Some people disagree that fast food is the cause of obesity and believe the real cause is the parents or blaming others for obesity. Yes, fast food is not the only cause of obesity, however, fast food restaurants are the leading cause of the obesity problem. There are numerous fast food restaurants that offer a variety of foods (e.g., burger, tacos, pizza). These fast food restaurants might have other foods to pick from; however, these foods are made of the same fattening ingredients, which is still obviously unhealthy. Most fast food ingredients contain fattening ingredients: saturated fat, carbohydrates, and more sugar than natural foods that are considered healthy. Because of these less healthy ingredients and the levels of fat and sugar…
Overweight and obesity happen over time when you take in more calories than you use. Another cause is having an inactive lifestyle. Many children aren't very physically active. One reason for this is that many people spend hours in front of TVs and computers playing games which I’m prone to and leisure activities. It is good to sit and…
Another problem explaining childhood obesity could be inactive lifestyle. Kids tend to ride the bus instead of walking to school or not participating in athletic activities. Today, children spend most of their time on technology. That could also be another cause to this global situation. It has become an epidemic of emotional and mental effects because of advertising. But who is held accountable?…
Obesity, a condition that caused by an excess accumulation of body fat is currently affecting 19% of children 6 to 11 and 17% of children 12 to 19 years of age (Science Daily, 1995-2009). Obesity has no discrimination against age, gender, and cultural backgrounds although, it does affect different ethnicity groups and genders differently. The United States currently has the highest rates of obesity among other countries with rates doubling amongst adults and tripling amongst children since the 1980’s. Obesity in children has become a growing concern in America and without proper measures; will become a trend that will only continue to get worse instead of better.…
Knowing the causes of a certain situation will help sufferers of obesity take the first step to eliminating the problem altogether. There are several causes that can lead to obesity and these are different for every individual. Overeating and under exercising are definitely causes that lead to obesity. However, there is much more to the iceberg under the water. Behavioural, social, environmental and genetic factors may also play a role in the development of obesity. Many individuals undergoing stress of some sort, whether it is due to their family, friends, career and society, they resort to food; they believe it is the way to cope with their dilemmas. Others simply lack sheer will power and self control. The public is exposed to different kinds of foods and they are advertised in an exceptional manner. Although, fast food tastes well and it is easily accessible, it is important to remember that such foods are not doing justice to the human body. Eating fast foods on the rare…
Obesity is started at birth and is taught by the child’s care giver. If obesity is not taken care of in the right way we will have higher insurance rates and even deaths of children. The numbers seem to be getting higher every year. The African American and Hispanic communities have…
Obesity does not happen overnight. Our children are taught poor eating habits, the lack of education on nutrition, and are less active than ever before, thanks to…
There is not a single specific reason as to why childhood obesity occurs. It can stem from genetics, medical conditions, medicine taken, social behavior, mental status, environment, and…
Obesity is an epidemic in America. It has had an alarmingly growing prevalence rate since the 1960’s: almost 34% for adults alone. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010 and rising yearly. Obesity occurs across all socioeconomic groups regardless of race, gender and age. Studies do show that obesity occurs in America’s minority and ethnic populations at slightly higher rates, 25% more than white Americans. According to the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC), an alarming 1/3 of U.S adults are obese. Another 1/3 is overweight, leaving 68.8 percent of the total population of the United States overweight or obese! No state met the nation 's Healthy People 2010 goal to lower obesity prevalence to 15%. Rather, in 2010, there were 12 states with an obesity prevalence of 30%. A person is considered obese if he or she has a BMI of 30 or higher, which is a weight of at least 20% more than the maximum healthy weight for his or her height. To be considered overweight he or she must have a BMI of 25-29.…
The obvious cause would be changes that have occurred behaviorally and environmentally. At its simplest form, children eat more and have a more sedentary lifestyle. This seems very obvious on the surface. It is a well known fact that lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits lead to obesity. What is important to reversing this trend is understanding why children eat less healthy foods and are less active. What aspects of life have drawn children into these unhealthy habits? Why are children less active and drawn to foods that are high in fat and sugars causing childhood obesity to be at its highest point ever? Research on this topic is important, as it is imperative that this trend be reversed. Without a plan, and understanding of the cause of the increase in childhood obesity, the future health and wellbeing of these children is…
The past three decades in the world have seen the number of young people with obesity increase by nearly a triple. This is according to reports from the National Center for Health Statistics (Eisenberg, Radunovich, & Brennan, 2013). Obesity is rarely caused by genetic or hormonal defects, and the main reason for the high occurrence of obesity, therefore, is the high intake of calories than an individual can burn. As much as the major reasons for the overall increase in the number of overweight and obese adolescents is not known, the most common theory is that the society has become more successful. This implies that adolescents…
Obesity is not just gaining a few extra pounds; it is the gaining of weight continuously and having weight at least 10% higher than recommended for one’s height and body type (Collins, 2011). Since obese children can gain more weight easily, studies from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center proves that unhealthy eating habits are the main cause of childhood obesity trend.…
In the United States today, obesity has become an enormous problem. In the last 3decades, the number of people overweight has increased dramatically. A study done by theCenters of Disease Control showed that since 1980, one third of our adult population has becomeoverweight. America is the richest but also the fattest nation in the world, and our obese backsides are the butt of jokes in every other country (Klein 28). The 1980s were a time whenAmericans suddenly started going crazy over dieting, jumping onto the treadmills, and buying prepackaged non-fat foods. However, while all of that was going on, the number of obeseAmericans began to increase. According to a report in the Journal of the American MedicalAssociation, 58 million people in our country weigh over 20 percent of their body’s ideal weight.The article “Fat Times” states, “If this were about tuberculosis, it would be called an epidemic”(Elmer-Dewit 58). The eating habits of society have steadily become more harmful and havestarted to produce gluttonous children, over-indulgent adults, and a food industry set too muchon satisfying our appetites.Obesity can begin at a very young age. Many children in our society are overweight,setting themselves up for serious health problems later in life. Type 2 diabetes, high bloodcholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart problems are just some of the risks. Children who areoverweight also tend to feel less secure, less happy, and be stressed more than normal weight…
One of the factors stated was poor diet. The article “What Causes Overweight and Obesity?”(2011) the author says that Poor diet has a big impact on obesity such as a low income. People with low income are subjected to buying your income cheaper food. These foods are often loaded with high fat content or greasy , multiple chemical, high calorie foods and very little nutritionist value. Another…
Obesity is a superfluous amount of fat in the body. Obesity happens when a person’s body receives many more calories than it can burn by itself during the day. In other words it means that people eat generous helpings of processed food; moreover, this food can consist of a lot of cholesterol, which is extremely dangerous for the human body. Childhood obesity today has grown rapidly and has become a disturbing epidemic in many countries in the past few decades. Studies show that since the early 1970s, the percentage of both children and adults who can be characterized as overweight has doubled. According to a survey by the Public Health Agency of Canada in 2007, self-reported rates among children from age 12 to 17 of obesity were 2.9% for girls and 6.8% for boys. It is interesting that children who have problems with weight are more likely to become overweight adults. In a study by Lauren Marcus and Amanda Baron (n.d.) it was found that obesity begins in childhood for 30 persent obese adults. Sientists give many reasons for obesity, but the main three causes of childhood obesity are genetics, lack of activity, and children nourishment at school and at home.…