According to Kimbro, “Approximately one-third of U.S. children are overweight, and sixteen percent are obese.” (Kimbro 20). This quote refers to children who are struggling with overweight problems at an early age and more likely to become overweight adolescents and adults. Kimbro gives the reader a very clear, concise definition of childhood obesity without using vague, euphemistic, or emotive language (Chaffee 2012). Obese and overweight children are increasingly diagnosed with type two diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and certain cancers. Some people say childhood obesity is genetics and lack of exercise. Children might be obese because of family history with obesity and do not exercise. One factor is food at home and school. Children …show more content…
According to Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, “Students are more likely to be obese, and weigh more if they are income-eligible for reduced price school lunches.” (Schanzenbach 44). Children that qualify for free reduced program which eat school lunches are likely to be obese because the lack of nutrient, high fat, sugar, and salt in foods. On the other hand children that do not qualify for the program and take their lunch to school are less likely to be obese because the food eaten contains more nutrient, less sugar, salt, and fat. Therefore school lunch eaters consume more calories than those who bring their lunch. School districts are under a budget and oftentimes nutrition is at the bottom of their list. Instead of serving fresh fruit, vegetables, and freshly cooked meals to students the school districts rather stay profitable. For some children, school food is the only reliable meal and have no other but to eat it. This program is an excellent way to stop kids from starving, but it does not have enough nutrient which causes children to become overweight. School meals and vending machines which contain high in fat, sugar, and salt are likely for children to become overweight. According to Barry Yeoman, “Schools are partly to blame for childhood obesity because of the high-fat, high-calorie foods they serve.” (Yeoman 2009). For example schools menus list bacon cheeseburgers, hot dogs, pizza, burritos, chicken sandwich, and cheese nachos. The foods served
Obesity can often be the consequence of living in a household that instill unhealthy eating habits. Schools can be a positive influence on teens early in life so that obese teens can lead into their adult lives with healthier habits. With these healthier habits, they may likely have more energy to become positive influences in others lives to be healthy and be able to do more. If schools can make such an impact on students’ lives, they should try, even if they needed to sacrifice extra money or instructional time. In 2007, there was a study that only one fifth of high school students had eaten fruits and vegetables at least five times a day in a week (Wexler, 2010). While it is unreasonable to force someone to eat these foods, if they are regularly offered as part of school lunches, students may eat them if they have finished the rest of their lunch and are hungry. Schools should be encouraged to even add fruits and vegetables to vending machines for healthier options.
In addition, there is no nutritious value in a single school lunch. Amanda Ray wrote, “Processed foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt have become a mainstay of lunches in schools across America and the results are in, experts say these unhealthy school lunches are a contributing factor to the childhood obesity epidemic.” This shows that school lunches are absolutely unhealthy and school lunches has increased childhood obesity. It would be smarter if families across the United States would pack a more natural and nutritious school lunch for their student starting at a young age. The high in fat, sugar, or salt cause children to become overweight and very
There have been studies conducted to find out what has caused or what the leading factors to obesity are. Researchers are currently still doing research to find out what causes or what may be the lead to obesity. Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition which considers a child to be obese if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. (Rendall., Weden, Lau, Brownell, Nazarov & Fernandes, 2014). Obesity is on a rise in the Unites States and all over the world and can lead or result to other health complications later in life. The crucial breakdown serves as an implication of outlining childhood obesity, collaborating problems of the disease and resolutions, as well as applying critical thinking to give a complete approach to deliver information on childhood obesity. This will be done through citation of scholarly articles, samples and other modes of supporting details.
Childhood onset overweight and obesity and its’ associated health consequences are quickly becoming major significant public health issues facing America today. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define overweight as a body mass index (BMI) between the 85th and 95th percentile while obese is defined as BMI above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex . The prevalence of overweight children, defined based on 2009 CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics data, has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Between 1980 and 2006, the incidence of overweight among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% to 17.0% while overweight levels for adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 17.6% .
Foods bought from a school cafeteria also cause a lot of weight problems. These foods are not well balanced, and often include unhealthy deserts, and snack. Obesity is the number one cause for heart problems in America, so we should try to encourage the children to make healthy choices, and pack lunches from home.
In the United States alone children’s health is rapidly deteriorating. Since the early 1980’s childhood obesity in America has skyrocketed, leaving overweight children in danger. While obesity is defined as the condition of being very fat or overweight. One third of children “qualify as obese” (Davies), and meet the criteria to be labeled as “overweight as a result of poor eating habits, and a minimal amount of physical exercise. However, the lack of knowledge parents possess surrounding childhood obesity is determent to youngster future. When dealing with such an austere problem as obesity, parents should become more knowledgeable, supportive, and increase family activities to diminish childhood obesity.
Childhood obesity is a serious health issue currently affecting America’s population. School lunches have gained a spotlight in the search for prevention of child obesity because the majority of America’s youth eat two school meals a day during most of the year. Although the nutritional standards of school meals have been changed over the years, there is still room for improvement. With additions such as a la cart and vending machines, school meals quickly fall from the federal nutrition standards. As children grow they spend an average of 7 hours a day at school over half of the year. With almost 95% of America’s children attending school, it is one of the most stable and influential aspects of their life. With so much of a child’s time spent
If students ate healthier school lunches, it would result in healthier food choices at home. Children who are provided with sugary, fatty foods at school can develop poor eating habits at home. School lunches that provide more calories than a child needs to maintain their body weight can lead to weight gain and obesity. Overeating can not only compromise the child's health, but lead to health problems in the future. Children who are overweight have increased risks of developing health problems and become obese adults. Healthy lunches with appropriate portions can help support a healthy
Lunches served at schools throughout the United States play a large role in childhood obesity. In 2012, a study showed that the percentage rate of children who were diagnosed with obesity in the United States had risen to 33% (Rourke). Obesity has only grown since, and will continue to grow if changes are not implemented not only in the home, but in the school lunch program as well. The students who eat school lunches are proven to have a higher obesity rate compared to those who prepare a lunch at home and bring it to school (Rourke). This shows that students who have the option to eat healthier have a decreased rate
This paper will explore and discuss the rising issue of childhood obesity by using published books and articles. I will explore five different factors that correlate to possible beliefs of childhood obesity. The factors that I will discuss include: parenting, education, technology, marketing, and the Fat-Gene theory. There has not been one specific cause to childhood obesity but there are underlying effects that can be harmful to children from 2-19 years of age. The
What is this food doing to our children? The childhood obesity epidemic has increased because of the contribution of junk food that is being served in public schools. It has been found that children who eat fatty school foods are more likely to become obese than those who brought lunch from home. Why is this we may ask has a lot to do with the above student that I stated brought their lunch from home daily. You can count the intake of calories that is in your lunchbox but you have no idea what is in the food from you school, half of the time you will not even know what the food is. Also, the specials that are provided for students on special food days increases their calorie intake as well such as; pizza day or wing day. On these days children have shown to intake more food because these are the days that they provide greasy foods that taste swell and the children like them so they will gravitate to them because they do not have the proper knowledge to know what this food can do to your body.
Nationally, about 17% of people under the age of 20, about 12.5 million are considered obese. School districts that serve students food that are high in calories and fat are to blame for the growing numbers of obese children. Although school lunches provide students food at minimal costs, the poor quality of food served delivers inadequate nutrition and is responsible for the rising numbers of obese minors in the United States. In order to combat this growing problem, school districts must limit student choices in the lunchroom and provide healthier food nationally. Although some school districts may argue this, it is necessary to do so as school districts in Pennsylvania and Mississippi and university studies support this claim.
Childhood obesity is a condition that affects children in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the rates of obesity in children have more than doubled in children in the past 30 years. There was increase of 18% from 1980 to 2012 in children 6 to 11 years of age, estimating that more than one third of children are overweight or obese. ("Childhood Obesity Facts," 2014) Obesity usually begins in children during the ages of 5 and 6. The most troublesome fact is that studies have shown that obese children between 10 and 13 have a predisposition of becoming an obese adult. ("Obesity in Children and Teens," 2011) Consequently, overweight teenagers have a 70 percent chance of becoming obese or overweight adults, and if at least one parent is obese the child’s predisposition rate increases to 80 percent. (Bishop et al., 2005)
Junk food, junk food, junk food is around all corners of schools. Chocolate, cookies, soda, potato chips, and Sour Strings may sound delectable to some people, but are they nutritious? Some people wonder if there should be a change. Encouraging exceptional nutrition in schools is essential by reasons of students will consume foods that are better for them, schools will pay less for meals, and fewer students would go hungry.
Childhood obesity may not seem like a serious problem, but it is a serious medical condition that can have major effects on a child. Although genetics play a role in determining a child’s weight, it is usually due to a child’s amount of exercise and the consumption of healthy meals. Doctors are concerned with the issue, as we all should be, and they are creating new programs that are geared toward helping children learn how to follow a healthier lifestyle. There are some promising outlooks with these programs, and most doctors agree that parents should help their children create a more active and healthy lifestyle. They also agree that the government should provide more attention to the issue as well. Since the growing problem of childhood