Why must children battle the bulge

Why must children battle the bulge: First Draft

Ida Matilda Wright

ENG 122: English Composition II (PTF1549D)

Instructor:  Christina Iluzada

December 14, 2015

 

      Obesity is shortening lives, and our children’s weight problem is a problem that needs some serious educational policy reconstruction. (Belluck, P. 2005) Even though many people believe that parents should have the only influence on the weight of their children, adults are possibly unaware of health issues that were once adult problems are treated in preteens and younger. Children are greatly influenced by the food advertising that targets these screen-watching couch potato young people of the next generation.

      Though a mother’s behavior before and during pregnancy does affect many aspects of the child’s health at birth, this can affect him or her throughout their entire lifetime. Obesity causes published by Harvard School of Public Health informs society of different causes of obesity. The way we eat is not the single cause to blame. Harvard School of Public Health research documents that our chances for obesity is determined by different contributing factors, such as before we were born, in our early childhood, and by the choices that we make in our everyday lives. (Harvard School of Public Health n.d)

      Our genes can play a role, but they do not create obesity alone. Mothers that smoke increase the chances of transforming their cute little one into an obese child. The birth weight can be a factor, but breastfeeding can help to reduce the chances of extreme weight gain. Watching television, playing video games, or computer activities can cause our bodies to store fat. Our lives do not have time or places that we feel are safe to exercise. Schools and businesses are selling junk food and sugary beverages. The portion control on our plates is not the only food issue that we have. The type of food that we consume is a high contributor to weight gain. A Western diet is full of fatty foods and high sugars. This issues followed with poor sleeping habits creates an obesity problem that is hard to address. Western diet that is high in sugars and fats is only one of the contributors to this worldwide obesity problem in our youth. Harvard School of Public Health reminds us about the dangers of this diet, “What’s become the typical Western diet—frequent, large meals high in refined grains, red meat, unhealthy fats, and sugary drinks—plays one of the largest roles in obesity.” Under the next heading Too Much Television, Too Little Activity, and Too Little Sleep, the author says that inactivity watching television and lack of sleep can also play a role in a child’s weight gain. (Obesity Causes and Obesity Prevention. 2015. P. 2) Even the food industry is a big factor in our children’s’ obsession with food. “In 2009, companies spent more than $1.79 billion to promote food directly to children and teens.” (Schwartz, M., Kunkel, D., & DeLucia, S. 2013. p. 4-13) Advertising is achieved by billboards, commercials on children’s’ television networks, and popular cartoon characters on packaging of sugary food and drinks. Kids today can watch television, play video games, and chat online more now than ever before many times without the knowledge of their parents. Western diet that is high in sugars and fats is only one of the contributors of this world wide obesity problem in our youth. Harvard School of Public Health reminds us about the dangers of this diet, “What’s become the typical Western diet—frequent, large meals high in refined grains, red meat, unhealthy fats, and sugary drinks—plays one of the largest roles in obesity.” Under the next heading Too Much Television, Too Little Activity, and Too Little Sleep, the author says that inactivity watching television and lack of sleep can also play a role in a child’s weight gain. (Obesity Causes and Obesity Prevention. 2015. P. 2) Even the food industry is a big factor in our children’s’ obsession with food. “In 2009, companies spent more than $1.79 billion to promote food directly to children and teens.” (Schwartz, M., Kunkel, D., & DeLucia, S. 2013. p. 4-13) this is achieved by billboards, commercials on children’s’ television networks, and popular cartoon characters on packaging of sugary food and drinks. Kids today can watch television, play video games, and chat online more now than ever before many times without the knowledge of their parents.

      In Framing the Consequences of Childhood Obesity to Increase Public Support for Obesity Prevention Policy, authors Sarah E. Gollust, Jeff Niederdeppe, , and Colleen L. Barry, collaborate in discussing how framing the effects of media and political party beliefs have on obesity. Two web-based studies were included in the research. Even our military is affected by the number of recruits that cannot make the weight to enlist. The charts in this paper is very helpful to understand how “Framing the Consequences of Childhood Obesity to Increase Public Support for Obesity Prevention Policy”.

      Although there are many ways to measure a person’s level of obesity, the BMI scale is the most convenient to use in a clinical setting. Other methods are more complicated and don’t prove effective on as many people as the BMI. For example, (DEXA) and air displacement plethysmography is time consuming and costly to be used in many official settings.

      Many factors of obesity are covered in this document. Schools menus play a big part of the problem, and Menus become a bigger issue since physical activity is at the lowest. The ways that children choose to entertain themselves is a big factor. Children between the ages of 8-18 spend 7.5 hours of screen daily. This factor is surprising with a good 7 hours spent in school. Parent’s anxiety also causes some of the problem. Mother’s that are worried that their child is not eating enough so she over feeds them with good intentions. Even age and gender of the child makes a different in the chances of becoming obese.

      After analyzing “Food Marketing to Youth: Pervasive, Powerful, and Pernicious”, the reader may be surprised by the lengths that advertisers go to reach our children. There is no safe place where our children will not be bombarded visions of tantalizing food. Billions of marketing dollars are spent to reach the next generation no matter where they are. We can limit the television that they are permitted to watch, and we think that this is the cure. All of this money is not just spent on commercials. Internet banners are placed on popular gaming sites. Characters from Dora to the Hulk are on packaging of high calorie foods. Schools have contracts with beverage companies. For selling their product alone, they receive gifts of percentages of the profits or things like sports score boards. It is becoming such a problem that it is spilling from country to country. The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for governments to limit or control the advertisements that are directed to our children. (Schwartz, M., Kunkel, D., & DeLucia, S. 2013).

      There is not enough attention given to the problem of childhood obesity. Each day there are more children diagnosed as being overweight. They suffer with the health issues that come from obesity. As a nation, we need to educate parents about the dangers of the foods our children eat, develop policies in schools to monitor the sale of junk food at school, and create policies that protect our children from commercial food targeting. Until this is accomplished, we will be watching our children suffer from low self-worth, having heart attacks as children, and see our young adults shooting insulin because of high sugar levels. Research has shown us the problem, and we have to find the avenues to create a healthier next generation.

 

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