Obesity Among Children

The health problem that I am addressing is the extremely high rate of obesity among children in today’s society. I chose this topic because it seems that everywhere I go the majority of the younger generation that I see seem to be overweight, if not obese. I want to understand what was causing the issue and what is being done about it. Along with, how we as a society can reshape our current younger generation as well as future generations to come.
As I began researching this topic, I was saddened by the statistics that reaffirmed most of my assumptions; this is a very serious health issue that affects far too many people. According to the statistics and data found from the centers for disease control and prevention, in the last 30 years obesity in adolescents has quadrupled. This is a major problem because obesity increases the likelihood of many health risks such as “heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, asthma, liver disease and several types of cancer” NIH. Also, since children and adolescents who are overweight or obese are more likely to become obese adults, these health risks are more …show more content…
Parents need to get more involved in their children’s lives and closely monitor the amount of time they spend watching TV and playing video games. Encouragement of healthy behaviors such as sports, exercise, and anything else that requires physical activity can help alleviate the disease of obesity. Parents should take this opportunity of physical activity to bond with their children, I believe that parents need to accept greater responsibility for their children 's health and monitor their eating and exercise habits much more closely. The health of their children should be every parent’s top priority, and by facilitating these healthy behaviors parents also have the opportunity at becoming healthier