Childhood Obesity
...food establishments, lack of exercise and too much time on the couch watching TV. Child obesity has increased dramatically over the passed several years, obese children have more then a 50% chance of being obese as adults, and “approximately one and five children in the US between the ages 6 and 17 is overweight.” (Healthiergeneration.org) Due to the rise of Americans becoming more concerned with eating fast rather then healthy. Children need to be taught the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle and the effect childhood obesity has on the quality of life.
100,000 million people in America are currently overweight or obese (kidshealth.org) because of a lazy lifestyle and lack of exercise. Being Obese not only affects you socially but also can effect you physically in the long run. Obesity increases the risk for serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol — all once considered exclusively adult diseases. Obese kids may also be prone to low self-esteem that stems from being teased, bullied, or rejected by peers. “Obese children are significantly more likely to have a wide range of ailments, and are likely to remain obese as adults, and tend to have worse socioeconomic status as adults,” states Erika Blacksner author of Children’s Health Inequalities (29)
A number of factors contribute to becoming overweight. Genetics, lifestyle habits or a combination of both may be the issue. In some instances, endocrine problems, genetic disorders, and medications can be associated with excessive weight gain. Morgan Spurlock founder of the movie “Super Size Me” states that 400,000 deaths occur from obesity per year. Much of what we eat is quick and easy from fast food to microwave and prepackaged meals. Daily schedules are so packed that there's little time to prepare healthier meals or to squeeze in some exercise....
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