Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity

Part l: Reasons that leads to Childhood Obesity

(1) Childhood Obesity has reached epidemic levels in developed countries. Twenty-five percent of Children in the US are overweight and eleven percent are obese. Overweight and obesity in childhood are known to have the significant impact on both physical and psychological health. There are many reasoning that leads to obesity such as the lack of exercise, unhealthy eating habit, not enough sleep, and so on; however, there are crucial reasons that lead to childhood obesity such as the fast food restaurants, and sugary drinks and soda.

(2) In the article, “Salads or No Cheap Burgers Revive Mcdonald's,” written by Melanie Warner. Throughout her article she confesses different viewpoints from different Health Organization such as Jerome Williams, a Professor of advertising, University of Texas, stating “ But Mcdonald's says one of the most important factors in the newfound success has been its low-priced staples.” In other words, Williams contends that fast food marketing in low-income communities is a problem because then it leads to health issues. His claim is consistent with David Ludwig’s, director of the obesity program at Children’s Hospital in Boston, calls marketing food to African American and Hispanics a recipe for disaster. He states that “Fast food consumption has been shown to increase calorie intake, promote weight gain and elevate risk for diabetes,” Dr. Ludwig said.”Because African Americans and Hispanics are inherently at higher risk for diabetes, fast food will only fuel the problem.” In other words because of these two races are at higher risk of diabetes fast food restaurants are still marketing low-income families it can really affect them.

(3) In the article “Putting Sugary Out of Reach,” written by Anahad O’Connor states that Soda industry says adding tax to sugary drinks will only hurt low-income families but it's for the best. She also points out that soda isn’t the only reason that leads to obesity. Kristina Obiana, an analyst at the medical center said she has been consuming as many as three sugary drinks per day but then she finds herself in a situation where her health is in danger and she thought she needed to make a change.

Part ll: Perspectives on Childhood Obesity

(4) Although many accuse that fast food restaurants are a reason for obesity, I believe that obesity is not completely Big Foods fault because there are other factors that cause childhood obesity. Some may say its the fast food restaurants fault that lure children to their place but that is not true. It can be the parent's fault too.

(5) In the article “Passing the Buck? Parental Responsibility vs Fast Food Giants,” Claire McCarthy states that toys don’t lure the children to the restaurants and isn’t contributing to childhood obesity. Claire McCarthy argues that it’s the grown ups fault that drives kids to restaurants, writing “Toys don’t drive kids to restaurants or pay for the food- grown ups do. Kids may ask for toys- they may even beg or whine but grown ups can say no.” In another word, it is the parent's responsibility and decisions if they would like to go eat at the fast food restaurants because nobody is forcing them. Furthermore,