Did you know that childhood obesity rates have doubled in the last couple of decades? Obesity is the existence of excess fat in the body. It is a huge cause of many serious diseases that include diabetes, cancer and heart failure (“Childhood Obesity Facts”). The skyrocketing number of obese children is due to the less active and less nutritious lifestyle society has accepted. Children are less active, and the food available to them at school and home is far from what their growing bodies need. Programs such as Let’s Move! by Michelle Obama have been created to educate families and children on proper nutrition (“Learn the Facts”). Programs like these are helping, but the issue still continues to grow. If childhood obesity is not put to an end
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This disease is costing America billions of dollars annually, endangering the safety of the country and harming the health of the younger generation. The diseases caused by obesity are a few of the top causes of death in America (“Childhood Obesity Legislation”). The short term effects obesity has on the body is elevated blood pressure, joint pain, high cholesterol, pre-diabetes and low self-esteem. The long term health effects of obesity are much more severe than the short term effects. The long term effects include heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and stroke. With a change in lifestyle, these issues can be reversed, but the likelihood of a child changing the lifestyle habits they have been raised on is not likely. Studies show that if a child becomes obese while a toddler, they are more than likely to become an obese adult (“Childhood Obesity Facts”). The continuous growth of obesity has had some serious long term effects on America’s budget. Obesity-caused medical issues cost the government one hundred and fifty billion dollars a year. Sixty billion of the cost comes directly from taxpayers. Not only is it a threat to America’s financial status but obesity is keeping young people from being able to serve in the military. With the growing rates of obesity, young adults are not able to pass military health criteria; therefore, obesity could become a national security threat. Almost 25% of military draftees are denied because of obesity. Childhood obesity has many hazardous effects on the body, the government’s spending and the military (“Childhood Obesity
This disease is costing America billions of dollars annually, endangering the safety of the country and harming the health of the younger generation. The diseases caused by obesity are a few of the top causes of death in America (“Childhood Obesity Legislation”). The short term effects obesity has on the body is elevated blood pressure, joint pain, high cholesterol, pre-diabetes and low self-esteem. The long term health effects of obesity are much more severe than the short term effects. The long term effects include heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and stroke. With a change in lifestyle, these issues can be reversed, but the likelihood of a child changing the lifestyle habits they have been raised on is not likely. Studies show that if a child becomes obese while a toddler, they are more than likely to become an obese adult (“Childhood Obesity Facts”). The continuous growth of obesity has had some serious long term effects on America’s budget. Obesity-caused medical issues cost the government one hundred and fifty billion dollars a year. Sixty billion of the cost comes directly from taxpayers. Not only is it a threat to America’s financial status but obesity is keeping young people from being able to serve in the military. With the growing rates of obesity, young adults are not able to pass military health criteria; therefore, obesity could become a national security threat. Almost 25% of military draftees are denied because of obesity. Childhood obesity has many hazardous effects on the body, the government’s spending and the military (“Childhood Obesity