How would you feel as a parent if you were responsible for endangering your child's life?
How would you feel if you knew your choices and actions were the cause of your child's medical complications? Every parent wishes the best for his or her children. Parents are willing to give up their lives for the sake of their children. It's past time for parents to take charge of the worrying rise in childhood obesity. The parents are to blame for the situation, and their active engagement is required for their lives to improve. Childhood obesity is a result of the lifestyle that parents give to the children, which leads to an increase in weight and the development of the condition for the children.
Childhood Obesity Statistics
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 30% of the children in the United States are obese. The rate fluctuated between 1971 and 2011. At thirty percent, the rate is very high raising a serious medical concern. The percentage of prevalence in the country is at 17%, which translates to 12.7 million people. Childhood obesity affects the whole population at 21.9% for Hispanics, 19.5% for the blacks and 14.7% for the whites. Childhood obesity affects differently. For the age of 6-11 years and 2-5 years, the rate of prevalence is 17.5% and 8.9% respectively. Majority of the children with obesity are from the low-income countries. At these rates, the future of our children is at stake. The primary cause of childhood obesity is poor feeding habits, which lead to the accumulation of weight making the children obese. Most of the children do not undertake any activities, which consume energy. Therefore, the foods consumed lead to deposition of fats on the bodies of the children causing obesity.
Medical Complications of Obesity
Obesity is a condition that leads to other medical complications for the children. For example, the children may develop high blood pressure caused by the constriction of the blood vessels from the fatty tissues. More so, the children might develop diabetes due to the high levels of cholesterol. Psychologically, the children might experience challenges in playing with their fellow children due to the weight, which inhibits their movement and their interaction. What happens if we do not rectify the situation? Our children will start dealing with serious medical conditions, which might greatly reduce their lifespan. Alternatively, most of the finances in the family will go into catering for the medical bills of our children. It is imperative for the parents to take an active step in rectifying the situation to give the children a better life.
The Consequences of Inaction
Lack of any changes will see a rise in the number of obese children. Our children will continue taking foods with excessive fats leading to a deterioration of the situation. As parents, what future do we need for our children? How do we expect our children to perform well in academics if the children suffer from psychological torture due to the condition? At what time will the child concentrate in education if they spend most of their time in the hospital seeking medication? Childhood obesity has the potential to ruin the lives of our children by affecting their academic performance and leading to loss of confidence during interaction with the other children. A prosperous future for the children requires a combined effort between the parent, the teachers, and the medical professionals. The unity of these groups will reduce and finally eradicate the problem from the society.
Solutions to Childhood Obesity
Solving the problem at this stage requires a modification of the feeding habits for the children. Parents need to consult with physicians on the balanced diet to give the children, which will not lead to an unexpected addition of weight. The most significant cause of obesity in children is the food consumed. Foods rich in fats lead to deposition of the lipids in the bodies of the children adding the weight (Gunstone, 100). Secondly, the children need to undertake regular exercises. Exercise converts the food consumed into energy. Lack of practices leads to conversion of the food materials into fats which later deposit into the body leading to obesity. Parents should encourage the children to walk to school or use their bicycles to consume the energy. Educational facilities should help the situation by incorporating physical activities into the curriculum that mandates the children to undertake vigorous activities for energy consumption.
Conclusion
As I conclude, it is evident that the lifestyle is the primary cause of childhood obesity. At thirty percent, the situation requires urgent attention. However, the situation is still salvageable. Our children have the chance to a better future without obesity. However, we all need to take an active step and join forces to eliminate the issue. Parents need to monitor the diet of the children to ensure a balanced diet and regular physical activities to keep the weight in check. On the other hand, the teachers need to incorporate physical classes into the curriculum to keep the children fit. With a stable diet and regular exercises, the children will lead healthier lives, which will help them concentrate on their education as well as develop confidence when mingling with their peers.
Work Cited
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. "Childhood Obesity Facts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U. S. Department of Health & Human Services, 10 Apr. 2017, www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html. Accessed 24 Nov. 2017.
Gunstone, F. D. Oils and fats in the food industry. Oxford Ames, Iowa: Wiley-Blackwell Pub, 2008. Print.
