Summary: The Issue Of Childhood Obesity

The epidemic of childhood obesity is quickly growing throughout the U.S. In just two decades, childhood obesity rates from ages 2 to 19 have tripled (NHANES 2011). The rates of obese kids from 6- to 11-years-old more than doubled from 7.0 percent to 17.5 percent and rates of obese teens (ages 12 to 19) quadrupled from 5 percent to 20.5 percent. (NHANES 2011). A few decades ago, the question of childhood obesity was not an issue to be argued. Our grandparents and parents never acquired the weight of their children or grandchildren at school age. But, the matter of childhood weight has altered since that time. With different fast food chains invading our communities, a lack of physical activity and normal childhood play exercises being substituted by computer games and television, kids now live inactive lives and as a result,
Obesity is usually measured by Body mass Index (BMI), which is the most common way to determine if a person is overweight or obese. The BMI is an estimate of body fat based on comparing a person’s weight to his or her height, it’s calculated by dividing an individual's weight(kg) by the square of height in meters (CDC).
Moreover, America is experiencing a very serious health issue concerning its youth. Children who are obese are becoming more likely to be obese as adults, which increases the risk of a number of serious health complications. (Gordon, 2010). The health impact of childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term effects, it can lead to many medical and life-threatening condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses (Bass