*Childhood Obesity* Rates at an All Time High

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1 *Childhood Obesity* Rates at an All Time High Being overweight is a serious health concern for many children and adolescents. America as a whole is becoming more and more overweight each year, causing Childhood Obesity is a growing problem in America. childhood obesity to emerge as a major health problem in our country. According to Merriam-Webster s online dictionary, obesity is defined as a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of body fat. Obesity is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissue of humans and other mammals, exceeds healthy limits. It is commonly defined as body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated using a person s weight divided by their height squared. A BMI below 8.5 is seen as being underweight. A BMI of is normal, while is seen as overweight. Lastly, a BMI of

2 30.0 and above is obese (United States Department of Veteran Affairs 2007). The percentage of overweight children in our country has changed dramatically over the past several years. Since the 970s the percentage of overweight kids and adolescents in the United States has more than doubled. Ten percent of two to five year olds and more than fifteen percent of children between the ages of six and nineteen are overweight. If you combine the percent of kids who are overweight with the percent of kids who are at risk of becoming overweight, about one out of three children are affected (Hassink 2005). Children are spending less time exercising and more time passively sitting in front of the television, computer, and video game consoles instead of exercising. According to Dr. Michele DiCorcia, a professor of Health and Exercise Science at Rowan University, the average person needs at least sixty minutes of exercise per day. Many children are getting much less or none of these sixty minutes of exercise. Also, data from two recent studies showed that the prevalence of overweight children is increasing. Children aged two to five years old have a 3.9% prevalence rate, six to eleven years old is 8.8%, and those aged twelve to nineteen years old have a prevalence rate of 7.4% (CDC 2007). Lack of exercise, along with a high fat diet often leads to childhood obesity. There are many reasons for this extreme increase in overweight people. Exercising daily is a great way to stay healthy and avoid becoming overweight. Another major reason for the weight problems in today s youngsters is the choice

3 of foods that parents are feeding their children. Thousands of students feast on junk food and soda for breakfast on a daily basis. A study has found that one in ten children aged twelve to seventeen regularly eat chocolate, ice cream, potato chips, or instant noodles as their first meal of the day. Also, almost a third of children start off their morning with soft drinks or energy drinks (Stark 2008). It is obvious that these foods are not healthy and do not provide the nutrients that a child needs to perform well in school over several hours. There has been a new trend of less and less people eating breakfast daily. Many blame lack of time or just wanting more sleep as a reason for skipping what has been proven to be the most important meal of the day from a nutritional standpoint. About sixty eight percent of eighteen to twenty four yearolds regularly skip breakfast according to an Australian study (Stark 2008). People who skip breakfast are prone to overeating later in the day, causing weight gain. Starting off the day with high calorie foods with little nutritional value leaves people vulnerable to weight gain. It is proven that the majority of children, who suffer from being overweight or obese, carry this health problem into adulthood (Stark 2008). To put it all into perspective, there is no short term cure for childhood obesity and weight problems continue to affect people of all ages. Fighting childhood obesity requires a long term commitment to a lifestyle that includes good nutrition and physical activity. As a Health and Exercise Education Major, my goal is to devote my life to helping others live a well rounded healthy lifestyle and continue the fight against childhood obesity. The fight against childhood obesity often begins in physical education classes.

4 Some Interesting Websites Information about childhood obesity can be found all over the web. Name URL General Content Audie nce /childhood/ Centers For Disease Control and Prevention Kids Health The Age United States Department of Veteran Affairs The Boston Globe Children s Hospitals parent/general/body/overw eight_obesity.html ws/national/one-in-0- youngsters-start-day-withbreakfast-of-junkfood/2008/0/3/ html IsOO.asp nation/articles/2006/2/29/ob esity_battle_starts_young_for_ urban_poor als.net/am/template.cfm?s ection=site_map3&templa TE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm &CONTENTID=4646 This website is a brief overview of Childhood obesity including facts about how this epidemic has worsened over the years. This website gives information about the reasons why children are overweight and obese. Also, the site teaches you about Body Mass Index (BMI) This website explains why eating a wholesome breakfast is vital toward living a healthy life. This website explains the meaning of BMI and also allows you to conveniently calculate your own BMI right on the site. This website describes the reasons why urban children often do not eat as healthy as wealthier children. The site also includes ways to eat healthier for cheap This website is a total overview of nearly everything you would want to know about childhood obesity. 3 and 2 and 3 and 2 and 4 and 2 an Rating 2 2

5 Kevin Hillard LeBron James stated that staying in shape is the key to his success, while Shaquille O Neal is a famous face who is helping to fight against childhood obesity.