Without proper nutrition and exercise, children can become unaware of the many consequences from living unhealthy lifestyles. Because of this, obesity has been a continuing issue in the United States. People must ask themselves: with childhood obesity on the rise, what can be done to prevent it and slow the rate down? 13 million children in the US are considered obese. This number is far too many and it is expected to rise to 17 million by 2025 (Thorpe). Studies show that the percentage of those who are said to be the most severely obese increased from .9% in 1999 to 2.4% in 2014 (Park). The alarming statistics put into perspective how dangerous childhood obesity is becoming. It should be a top priority for educators, parents, and doctors who can help to prevent childhood obesity from continuing. As for the adults in the country, their perspective and ideas could impact the youth the most. We must undo the damage that has occurred from the current widespread obesity. There is no single solution to the obesity epidemic because this issue is far too complicated for that. It is very important that we begin implementing health programs and targeting children’s environments because it can lead to progress. It is vital that people learn the importance of educating our nation’s children about the consequences of eating unhealthy and encouraging healthy living so that change can happen in the country.

Children often look up to their parents and other adults in their lives, even in the aspects of eating and personal lifestyle choices. Children see what their guardians do and most likely want to be the same since they seek them for guidance on a day to day basis. That is why the habits of those who interact children can have a lasting impact on them. The actions and mannerisms of those can often be see in people’s children; whether it be the same hand gestures, similar accents, or sometimes just the way that they do particular things. Diets that people consume is most likely what their children consume as well since they are under their care and follow what they do. Therefore, the decision to lead a healthy lifestyle is what your children will likely do, as well. Unhealthy food intake, with not enough nutrients and inadequate minutes of physical activity can have harmful repercussions on them. Even watching too much television and not spending enough time outside can lead children to consequences that can impact their health negatively for continuous years (Childhood Obesity Causes and Consequences). 

  (new paragraph) With more youth watching television and using iPads, iPods, and iPhones as entertainment at younger ages, they can become absorbed with the advancing technology. It is proving that these electronics are becoming a large part in everyone’s daily lives and because of this, a healthy lifestyle can quickly become ignored. A study performed found that the average time children aged eight to eighteen are watching a screen is at least seven and a half hours a day (Leydon). The use of electronics will continue to increase as technology will be improving constantly, and therefore, will discourage children from outside activities. It is important to limit the use of technology in households in order to promote exercise as entertainment. Before technology began consuming everyone’s everyday lives, most people played outside with friends as children and now more and more kids are staying indoors looking at electronic screens.

(new paragraph) In addition to this issue, fast food restaurants can make packaging very appealing, leading to more children wanting it. By including toys from well known movies and TV shows and by making it cheaper than other options, people may believe that fast food is a better choice. Children often want the “delicious” food rather than fruits and vegetables. Packaging and advertising may appeal to them more than a salad or apple. While a quick and affordable meal is tempting, fast food intake is difficult to get rid of: “It takes between 1-2 hours of extremely vigorous activity to counteract a single large-sized children’s meal at a fast food restaurant. Frequent consumption of such a diet can hardly be counteracted by the average child or adult” (Dehghan 3). The people eating these unhealthy foods most likely do not think about exercising immediately after consuming the fast food, making it difficult to get rid of any fat or calories consumed. Many of these factors play a role in why the obesity rate is increasing in the United States’ children. These all can lead to harmful consequences that may potentially follow them into adulthood, many of which can be unfixable. 

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, breathing problems, and joint problems are just a few of the physical impacts that obesity can cause. Health complications are always present when someone is overweight or obese. They can worsen quickly if no change is brought upon the individual. Not only are the physical consequences dangerous, but psychological ones are as well. Social media often portrays models who are fit and in shape, with bodies that are attained by working out every single day and eating healthy. Children see the media at young ages and believe that this is the “body” that everyone needs. Often, overweight or obese children have low self-esteem and social issues because of the “ideal” body that society shows (Childhood Obesity and Consequences). Many overweight children tend to be bullied or targeted because of their weight while in school, leading to insecurities and dislike towards themselves. The obesity epidemic has also increased the cost of health services significantly on the United States. It costs around $210 billion a year to treat diseases caused by being overweight or obese and chronic disease costs are estimated to go up to almost $42 trillion by 2030 (Thorpe). It is difficult to imagine a young child, maybe only in elementary years old, already having diabetes and other health complications. However, this is the reality for many children in the country. A TED talk about obesity in children gave an example of a boy to put it on a more personal levels to those listening. This individual has spent continuous years consuming chocolate, chips, and other unhealthy foods. His liver has been collecting excess fat from these foods and it has become inflamed and scarred. At a young age, while facing other health complications, the boy’s liver will likely fail. As the speaker, Vreughdenhil states, we must “build a healthy future” together because there is “no one-size fits all solution” (Vreughdenhil).  It is vital that everyone help the youth who are struggling to stay healthy because no one at any young age, should have an inflamed liver that is at risk of failing or have to deal with disastrous diseases caused by obesity. 

Figuring out who to target to make change happen can be confusing since there are many angles that can be attacked. Right from birth, children are measured and weighed. Doctors tell the new parents the height and weight of their baby. Now, pediatricians and nurses can be trained to tell the early signs of obesity and how to prevent it (Birch). If they are trained specifically to find the first signs of obesity, then the doctors can begin to provide solutions right away as they track the growth of babies under their care. If a baby or toddler is already at risk of becoming overweight or is considered it, steps can be put in place to fix it immediately. Doctors can tell parents the food needed to help their child be healthier. Targeting these health care providers can benefit children in the long run since they provide medical care from birth. Whether it run in their genetics or they are just born a little heavier than average, a great step is to target obesity when the first signs are showing in babies. If the first signs of obesity are fixed, then there is little chance that the child will be obese later on in life, since they are provided a healthy diet at an earlier age. Trained professionals can help to greatly to fight against obesity as they are trained to find signs and provide solutions for parents. 

Meeting the recommended food intake is vital for children to get the nutrients needed to grow properly, yet it is often barely met by many, leading to potential health issues. One out of three kids eats fast food every single day, meanwhile only two out of one-hundred eat the recommended vegetable serving. In addition to this, two out of ten middle schools have kids learn about nutrition and gym classes are slowly being removed from class routines (Thorpe). The statistics are incredibly low for healthy food intake and exercise. This is why the next places that need change are schools. Children spend a large portion of their life there and while they are raised by their caregivers, school is where social activity and learning happens. Schools should provide fruits and vegetables with every meal and during snack time. They can make it a part of the children’s daily routine so they become used to eating healthier options. Encouraging exercise is vital to do in school environments, too. While many are removing gym classes, gym classes must be enforced instead. It is not known how much exercise individuals are getting at home, so having them do exercise in school can help them get much needed physical activity. Targeting environments, other than schools, in which children grow up in is a vital step. Many towns do not have the adequate paths to ride bicycles or hike, even limited crosswalks (Dehghan). By putting more of this in every community, parents can help children exercise in safe environment. Some proposals recommended target this specific issue; if towns put more walking paths and parks, as well as specific bike lanes, they can help promote going outside. (moved paragraph)

(new paragraph) An elementary school in Delaware has a walking club with an incentive of giving the students tokens to put on their backpacks as decoration and to represent how many minutes that they have walked (Thorpe). Another significant program is Lets Move! which was created by Michelle Obama. The program got chefs to promise that they would make sure meals are healthy and appealing to children in order to encourage healthier eating. The initiative got 20,000 schools to promise to allow an hour of physical activity in schedules (Thorpe). If more schools do this, then healthier lunch and more activity can become a daily routine in millions of children’s lives. A study was performed to see how effective environmental activities are among 6th grade students. The program, Join Project Healthy Schools, was created to reduce childhood obesity and improve health. A sample of students took a questionnaire about their diet and physical activity after going through the program. Students at schools with educational lessons and physical activities ate more fruit, had less drinks with sugar, and exercised more. The result found was that there were more positive health effects after the educational health program was combined with more activities in the school.

It is no secret that it is more difficult to find healthy options when one is living in a poor community. The Health and Social Care Information Centre found that 25% children in poorer cities are obese, while 11% children in more wealthy areas are (Ellen). Healthy food programs at schools can help those living in poor areas. They may be unable to afford the healthier food options because of the cost, so programs could help these children specifically. There are many programs that ensure that children who cannot afford healthy food options are provided them. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides free fruits and vegetables to schools involved with the program (Fresh Fruit and Vegetable). By doing so, it can help their diet and show them that healthy food options are better for them. This is a great way to provide students with food that may be unavailable to them at home. By expanding the schools that they provide with programs such as these, children all over the nation are able to have these foods available to them now while they are at school.

A conflicting question is where to put the “blame” for why our nation’s children are obese and overweight. No one necessarily wants to believe it is their fault that their children are obese or that they do not have their children exercise as much as they should. Some parents even feel guilty trying to have their children eat healthier, due to believing that they could damage their self-image by telling them to eat healthier. Many believe that big food manufacturers are the ones greatly at fault for spending billions of dollars on advertising, marketing, and making sure that their food is appealing to the youth (Stanish). There are rarely advertisements for healthy foods, so children are drawn to those marketing “fun” yet, unhealthy hoods. However, there is not much of an acknowledgement of the responsibility of parents and those raising children in this article. The food industry cannot be entirely blamed. People are able to decide whether or not they allow their children to eat unhealthy. Many parents have the option of saying “no” when their children ask for it.  Healthy food is available in every grocery store and they can be chosen over a bag of chips. The responsibility is put onto childrens’ guardians; they are the ones that are responsible for what they eat. The food industry, just like every other industry, has a job: advertise, be appealing, and make money. People should not be putting all of the blame on them for the obesity issue in our country. Parents, doctors, schoolteachers, and other important adult figures are the ones who are with children on a day to day basis. They are with them when they eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food industry is not and therefore, they are not solely responsible for what children consume. Although some blame can be put on them, there will always be unhealthy options. The food industry provides sugary and unhealthy food options; these types of food will never disappear. The responsibility is in the hands of society and those raising children. 

The issue with obesity will worsen if not enough change is put towards fixing it. There is no single solution to childhood obesity in the nation, resulting in a complex problem. The best way is to target those who raise the children, those who teach the children, and other adults who interact with them on a day to day basis. Children learn from those who teach them how to act, interact with others, and overall, how they will live their life. They take the habits from adults around them and do the same. By targeting the issue right from birth with the help of doctors and caretakers, the first signs of obesity can be detected and prevented almost immediately. However, this is not always the case. Some babies who are overweight at birth continue to be overweight into adolescence. The next environment that needs to see change would be in schools. While spending a majority of their lifetime here starting at preschool until college, there can be small changes to the school environment that can help students be healthier. By providing fruits and vegetables at lunch and encouraging physical activity, the students who may not live healthy lives at home can still be healthy while at school. Even fixing town environments to encourage exercise and provide safer ways to bike and walk, more people may go outside and feel motivated.

The statistics about obesity are alarming, however, it is hard to see those numbers and truly recognize the harmful impacts it is having. Imagine if your child was suffering from diabetes, bullying, even liver issues only at age seven or eight. No one wants their own child to be obese because the health problems and psychological impact can be detrimental; every adult should help children, even if they are not their own, to be healthy. This is why the nation has to work together and help to defeat this epidemic. Children must learn about healthy lifestyles and how they can prevent themselves from being unhealthy. With programs and the help of the people raising children, change can happen and it will. It will take time, but helping our nation’s children is necessary and should be a top priority.
