What Are The Causes Of Childhood Obesity

A Call to Action Parents are indirectly affecting the health of their child. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 6 children are affected by obesity in the United States. As a result, obesity has become one of the main health concerns around the nation. The most known reasons that contribute to obesity are the imbalance of foods that are eaten and lack of physical activity. Obesity is causing an early onset of high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, and type 2 diabetes which are usually not seen until later in adulthood. Children are our future, but being obese or overweight is affecting their length of longevity. In some cases, obesity starts before the child is even born. The food that the mother eats …show more content…
Schools have tried to improve their lunches by providing a variety of food with fruits and vegetables. Kids are given the opportunity to choose their own snacks and meals, but many of them end up throwing away the fruits and vegetables they are given. They throw away the most nutritious part of the meal! Education is an important factor in trying to stay healthy, but what many people forget is that education starts in the home. Kids may be influenced by their peers to what they should and should not eat, but they were first influenced by the people in their home. They are not accustomed to eating fruits and vegetables. Parents are the ones setting an example for their children. Parents are their first role models and if they are eating poorly and not engaging in any type of physical activity, their child will behave the same way. When the child lives in an environment that promotes eating unhealthy food with insufficient physical activity, this leaves them at risk of obesity. Sometimes parents that are obese causes the child to also be obese. Therefore, parents need to introduce fruits and vegetables early in childhood, but more importantly eat these types of food as well. They need to pay more attention to their child and what they are eating and doing. Nowadays, many children are living a more sedentary life. Depending on the age of the child, some parents need to accompany their child when they go out. …show more content…
Being overweight can cause low self-esteem and not being content with their appearance. Nowadays, society has placed a pressure on people to be thin. Some kids may even experience teasing and bullying due to their weight. They may also be affected by depression because they are not confident in themselves and feel as if they do not belong. As a result, this leads to eating disorders which can cause them to hurt