Its My Style
...was to talk about a social problem present in the United States, and offer a solution.
Children are the future, and we all want what is best for our children. We do what we can to let our children grow up healthy, safe, and strong. Many of you are here in class today for your children—whether to set an example or to be able to provide a better life for them.
So how do you feel when I tell you that there is a health epidemic that affects 31% of all the children in the United States? This epidemic is incredibly pervasive in our society. It is present in all 50 states, in both young children and adolescents. It is seen in children of families from all income levels and in all ethnic subgroups in the U.S. Policy makers have even ranked this problem as a critical health threat. I am talking about childhood obesity.
Ladies and gentleman, today I am going to talk to you about this top health concern facing youth in America today, and about the way schools are fostering environments that perpetuate the problem.
According to my survey, seventy percent of the people in this class have children, or have children in their household, anywhere from 1 ½ to 17 years old. I’m sure you want to see these children live long, healthy, and happy lives. However, researchers are telling us that if things don’t change, children born today will be the first generation in United States history to have a shorter life span than the previous generation1. For this reason, schools need to change in order to curb this growing epidemic.
I am a mother myself, and I realize that my daughter spends more of her day at school than at home. So it’s important to me to make certain that schools are doing everything they can for the well being of our children. Schools need to foster a healthy environment to help combat the obesity epidemic facing today’s children—who are...
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