Growing up, children depend heavily on their parents for necessities such as food, water, shelter, and emotional support. Under some circumstances, these necessities cannot be easily accessed or provided, which can potentially lead to children developing unhealthy habits. Families who struggle to make ends meet tend to turn to cheaper, less healthy food; something quick that does not take much time to prepare. In addition, the parents’ stress levels tend to be higher because of financial stress, which is then placed on the children as well. Researchers across the country have discovered a strong correlation between low income families and childhood obesity that is prevalent in the United States. Sabrina Tavernise, a New York Times reporter reported that “one in eight preschoolers in the United States is obese. Among low-income children, it is one in seven” (Tavernise).  It is a known fact that the chance of being obese is higher when a family’s income is lower, but one way to put an end to this epidemic is by improving government programs and educating these families. Ending this epidemic could not only save families and the government money from healthcare costs over the years, but also improve the lives of America’s families. 

For years now, low income families have struggled to provide adequate, healthy foods and environments for their kids to grow up in. There is a debate over how to assist these families and the extent to which they should be assisted. There is a handful of politicians who do not support increasing funding for nutrition and health programs for children. They believe what is provided now is substantial, but clearly, the issue still is prevalent. Funding, resources, and support are much needed in the fight to end this growing health problem. Already, a wide variety of solutions have been proposed; from nutrition programs to altering the infrastructure of communities. In order to attempt to make a change, not just one person, but the entire country needs to take action. 

A major contributor to a person’s health is the food they consume. Children spend a large percentage of their day in school, where they are served lunch and sometimes breakfast too. Recent proposals by the U.S. Department of Agriculture have created speculation amongst school officials, as the government wants to implement a plan that incorporates more fresh fruits and vegetables into the meals. Those not in favor of the plan believe it not only will be more expensive than current meal prices, but also that these “fresh” foods will go to waste. Kids who are not used to eating healthy will most likely not bother eating the fresh foods, resulting in food tossed into the trash, which is the same as money being thrown out. The director of food services at Pennridge school district in Pennsylvania, Ms. Castenda, said her “district’s food budget, including breakfast and lunch programs, would increase by $111,234 under the guidelines taking shape.”  Such a large amount of money will place an enormous strain on a school system’s budget. A political reporter and writer for The Washington Times, Ben Wolfgang wrote, “Federal school lunch program reimbursements would cover $32,460, leaving the Pennridge district little choice but to raise lunch prices to come up with the remaining $78,774”. This immense amount of money needed, would ultimately result in increasing meal prices. Although there is a chance a portion of these fresh vegetables and fruits would go to waste, overtime the implementation of these foods could improve students’ health. They would finally have consistent access to healthier foods, which will most likely lead them to try these foods and start to consume healthier foods. Without taking a chance with the programs that have been proposed by the USDA, there is no way of knowing if they will be successful or not. 

 Behaviors turn into habits, habits then become hard to break. Someone who is used to eating greasy, salty, fatty foods is not going to want to suddenly turn to vegetables and grilled meat without struggling to stick to healthy foods. Food security plays a role in how children view foods and how healthy they tend to eat. As food-insecure teens are fed unhealthy foods such as fast food, they become used to them. This greasy, fatty food is what they grow to like and choose over foods that are foreign to them; the foreign foods being fruits and vegetables. In urban schools across Minneapolis, Project EAT surveyed thousands of teens and found a trend amongst food-insecure teens. The trend they discovered was that these teens did not think healthy foods tasted good and found eating healthy to be inconvenient. Why waste time and money preparing and buying healthy food when you could simply just heat something in the microwave or drive through a drive thru? James Sallis, a family medicine/public health professor and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient reported that “cost concerns and time pressures often lead parents and their children to rely on convenience foods and fast foods.” Yes, it may save time, but the high amounts of calories and fat found in these “fast” foods take a toll on a person’s health. 

In addition, the survey found that food-insecure teens tended to eat less family dinners together than those who are food-secure, which can have a negative impact on a child’s health. Rachel Widome, a professor at the University of Minnesota, who has a PhD in epidemiology, found that “family meal consumption is important because it has been associated with a higher quality diet and lower likelihood of being overweight in adolescents.” Home cooked meals tend to be healthier than a meal from a restaurant or a frozen meal. In addition, family dinners help build relationships and is an ideal time for parents to communicate with their children; showing them the attention they need and desire. Not having a guaranteed meal on the dinner table every night should not be a stressor placed on children under any circumstances, which is why food programs need to be evaluated more in depth. 

Despite the commonality to focus just on exercise and food when it comes to identifying causes of obesity in children, they are not the only factors to consider. An additional factor is that children can sense when there are marital and financial issues. Many do not realize that the stress from the parents is transferred to the children and this can take a toll on a child’s emotions. Elizabeth Gershoff, a developmental psychologist concluded that “the stress concomitant with low family income and material hardship will further restrict parents' abilities or willingness to invest in their children.” Failure to invest enough time into a child can lead to the child feeling neglected and unwanted. This feeling creates a sense of sadness which can lead to sedentary behaviors as well as overeating; turning to food to fulfill them since they feel the need to fill a void. 

Steering away from food and psychological stressors, an additional variable to consider when determining a solution for childhood obesity is the environment in which the child is raised and how their environment affects their level of physical activity. The safety of their neighborhood, accessibility to supermarkets, and transportation are all considered to be factors affecting a child’s environment. A medical writer and nurse practitioner, Tamanna Rahman found that “there is strong evidence to show that long-term solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic can be achieved by modifying the built environment to increase children’s physical activity and access to healthful foods, and reduce their access to unhealthy foods”. A way to improve this is to provide easier, affordable access to recreational facilities and grocery stores that have affordable, healthy foods; not the convenience stores or fast food restaurants that tend to be located nearby low-income neighborhoods. Another option that may take more effort is creating community gardens. “Not only do community gardens generate fresh, locally grown produce, they provide an opportunity to engage in physical activity” (Rahman). Although these changes take time, effort, and money to implement, they should be considered when city officials and planners create new programs and plans. 

As stated before, the prevalence of supermarkets, playgrounds, parks, and recreational facilities within neighborhoods affect the residents’ health. Researchers have analyzed the concentration of obesity within major cities across the United States, compared it to the accessibility to these places, and found a common trend. In a HBO documentary that focuses on the obesity epidemic in America center their argument on the “question of what degree of free will do people really have when they are in a certain controlled environment”. For instance, not having your own form of transportation limits your travel to further away places; such as a supermarket, a child’s sport practice, or a safe park. Limitations on accessing these places is a constant struggle lower income families face on a day to day basis. It is evident since “studies found fewer parks, sports fields, fitness clubs, and trails in low income neighborhoods than in more affluent ones” (Sallis). They do not have many options when it comes to obtaining healthy foods or access to places that promote physical activity, therefore it makes sense that statistics show higher obesity rates in low socioeconomic areas. 

Now that the issue has been identified and childhood obesity causes are evident, it is time to organize a plan that can end this epidemic. What is the most efficient, impactful plan to implement? The main focus is to change the unhealthy environment that surrounds low socioeconomic areas. Safety within these neighborhoods has been a concern, but that should not prevent children from having a safe place to play. Without these safe places to exercise, children tend to partake in sedentary behaviors such as playing video games, watching television, or surfing the web. An effective proposal, in my opinion, is to encourage commercial groups (local sport leagues, dance studios, etc.) to reduce their prices for families that make less money. They could “use sliding-scale fees to increase access to low-income youth” which then the government could “provide tax breaks for the commercial physical activity providers” (Sallis). Safe transportation should be provided to get the youth to and from these facilities. Whether it is putting in sidewalks in neighborhoods, which would encourage walking/biking to school and other areas, or by providing buses for the children. There is certainly a desire for this since “some 90 percent of a national sample of U.S. adults supported using local government funds for walking/jogging trails, recreational centers, and bicycle paths” (Sallis). Although the cost may seem high, the savings in healthcare down the road would offset these expenses. The support for these changes is there, it is just the action that needs to be taken for change to happen. Food-wise, changes in the environment need just as much assistance as the infrastructure and recreational areas. It is crucial that affordable local grocery stores are strategically built in lower income neighborhoods. 

The rise in obesity in children seemed as if it would never taper off. Thankfully, beginning in 2012, it began to. The Center of Disease Control reported that the rates of obesity have begun to level off. However, without a change in these high rates, a large number of people will begin experiencing additional health problems such as “diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, and osteoarthritis” reports the U.S. Assistant Surgeon general, Susan Blumenthal. With medical issues come medical expenses, “in 2008, obesity-related medical expenses reached $147 billion…this figure is projected to rise to $344 billion by 2018” (Blumenthal). Initiatives have begun to be taken such as the Affordable Care Act and the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. Both programs have implemented rules to post nutrition facts on vending machines and at restaurants, as well as make meals served in schools healthier. In addition, a handful of government housing neighborhoods across the nation are beginning to take shape to promote an active lifestyle and healthy eating. “Targeting only one aspect of the problem will not be effective in fighting the obesity epidemic, since many of its causes stem form broad social and environmental factors” (Blumenthal). Even though it is not declining, the ideal result, leveling off is better than rising. 

Although it is too large of an issue to have positive results in a short amount of time, there are signs that numbers are dropping and with enough effort, numbers can drop faster. A study including nineteen states, specifically focusing on children who take part in government programs, has recognized a decline. Tavernise wrote, “the first time a major government report has shown a consistent pattern of decline for low-income children after decades of rising rates,” but the reason behind the decline has not quite been pinpointed. There are a few predictions behind the decline such as changing the food in government funded nutrition programs, a rise in breastfeeding instead of formula, and a reduced calories in sugary drinks such as soda and juices. In addition, many parents have reported that over the past few years they have become more educated on proper nutrition and healthy family habits. It is a start in the right direction if the researchers’ predictions hold true.  A mother whose children participate in Head Start, a service that provides education, health, and nutrition services to low-income children, stated, “I think parents have changed. Our income may still be low, but we’re more educated” (Tavernise). The government should continue their current programs such as Head Start; in addition to providing programs that help educate parents. Ways in which parents can become more educated is by educating them through their children’s schools, the news, and possibly through SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), which helps provide food to those who cannot afford it. Even with money as a contributing factor, knowledge about a healthy lifestyle outweighs the financial burden they face. 

Obesity is a serious issue that can lead to long term health problems including heart disease, diabetes, stroke; the list is endless. For this wide spread issue to be solved, both parents and children of low income families need assistance. Investing in children’s health now can potentially save a significant amount of money down the road and cut healthcare expenses down once children reach their adult years. Everyone is only given one body and one life, and people continue to mistreat their body with a wide range of substances. In this case, the substance is food. Without proper access to adequate health related services and goods, bettering one’s health is nearly impossible. Bettering the health of the low income could be made possible by continuing HeadStart, encouraging commercial groups to have reduced prices, implementing healthier meals in schools, and creating safer and healthier environments for low income families. For those who are not directly affected by this issue can take steps of their own. From donating healthy foods to a food drive to voting in favor of bettering the infrastructure in poorer communities, small actions collectively can make a change. Obesity is an epidemic that can be stopped, but only when people in this country get additional support, funding, and become educated. The funding that is used now will most likely return in the form of savings on healthcare costs down the road. There is no definite guarantee that these proposals will be successful, but there is no way of knowing unless we try. 
