Tyler Creighton
Childhood Obesity
Children in America are becoming fat. “Childhood obesity is best tackled at home through improved parental involvement, increased physical exercise, better diet and restraint from eating.” 33 percent of children and teens are currently obese. Obesity is among the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat. Parents feed their children technically twice a day. They feed them breakfast and dinner, but even though they are not there during the school day, (they can control what their child is eating in between the time.) What they can't control are the snacks they eat while they're not in their parents supervision. Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year.The reason most children in America are becoming obese is either because they are following in their parents footsteps or they have no control of the food they are eating.Excess weight and obesity in childhood and adolescence has become a serious public health concern in the United States. Most of a child’s diet is controlled by the parents, parents should be held responsible for childhood obesity.
Obesity is one of the easiest thing to realize but the most difficult thing to change.Obesity is an excess proportion of total body fat. A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20% or more above normal weight. The most common measure of obesity is the body mass index or BMI.Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than he or she burns.Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than he or she burns. What doesn’t help it is the inactivity.As mentioned on OECD the percentage of child obesity has increased 15% over the last 2 years. Two type of diabetes has doubled over the years also. 25% of children ages 8-16 watch four or more hours of television a day. Having obese parents substantially raises a child's risk of becoming obese.Implications for the life expectancy of obese youth who are likely to experience higher rates of hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes than their parents. Past studies have shown childhood obesity to be more strongly associated with mother’s weight than father’s weight.To find out the effects of maternal and paternal weight on obesity risk in children researchers reviewed 4,432 UK families and 7,078 children, aged between 2 and 15 years.In America children are allowed to go in fast food places without a parent,compared to the UK who decided create a law that children are not allowed inside of Mc’Donalds without a parent.Parents are then able to decide what they would like there child to eat and moniter what there child is eating.Other laws were based off of this.For example Mc’Donalds now has to give you apples with every happy meal. This is a good way to help maintain childrens weight and diet because while eating a fatty unhealthy meal they are still receiving some type of nutrition.Weight loss is not a good approach for most young children, since their bodies are growing and developing. A restrictive diet may not supply the energy and nutrients needed for a normal growth and development. Parents and caregivers can help prevent childhood obesity by providing healthy meals and snacks, daily physical activity, and nutrition education. Increased physical activity reduces health risks and helps weight management.This is an easy way of maintaining your childs diet because between the ages of 6-13 because around those ages whatever your parent does more than likely,your child will also.Parents play a role model in their childs life.By excersising and making it fun, cutting down snacks and junk food this will play a good role and great beginning in there childs life. There is a lack of ready access to healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Families in poorer communities often live in “food deserts” where supermarkets and grocery stores are scarce or charge higher prices for healthy foods than processed foods. Families with less income must often rely on convenience stores and small neighborhood stores that offer few, if any, healthy food choices. To make matters worse, many underserved communities, particularly in urban areas, have an overabundance of fast food establishments that are often located near schools and playgrounds.Parents also need to monitor amount of calories their child consumes.By the age of 13 an average child should be consuming 1,600 calories a day, and a more active child should consume about 2,000. However, children began consuming more calories in 2007-2008, they began consuming 16 to 20% more calories a day. Surprisingly for an average child to become obese they need to consume 64 calories more than a normal child per day. By applying proper nutrition, better eating habits and physical activity, any child can live a healthy life.
Obesity can be prevented in many ways. By parents making sure their child is receiving physical activity on a daily bases, and a healthy diet, there parental involvement will better their children's growth and maintaining a healthy diet.When thinking of obesity, the thought is scary. This is a very big issue mainly in America but other places also. It can even be prevented in more simpler ways such as ,Paying more attention to your child, showing them love and affection.Don’t closely monitor the amounts your child eats or nag your child to eat at mealtime. This can interfere with your child’s response to hunger and feeling full. These two responses are an important basis for healthy eating behaviors. This is preventing children from living a healthy normal life. It is very dangerous for the young crowd especially. Because it is growing rapidly and can cause a lot of health issues , that has to be surgically fixed or a very slow, long, crucial process to get rid of. Over time America is working to decrease the statistics of childhood obesity and prevent more from happening. All this can not be accomplished without the help of parents. Their support and motivation and control of their children's diet can help change this problem. 
