Childhood Obesity Growing Like a Spreading Disease

 Childhood Obesity Growing Like a Spreading Disease

Junk food is a big cause of childhood obesity.

 Childhood obesity has been a devastating problem for many years. Since the increase in the use of technology, people have become much more lazy. You don't have to go out of the house to watch a movie any more. Just a couple clicks with your mouse and you can watch anything you want. Technology has made our lives much easier. With it, our medicine and health has increased and now we can live much longer. But everything comes with a price. We don't have that boring need to go outside and play, we have technology to entertain us. It has become much harder to tell yourself to get off the couch and start working out. It has become even harder because games are simulating every little thing we can think of.

            But let's face it, children learn from their surroundings. When their parents buy them candy and junk food, are the kids supposed to refuse? Furthermore when the school rewards kids with candy, how are kids supposed to learn that candy is bad for you? The society that kids live in has a major effect on them. Children have to learn that we live in a very advancent world with many solutions to our lazy problems. Parents though also have to understand that buying junk food and sugar food, even though it's cheap and doesn't demand a lot of time, is bad for them and their children.

             Schools though carry a large role in childhood obesity. Schools reward kids with candy for doing good work, or at least Stoller does. The reason they do this is understandable, but that is not an excuse. It's true that it gives kids a bit of motivation to strive for success but it doesn't help the kids when it comes to their health. Schools though are working on terminating obesity in P.E. In one school every day they turn on music and dance for five minutes for exercise. But even that doesn't help much. Obesity has grown a lot, the obesity rate has more then tripled in the last 30 years and it is limiting many children's ability to live healthy lives. Although not many people see school as a source of obesity, it can sometimes cause more problems then necessary.

Graph of childhood obesity over the years.

            Obesity also causes many health problems. The childhood obesity has had effects like heart disease, type two diabetes, and several types of cancer. It can cause short term effects and long term effects. Although not many people think about this, obesity is like a drug, and it is just as bad for you as smoking is. But aside from diseases, obesity can also take out the fun in many activities. Sports become harder to play and are much less fun. You get tired way more easily and it is harder for you to run. Eventually this discourages children from playing sports and getting fit.

These are some of  people's opinions on the childhood obesity in Stoller middle school:

Jeremy says: " I don't think its that severe in this school… If you go to other schools you see way more obese people. I think the candy that the teachers give us motivates us to do better in school… I don't think that one Jolly Ranger will make you obese… of course if the teachers give you to much its spoils you."

Jaume says:" In this school I don't see as much childhood obesity as in the Nation… I think it's a but ironic that out teachers tell us to exercise yet they give us candy and sell us candy."

Jassiel says: " I think that the obesity in this school comes mostly from the cafeteria food that the school gives us, which I don't think is a really healthy diet for obese kids. I wouldn't eat the food the cafeteria sells me but sadly I don't have a choice." 

Ms. Clements:" Well I heard on the radio that people in Oregon are getting more obese and fatter, for lack of better words. In stoller middle school I see a lot of athletes and kids that are a part of clubs. I think this is because the parents can afford these activities. I don't think kids in Stoller are more obese than others. I think the candy that the school gives us should be a treat, not an expectation by students. I think that teachers give students candy because some of the students refuse to work without that motivation. Students get enough candy and junk food from their parents. It's a problem, especially because all this food and candy are the cheap stuff, the stuff that don't cost much." 

Drew says:" "I think that the childhood obesity in this school is a serious matter and shouldn't be taken lightly. I think that it's a problem that students get candy as a reward and that they don't exercise much. Teachers give too much candy to students and throw parties for no good reasons."

Michael says:" I too think obesity is a problem in this school. Teachers are not making a large effort into helping obese kids fight their problems. Giving them candy will do them more harm than good."

            Obesity is a worldwide problem, especially for America. With all the junk food and advanced technology, it has become much harder to stay fit and not obese. It's more astonishing that people see how obesity causes health problems, yet that doesn't scare them. There are still many obese people in the world that don't  think about the consequences of being obese. Parents are getting lazy and with all their work, they are not helping their kids with their obesity problems. Schools are also not helping kids with their problems. They give kids candy for motivation, and as much as that helps,  it doesn't make them any fitter. The sad excuse of a healthy lunch that the schools give us, with all the sugar and fat, doesn't help our society become a better place for us all. 

 By: Michael Muller and Sergio Menezes 

Word Count : 1007