speech

 Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. In 2008, more than one third of children were overweight. About 12.5 million children in America are overweight. 37.1% of children are considered either overweight or obese in Kentucky. I believe it is safe to say that these number are ridiculous. Childhood obesity is a big problem – literally; and it is growing each year. After thoroughly researching this topic and witnessing it first hand, the causes of childhood obesity have become quite obvious. Today I will discuss the two main causes of childhood obesity: eating too much and exercising too little.

Although it is sometimes attributed to genetics, eating too much has been recognized as the leading cause of childhood obesity. This is not all the children's fault, yes they are the ones putting the food in their mouth, but parents also play a huge role in this. Children learn their eating habits from their parents. All of us probably remember being rewarded for cleaning our plates at dinner with what? More food in the form of a sugary desserts. However we all must take into consideration what we were being fed, in my case it was always a balanced meal full of vegetables, grains, and protein so the sugary desert didn't really make a difference. But this is not the case with most families today. Everyday, 1/3 of children in America eat fast food. Let's take a moment to picture what the average kids meal entails. A greasy burger, maybe “chicken” nuggets, French fries, and a soda. With this is mind it is no surprise that kids that eat fast food will intake on average 200 more calories a day than children who do not. But fast food restaurants are not the only problem, every year portion sizes at all restaurants become larger and larger and consequently, Americans have developed a “more is better” mentality. Jennifer Fisher, an assistant professor at Baylor College, conducted a six-month study, in which two series of meals were served to thirty preschool children. The first series offered the children an appropriate portion of macaroni and cheese, while the second series offered the children double the portion. The researchers found that the children ate 25% more when they were served the larger portion. If parents would take the time to make meals at home with correct portion sizes the number of children in America who are overweight could be cut in half.

But overeating is not the only cause of childhood obesity. Not getting enough exercise is also a huge factor. Children ages 8-18 spend on average 4.5 hours a day watching television. In the past decade TV viewing has become large contributing factor to childhood obesity because it takes away from the time children spend in physical activities. Children are supposed to spend at least an hour a day in physical activity but in 2008 only 20% of children met those requirements. Schools have contributed to this by eliminating recess for middle schoolers and high schoolers. This time of an individuals life can be very stressful and difficult as this is a time full of change. A new school, puberty, figuring out who you are, temptation peer pressure, you name it. When people are stressed they eat more and by eliminating maybe the only physical activity some may have it is very detrimental. But just because your school doesn't have recess is not an excuse not to be active. Going to the gym after school, playing basketball with your friends, or even just taking a walk are all quality forms of exercise. Not only does physical activity prevent childhood obesity but it also can prevent strokes, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis, and high blood pressure as well as improving your mood.

Childhood obesity becomes a vicious cycle as 70% of children who are overweight become obese adults who inevitably pass on those eating habits to their children. Being overweight during childhood increases the risk of developing high cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression and type 2 diabetes as a youth. One disease of particular concern is Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to overweight and obesity and has increased dramatically in children over the past 20 years. Obesity is 100% preventable. With eating the right amount of nutritious foods, and exercising daily this epidemic can be cured and the best place to start is with children.