Essay – Overweight Children In Western Society (Causes of Child Obesity)
The percentage of overweight children in western society has increased by almost 20% in the last ten years. Discuss the causes and effects of this disturbing trend.
Essay – Overweight Children In Western Society (Causes of Child Obesity)
Nowadays more and more children are becoming obese. Why is this happening? Teenagers have so much of energy in them. They are energetic, they should be fit. But our generation is overweight. Who is to be blamed?
We can not blame children. Most of the working parents opt for ready made and processed foods which are unhealthy. Anything which can be made instantly is unhealthy. What do parents make for their children for breakfast? Instant breakfast cereals. Instant soups, instant noodles, instant coffee, anything which can be made instantly is a hit among people. Why?. Because it saves time. In this fast paced life, who has the time to cook proper, healthy meals? No one! In the name of juices, packaged juices which have high sugar content are consumed. All packed foods are rich in calories. What happens when your calorie intake is more than your calorie output? Fat starts accumulating in your body and you become overweight or you can say, obese.
In our country, every parent tells his child to focus on his studies and be the topper of his class. Have you ever told your child to focus on sports or health? I’ m guessing a no. Because it is a no. To please their parents, children keep sitting with books in front of them for long hours. Lack of physical activities makes one obese, we all know that. Still, we are never bothered if our children keep sitting at one place whole day as long as they are studying. Why? Isn’t health important?
High blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, joint problems, breathing problems and many other problems are linked to obesity. Most of the children eat food while watching tv. It results in eating disorders as children are more likely to eat unhealthy snacks and overeat while watching tv. A lot of teenagers eat out of boredom. You should help your child identify the difference between eating when hungry and eating when bored.
Parents should be role models for their children. When they ‘ll start making healthy food choices, children will eventually pick up their eating habits. Parents should encourage children to be active. Children should be encouraged to play outside in their free time instead of watching tv and becoming couch potatoes. Don’t be lazy and pick up your vehicle to get to the next street. You should walk instead. Why pollute the environment?
Be active. Give importance to your health. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body after all.
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