As adult obesity has increased, so too has childhood obesity at an alarming rate. What was once shocking and upsetting has now become a sad truth for many families. With a greasy diet, poor eating habits, and some hereditary sway, some children are doomed to fight obesity in their twenties. Childhood obesity is now an extensive phenomenon, and the dangers associated with it are becoming clearer with time.
The following statistics present a depressing reality – one in five kids is considered heavy, and this inclination only increases with time. Childhood obesity is growing in distinct ethnic groups, in both sexes and all around the planet. North America and Western Europe are leading the way when it comes to childhood obesity, but other areas of the world are close behind.
Some experts claim that if we don’t do something to stop childhood obesity soon, we’ll see an entire generation become twice as heavy as their parents and grandparents. With this increase in weight, other health threats have become more and more clear and have a tremendous effect on larger groups of people.
There’s no denying that obesity is a growing problem in our nation. More and more people are overweight or obese, and we’re starting to see this reflected in the workforce, in schools, and even in everyday life. Instead of working to change this, we’re simply accepting it as reality. Childhood obesity rates have been climbing in recent years and there are a few key lifestyle factors that are to blame. For one, the automobile has replaced a lot of walking and other forms of physical activity that were really significant for our hearts and muscle mass. Most people now spend most of their spare time in front of the TV or computer instead of being active and when we are in front of these appliances, we often indulge in eating unhealthy, greasy foods like pizza and ice cream. If we want to reverse the trend of childhood obesity, we need to make some changes to the way we live.
Junk food is now an okay meal, what was considered a last choice for children’s meal is now the default option in selecting our youngsters meals. Let’s consider the dangers of obesity, and keep in mind that we normally think of grownups when we talk about these threats, making this even worse. Type II diabetes, a wide range of coronary diseases, and blood pressure problems are closely linked to insufficient exercise and an unhealthy diet. In addition, carrying too much weight can lead to joint problems, self-esteem and self-confidence issues, high cholesterol, mental disorders such as depression and disrupted sleep, impaired mental stamina, and respiratory difficulties.
Research on childhood obesity has found that being overweight as a kid increases your chances of being an overweight adult. In other words, childhood obesity isn’t a phase that goes away after some time – it could lead to serious health problems later in life.
There are many things we could do to help prevent childhood obesity, and it’s important to put a halt to this dangerous trend. One thing we could do right away is discontinue using our cars as much and walk more – any type of physical exercise is good for young children. We’re not talking about going to the health club or doing pushups; even a satisfying game of basketball for 45 minutes three times per week can work wonders. The great thing about kids is that they love playing. Just a little encouragement can go a long way for children when it comes to getting them to lead healthier lifestyles. As a responsible adult, you can play an important role in the fight against childhood obesity simply by being there for them and cheering them on!
Take childhood obesity, for example. It’s not a thing that can go away overnight, and exercise and healthy eating are essential for a youthful body to maintain longevity and a healthy life. Good luck fighting – and conquering – childhood obesity!
