy diet of fast-food and a lack of exercise, and the effects are a major problem in America.
First, lack of physical activity is a major contributor to the fast growing number of overweight youth. Many kids don’t get enough exercise to stay in shape. The surgeon general recommends 30 minutes of activity a day to maintain weight and health. But kids today don’t receive the proper physical activity because schools have taken away P.E. programs, and cut down on recess time. Less than half of kids meet this recommendation. The increase in obesity caused by the inadequate physical activity and poor diets is leading to some damaging effects.
The lack of physical activity isn’t the only cause of overweight youth. Fast-food or junk-food is also making kids gain in weight. The meals at schools aren’t healthy or nutritious enough. Schools aren’t providing healthy choices for lunches like fruits and vegetables but serving kids fast food and sugary drinks. Kids are eating unhealthy meals at school five to ten times a week. The schools need to provide healthier and nutritious meals to kids. Another issue is that kids eat fast-food multiple times a day, and several times in a given week. Children eating fast-food one or more times a day isn’t healthy and will make them fat. Most fast-food is high in calories and trans fats.
Finally, Electronics account in part of children’s obesity. Many kids today sit around the house and have access to TV, the internet, some sort of smart phone or tablet, and a dizzying assortment of video games. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, “Children 8-18 years of age spend an average of 7.5 hours a day using entertainment media”....

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