Did you know that between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents in this country are obese? Why is there such an epidemic of obesity in our children?
Paula (noon)
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Childhood obesity
Did you know that between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents in this country are obese? Why is there such an epidemic of obesity in our children?
Paula (noon)
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19 comments:
Well I don't have too much to say on this subject, but I can see that, yes, are children are fat. Reasons for this is because, we let our kids sit at home in front of the television, computer, game device,etc., instead of making them go outside and play. Kids don't play like they use to when i was growing up. Parents need to show their kids that there is more to life then playing on the play station. Take them out more to the play grounds and parks, play some outdoor games with them, like kickball, dodge-ball, tag. Do things that are active. This is most definitely an epidemic, and I feel it is because this days we as parents have to work longer hours and harder in order to take care of our families. It's not fair too our children, but as of right now we have no choice. Latonya
Two words – Parental Control. Children tend to always be hungry due to their growth cycles. Is it their fault that they are overeating? In my honest opinion, no, it isn’t. A parent controls everything a child has access to, and this includes what they eat. The obesity epidemic in the US is partially due to what is readily available. Microwave meals, TV dinners, fast food, etc are all major culprits in the obesity problem that this country is facing. Parents don’t have time anymore to spend hours each day laboring over the night’s meal, and I understand that. There are, however, other options when it comes to choosing a healthy and nutritious meal. The school system has taken a great initiative in the promotion of healthy eating, and children should see their parents mirroring that when they get home. I fear that that is not the case. Parents should add tackling obesity to their priority list and be more cautious about what their children are consuming.
Zach Daniels
I think that in most cases it is not the child's fault that they are obese. The parents are bringing home junk food that are full of empty calories and it is not providing children with the proper nutrition they need. Most parents today are too busy to monitor what their children are eating but I think they should monitor better what foods they are bringing into the house. Also, children are not as active these days with all of the technology we have today so they would rather sit at home watching television or playing on the computer than playing sports with their friends. Children often have no choice to eat unhealthy beause in some cases their parents may be obese and they pick up their parents bad eating habits.
Shelby Walker
It’s simple to diagnose. You take a person’s weight and compare it as a ratio to their height and voila! If you are over a certain number then you are officially overweight or obese. We call this ratio Body Mass Index or BMI. It’s a useful number because it’s fairly reliable for identifying an increased risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even some types of cancer. However, it’s definitely limited in its flexibility for different body types. But at its core obesity is really just a ratio. It’s not a disease or a virus, parasite or bacteria. Yet for some reason we talk about obesity spreading like the black plague; as if rubbing up against a chunky person on the bus or being sneezed on by a husky individual will cause you to start swelling.Since there is really no “Obesity Disease” then there is no epidemic.Obesity is a symptom of a lifestyle problem or an endocrine problem or some other cause or disorder.We need to stop treating the symptoms and start looking at why people are the way they are. There is no single cause for the growing rate of obesity. People are fat for a variety of reasons. You can’t treat it all the same. Just like a cough syrup is no cure for lung cancer; fad diets, 15 minute ab programs, and prepackaged meal plans are no cure for whatever is causing the symptom of obesity. It’s time to stop with these silly cure-all approaches and to start discovering what the body is telling us when we pack on additional weight. It’s time to figure out why our kids are so fat. It’s time to wake up to the fact that the “weight loss industry” (I think it’s so ridiculous that we have an entire industry built around this) is a multibillion dollar juggernaut bent on selling you temporary results, quick fixes, and fake science.
Shane Rasor 1000
NO.Infact i find child hood obesity to be very scary because i myself suffered with child hood obesity. i honestly believe that childhood obesity is occurring more often now because of technology. i blame it on technology because thats really all kids do now and days is sit on computers or watching t.v. if they are not already playing the game, and what makes those experiences better is to have some snacks while playing, which to me will lead to cgildhood obesity. i think parents should enroll their kids into summer camps or sports organizations to keep their kids active and not let them sit around and gain weight.
It seem to have started in children and increase to adolescents and has be seen to be more comon in adults. I think it is due more to families with individual insecurities which seem to be passed on to other family members, especially, children. It seems that there are the adults in these families especially, poverty stricken families that have inner angers regarding their own failures and has passed on their negativity to the other family members. Children looked up to their parents and older sisters and brothers but if they are the ones that are being negative and placing doubt into the minds of the children, it would not be surprising to see a children, lose faith within themselves, especially, if there is no one in their household to tell or show them otherwise. I believe that the reason that there is such an epidemic of obesity in our children is because of the lack of encouragement within the home and schools to help the children understand that they are important and that they matter,that does help children to stop using food as their crutch. There are many schools that try to motivate their students but it also has to be continued in the homes.
We can possible reduce obesity in children if the teachers and parents got together to encourage the kids from both sides. Parents can tried to participate in activities with their children so the whole family is involved and alot of times, this is all that kids really want which is to spend time with their families.
I know personally about living in a home where the parents were working, my mother would cook dinner, so when I got home, she would be asleep due to her night job and all I had was my music, TV and food. Of course, I know that obesity is a problem in society, but as bad as the economy is right now and families are barely able to keep a roof over their head, so tension will be high and some people will look at obesity as saying to people that are trying to keep food on their table that their children are not hungry or can cause a conflict as to the kids are eating all the food that's why they are big. Either way, it's not good, because food can be just as addictive as street drugs. So the issue remains what is that child or person trying to not deal with?
Linda H.
Personally i think that it is crazy that we have obese kids, is it really that hard to monitor your kids snackage at a small age. Those kids are going to have future problems when they get older as well as shortening their life span and self confidence. its really bad, and the worst part about it, it is the parents fault. You are the parent you control what the child eats and what groceries you buy. I don't see kids leaving the house and buying bags of chips. Even if you cant buy healthy food moderate the portions sized that the child is in taking. You don't want your child to fall and hurt themselves, then why would you want to harm them internally and scar them for the rest of their life.
Xeromy Kaizad (8:00)
I did know the statistics and I find it to be just sad. More and more kids are becoming seriously over weight because parents let them eat whenever they want and more families are going out to eat instead of eating at home. Reducing obesity in children can be redicioulsy easy. All you need is to have the kids be more active during the day so that means less hours of watching tv and playing video games and more time doing something active outside. Parents can start leaving less junk food around the house and find healthier foods and giving their kids appropriate size meals instead of letting their kids eat eat eat. I believe its a huge problem. More and more kids are getting diabities and will lead their bad decisions on eating to their kids which will make the epidemic even bigger than what it is now.
Brandan McDaniel
I did not know that child obesity was a problem in the United States. This "epidemic" might be happening because parents do not watch what their children eat or do not stop them when they are eating a lot of unhealthy foods. Parents can fix this by making their kids eating healthier and have some exercise outside. I really didn't think that child obesity was a problem because i never see it.
Slade
Is it the child’s fault that they are fat, no it isn’t. Parents control everything a child has access to. Obesity is partially due to what is available. Whether that be TV dinners or fast food. It’s easier for a parent to go through the drive throw then making home cooked meals. Which in my eyes the parents are lazy and in reality hurting their kids. There are so many healthy ways that are available today that parents need to take into consideration. For example the schools have gone “healthy” they are promoting a very good way to be healthy by serving kids more baked foods then fried. Or more veggies then snacks. Parents should be more cautious about what their children are putting in their mouths.
Caitlin Wakefield
Obesity is becoming a very prevalent problem in America. It is not only unhealthy and unappealing, but it also has some serious health issues. Exposing our children to a life of high-blood pressure, diabetes, and bullying is far from productive. I realize that it's way easier to drive to McDonald's and pick up a happy meal for your kid to eat than fixing an expensive, nutritious meal. I get it. But here's an idea, if you do end up getting McDonald's, after your done eating go for a bike ride or play catch with your kids. I will admit to eating plenty of McDonald's and various other fast food places as a child. But my parents had the common sense to get me involved in extracurricular activities: sports, plays, and camps. Although I have eaten plenty of fast food over the years, I am proud to say that I am not obese. Parents just need to be more cautious with what their children eat and make sure they get plenty of exercise. It is hard for me to see kids that are suffering with obesity and knowing that the majority of their problem is not their fault. Parents need to be aware of the issues that come with childhood obesity and do everything they can to make sure that they teach their children healthy eating habits and hope that their children will continue with these habits as they get older.
~Megan Strom
It is very bad that so many children are becoming more and more obese, it starts with the parents no doubt, they have to watch what they let their kids eat and make sure they do not develop bad eating habits. also another big problem is that the really bad foods are so cheap, you can get a cheeseburger for a dollar but a salad will cost you three dollars more, sometimes soda is cheaper than water! so in the end it all comes down to the parents and what they feed their children while they are growing up
Alec Pettyjohn
The numbers don't really surprise me with all the hand-held entertainment now a days and kids getting less physical activity it makes sense. I believe if more things were mandatory, like better meal plans at schools, having a class that really helped them with physical health and taught them the importance of a correct eating habit. Parents need to monitor the amount of time there kids spend watching television, on the computer, playing videos games and etc. I feel it is a problem not only for the child but their future. The cruel world we live in they might face problems like people making fun of them and teasing them for the way they look so not only is it unhealthy but it can hurt their future development as a person.
Matthew W
Parents don't take enough time to look or pay attention to their children, and dont have enough time for them. So the quickest way to feed them is fast food, or to grab a bag of chips. Younger kids aren't suppose to take care of theirselves, and a majority dont know how or have siblings to help them. Parents should save enough time in there day to take there kids on a walk at night after dinner to wind down and work off some of their dinner. They should also give them specific times to play video games or play inside. If it is nice enough to play outside, let them. Dont let them sit inside all day.. save that for a rainy day!
-Kallie
Yes there are to many kids sitting in front of the tv playing video games and watching TV. We can reduce obesity by keeping the kids active, there are no reason why kids can't be active. Little kids have more oppurtunitys to be active then nearly anyone. Also schools should focus on nutrition and exercise in pe not just allowing kids to roam the play ground. Parents can help by getting their kids active in sports and by cooking well balance meals. As parents your diet is going to reflect on your kids, and if you are not eating properly neither will your child, and it is very important for children to eat proper because they are still devoloping. I do feel that child obesity is a problem in todays society and there should be actions to help prevent it. Children need to get active along with everyone else in the world. Exercise is proven to have only positive side effects so why not get active?
Ian 10:00
i wasnt aware of the percentage, but it isnt surprising. the work has to start in the home. so.. the parents are definitely the ones to blame. there is no reason why a child should be obsese!! many parents are LAZY, instead of cooking, they will order out or get fast food, simply because it is quick and easy! parents should do a better job of watching what their children eat. it can and will make a difference. my kids love snacks. and when i go grocery shopping i would buy them cookies and chips, etc. but they also love fruit. soo.. i figured i would cut back on the junk food and give them fruit as snacks. they havent noticed the change at all!!! i mean, some days they want chips or a piece of chocolate, but for the most pt. i think i do a good job of monitoring what i let them eat.
Kiara D
I think a way we can keep our kids form getting to be obese is for them to be active and involved in sports. A parent also needs to be in control of what they eat and not always have junk food in the house. I understand you cant control EVERY thing they eat but you can control what you have in the house. They need to have things like fruits and veggies for kids to snack on instead of chips, cookies, etc. They also should be drinking water, milk, and juices. Cook decent meals for dinner and have the kids take their lunch and pack it with healthy things. Most importantly keep them involved in many sports. There is a sport every season, so there is no reason they can not be active.
Brooke
There is such a thing, because parents do not care what their children eat or do. We should not feed them as much junk food, and let them sit around and do nothing. Make them go out, or eat something that is healthy. Yes, cause now days parents give in and let their children do what they want. They should take more responsibility in what their kids are doing.
Alexis H (noon)
I think it has gotten so bad that parents give their kids fast food as an easy way to have a meal done and before they realize it, that kid is eating out everyday. Kids also are more into watching TV, playing video games, or being on the computer than going outside and doing something active and fun. I think if more parents add healthy meals into a child's diet everyday it could help turn this terrible epidemic around. Limit the amount of time a child is allowed to play on the computer or a video game and then a certain amount of TV also, and give them one choice a day. Yes i think it has a lot to do with our society now a days. People turn to fast food instead of having to cook or having to go home for dinner. People are less active and care less about the way they look anymore. They see our national average size get bigger so they dont have to try as hard to stay healthy. I think people need to realize they are hurting themselves more for the future by doing this to their bodies.
Shelby F
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