Essay --

Butler 1 Brian Butler Ms. Giblin December 20, 2013 Senior Seminar Childhood Obesity Is childhood obesity a serious problem? What causes childhood obesity? Who should take responsibility for childhood obesity? And how can childhood obesity be reduced? Childhood obesity is a medical condition for kids. Its a major problem in the US and has been for a few years. Several things have been done to lessen the sugars and fats in foods, but it still won’t be successful unless parents cut down on junk food. Not only does food cause obesity, but so does lack of exercise, lack of sleep, emotions, bullying, your environment, and depression. The terms obese and overweight are often used interchangeably, but healthy experts point out that technically there is a difference. Overweight refers to increased body weight relative to height based on some standard. People who are overweight may or may not have excess fat. Obesity is strictly defined as an excessive amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass. According to the American Obesity Association, when there is too much body fat, the result is obesity. Obesity is not a sign of a person being out of control. It is a serious medical disease that affects 14% of children in the US. Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of premature death and disability in adulthood (eMedicineHealth). It is the second leading cause of preventable death after smoking. AOA states that obesity fits all the medical definitions of a disease, such as "an interruption, cessation, or disorder of a bodily function, organ, or system." Obesity is an accumulation of excess fat and weight that occurs over time when a person takes in more calories than they expend. A calorie is a measure of heat. A calorie mea... ...can generate positive results and children continue to eat more healthfully, they will be less likely to acquire diseases associated with obesity. The earlier a child begins to learn healthy practices, the less likely he or she is to be a sick or obese adult. An increased number of healthy children can result in an increased number of those children becoming healthy adults. "Communities should increase access to food choices for a healthy diet, such as dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. They should also create a community that promotes physical activity for children and teenagers" (KET). "Initiatives by the food industry to reduce the fat, sugar and salt content of processed foods and portion sizes, to increase introduction of innovative, healthy and nutritious choices, and to review current marketing practices could accelerate health gains worldwide" (AOA).