December 1, 2014
Health Science
Lauren Coady
David Beltran
Kyle Free
Melanie Bonilla
Mauricio Enriquez
Childhood obesity affects 1 in every 3 children in the United States. It is a disease that has become the number 1 health concern among parents due to the physical and mental health effects. Obesity is defined as having too much body fat, or excess of. This is to not be confused with overweight, which is just simply weighing too much. Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height, typically based off of a BMI chart. There are several factors that put a child at risk of becoming obese, and almost all can be prevented. The number one factor is diet. Today it is common for children to consume a high calorie diet consisting of fast food, soda, processed junk food, and sweets. In relation to a typical diet, children are spending less and less time …show more content…
Limiting unhealthy items such as soda, sweets, and processed snacks, while encouraging healthy options, gives children a proper diet plan. Parents should make healthy options easily accessible while taking out bad alternatives. Eating meals as a family is an important component. When children are sitting at a table with family they are more prone to pick up on good eating habits. As well as creating better diet plans to prevent obesity, it is important to always promote an active lifestyle. Limiting the amount of hours a child is aloud to use electronics is an opportunity for them to do a form of physical activity. Getting a child involved in a sport is a good way to be consistently active on a weekly basis. Parents should also encourage exercise by being a role model themselves. Families that engage in physical activity together promote that idea of life to their