08 Apr. 2014
In 2012, it was found that over a third of children and teenagers are overweight or obese (“Childhood Obesity Facts”). With a rate that has more than doubled in children aged six to eleven and more than quadrupled in teenagers in the last thirty years, these trends show a major problem in the United States. Without intervention, childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term negative health effects. Some of the immediate effects include bone and joint problems, social and psychological problems such as low self-esteem, and sleep apnea. Included in the short-term effects is the increased likelihood to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In a study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it was found that “70% of obese 5- to 17- year olds had at least one risk factor, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, for cardiovascular disease” (“Childhood Obesity Facts”). When looking at the long-term effects, it is important to note that obese children are likely to be obese as adults. This puts them at risk for heart disease, type II diabetes, stroke, and several types of cancer. As you can see, childhood obesity is a significant problem that must be tackled. The main causes of the increasing obesity rates are lack of exercise, poor diet, and too much screen time. We believe that the best way to solve the problem is to change these bad habits.
One of the most prominent causes of childhood obesity is the lack of exercise. Less than a third of children in the United States meet the recommended daily dose of physical activity, which is at least an hour a day of vigorous exercise (“Amount of Physical Activity”). Not only are children spending less and less time exercising at home, but schools are slowly cutting gym classes out of their curriculum. According to the National Association for Sport and Physical education, just over half of students nationwide are enrolled in a physical education class, and only one third of...