Should Changes Be Made to the Regulations for Foods, Served in Public Schools?

Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the United States in the past three decades. In 2012, roughly 17% or 12.5 million children and adolescents are overweight or obese” (“Childhood Obesity Facts,” 2014). According to the Centers of Disease Control and

Overweight and obesity, an excessive accumulation of body fat, is one of the major public health challenge in the 21st century, affecting one in every six people worldwide (World Health Organization, 2013a). According to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimation, globally over 42 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2010 (WHO, 2011). A recent study estimated that the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity among preschool children aged 2-5 years increased from 4.2% to 6.7% within two decades and is expected to reach 12.7% by 2020 (de Onis et al., 2010). The results of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicated that in the United State (US) obesity among pre-school children increased from 5% to 10.4% between 1976-1980 and 2007-2008 respectively. In addition, about 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years were obese in the US in 2007-2008 (Pan et al., 2012). A recent study by Grow et al. (2010) found that obesity was mostly prevalent among poor or minority groups with low socioeconomic status residing in disadvantaged areas in the US.

Childhood obesity remains a chief public health concern nowadays. During the past two decades, the prevalence of obesity among children has increased 47% globally (Brown et al., 2016). The risk associated with childhood obesity including hypertension, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance as well as mental and emotional illnesses. Individuals who are obese during childhood are more likely to become obese during adulthood. When obesity continues into adolescence and adulthood, individuals are at risks of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, coronary vascular disease, and cancer. Obesity disproportionately affects children from ethnic minorities. Approximately one out of six US children are overweight

Since 1980 the rates of child obesity have more than tripled which has caused a growing pandemic of childhood obesity in the United States. Out of all the young children and adolescents within the age group of two through nineteen about 12.7 million are obese. That is the equivalent of about 17% of America’s population that is suffering from childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is too prevalent in all American households. Childhood obesity is detrimental on a national scale, since it has been growing at a steady rate in the United States of children not reaching the daily-recommended physical activity, the absence of a balanced diet with overconsumption of eating, and more critically the increase of type 2 diabetes.

A drive down the road in any given American city and one can observe at least one reason that the United States is struggling with obesity. One would be hard pressed to find a community that is not teeming with fast food restaurants. However, it might surprise some that the obesity epidemic in our country has reached the most vulnerable population of all and they aren’t even capable of driving themselves to these bastions of unhealthy food. The childhood obesity level has reached 34% of children in the United States (SHUMEI, 2016).Obesity is caused by consistently consuming more calories than are needed for the level of physical activity one has on a daily basis. Although there are several indicators of obesity, the CDC and The American Academy of Pediatrics use the body mass index (BMI). Childhood obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex (Perpich, 2011). Childhood obesity has been linked to an increase in Type 2 diabetes mellitus, asthma, hypertension, increased risk for cardiovascular disease and even affects children in psychosocial terms with low self-esteem and fewer friends than their non-obese contemporaries (Hispanic Health Care International, 2011). There are a variety of causes that work together for contributing to childhood obesity from the income level of the home to gender to even the location of the child’s home. Although there are many factors that can cause childhood obesity, we

Childhood obesity has placed the health of an entire generation at risk. Obesity in America is a big problem that has been growing over the years. “An estimated 12.5 million children between the ages of 2 and 19 are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” (Loop 2015). As the number of children being affected keeps growing, parents or guardians do not change the habits that lead their children to become obese. “Among children today, obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously weren’t seen until adulthood” (American Heart Association, 2014). Not only is obesity causing health problems more than before, but it also causing a big problem in America. More and more children every year become obese and it keeps growing. Even though some people believe the lifestyle of a person is not to blame for the childhood obesity problem in America, the technology, the parenting style , and the media of the outside world are huge factors that contribute to childhood obesity.

For the past few decades, the dire situation of obesity in America has gotten worse and is now affecting new generations of young Americans. Every day the poor eating and physical choices that children make can lead them to a life with diabetes, heart disease, and cancers. The unhealthy lifestyle that children have is influenced by their parents and the society that surrounds them. This unprecedented surge of poor lifestyle choices has lead to an epidemic that young children are now facing. Ultimately, the health of young children is at stake.

Childhood obesity is an epidemic that goes on throughout the United States. Studies have shown how obesity in children may start, and how it affects each and every child in America. Childhood obesity has been getting attention in the media from famous celebrities all the way to the First Lady of the United States. There are many things that cause childhood obesity and very few ways to stop it. However, there are people out there who are trying to help by getting children active, eating healthy and getting back on track to having a healthy and long life.

Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. What do all of these have in common? They can all be a result of poor nutrition in one’s diet (“The Risks of Poor Nutrition”). In efforts to improve the overall health and wellness of children in America, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was implemented during the Obama administration. This act directly altered the nutritional standards and quality of the food that is served in public schools (Vilsack). The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is beneficial to students’ health because it provides the necessary nutrients needed to live healthy lifestyles.

Obesity is the second leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Being overweight and obese has become more prevalent and increased during the last three decades in both adults and children. Currently, 25 million children in the United States are obese or overweight (Babey, Wolstein, Diamant, Bloom, and Goldstein, 2011). The rise in childhood obesity and related health diseases are indicators of a decrease in life expectancy and increased individual and societal costs (Olshansky et al., 2005).

Should changes be made to the regulations for the foods that are served in public schools? This can be a very controversial question to most people; children with obesity, parents who do not care and for who does care about the health of the children and teachers who only wants what is best for the benefit of the children. This paper will attempt to explain and convince the unknown of why it is very important for our public schools to have a healthy eating curriculum for the children that attends there. If society can find a way to come together for the children of the community to fight to have healthier foods in the community, come together and provide counsel to the children of what healthy eating is all about. This paper will

One of the greatest health risks that children face today is not an atrocious disease like cancer nor is it learning or behavioral problems—it is obesity! The Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, health education and research, defines child hood obesity as “a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents, that occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height” (Mayo). The Mayo Clinic goes on to say that childhood obesity is particularly troubling because it starts kids off on an early path to health complications that they could encounter later in life (Mayo). The Centers for Decease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently started referring to obesity as an “epidemic” and new national statistics show that about 16.06% of American children, ages six years old to eleven years old, are considered to be overweigh (Childhood Obesity Facts). The California Department of Public Health Nutrition concluded that in California, 15.8% of children, ages six to eleven years old, are considered overweight (Obesity in California: The Weight of the State, 2000-2012). With these percentages in mind, Childhood Obesity must be viewed as an immediate serious concern that is impacting our children at the national, state, county, and local level.

Obesity has been a controversial issue for years. Childhood obesity is already an epidemic in some areas and is on the rise in others. Although rare in the past, obesity is now amongst some of the most widespread issues affecting our children and adolescents living in the United States today. Childhood obesity is harmful to not only the child’s present lifestyle but it also affects the child’s future. Obesity in children is on the rise due to parenting style, inadequate exposure to healthy foods at a young age, availability of unhealthy foods, lack of education and awareness of the side effects and risks, and an increase in sedentary behavior.

All over America childhood obesity has become a huge problem over the years one out of three children are obese. Most people tend to induce their children by giving them whatever they want and that’s where obesity starts. Society should work together to figure out a way to help child obesity. Childhood obesity should be taken more seriously because of the negative effects it has on children, how parents are unaware of their child being obese, and how poor eating habits for children have become more prominent.

Undernutrition is an outcome of insufficient quantity and quality of food and frequent episodes of infectious diseases.