America's Childhood Obesity Epidemic
This letter serves to raise awareness for the often overlooked major health concern of childhood obesity. It discusses the negative impacts of obesity and calls for society to take an active role to reduce the ever rising rates of obesity in the United States.
Dear Future President,
In recent years, childhood obesity has been consistently ranked the top health concern adults have regarding their children, beating other issues such as bullying and drug abuse. According to the American Heart Association, approximately one in three children in America are considered obese or overweight. In addition, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that over the last 30 years, obesity rates have more than doubled among children and quadrupled among adolescents in the United States. Studies also show that more than 50% of kids over the age of six whom are overweight will continue to be obese into their adult lives. These statistics are shocking and cause for us to look deeper into the negative aspects of obesity.
Obesity not only increases chances of health risks, but it also impacts a child's emotional well being. Childhood obesity can lower a child's self esteem and can cause one to have a negative body image. While there are also serious health concerns that come with obesity: Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a shortened lifespan. Approximately 13 million American children are in danger of these detrimental effects of obesity.
Besides physical and emotional taxes, obesity comes with financial troubles as well. Medical Daily indicates that households with obese kids spend 60% more money on health care than households with healthy fit kids. Furthermore, the American Heart Association recorded that in a single year, obesity cost $190 billion in weight related medical bills. We must take action to educate and support these children to take healthier measures so we can stop this epidemic and improve the lives of millions of Americans.
As a country, the government, media, and schools need to promote a healthy lifestyle of eating nutritious food and being active. We need to spread public awareness on this epidemic of obesity and encourage parents and society to take supportive roles in children's fight against obesity. We must stimulate our children to take initiative and participate in sports or other activities of exercise. We also need to inform our children on the components of a healthy diet. This society needs to recognize that we have a childhood obesity epidemic that factors into our general obesity pandemic. We need to start young to ultimately reduce the rates of obesity in America.
Sincerely,
Hazel B.
