Child Obesity Tips the Scale
July 11, 2008
It is getting harder to make healthy choices, especially during the summer when it is so easy to lie around all day munching on something or to visit a fast food restaurant every few days. Current statistics show that 32% of the kids in America are obese, and 90% of those kids have a risk factor for heart disease. It is becoming a serious problem, not only in America, but all over the world as obesity rates increase.
The situation does not get better if children are at school. Kids are not going to choose the plain, dry salad over a warm and salty pizza with greasy pepperoni. Add on to that with an orange soda, a bag of hot Cheetos, and in thirty minutes they will have consumed about 1,000 calories, which I doubt that it is possible to burn those calories by just sitting in front of the computer or the television.
Kids spend an average of three hours a day in front of a television or computer, and lesser time outdoors. Even worse, instead of playing actual baseball or tennis outside, they can now play Wii (a game played by a handheld pointing device that detects motion) Sports. 47% of the kids do not participate in after-school sports or lessons anymore, and currently only 25% or less are involved in daily physical activities.
Not only kids, but adults also have high obesity rates. Currently, no states in America have an obesity rate of under 10%, and eight states exceed 25%. Average adults only need about 2,000 calories to survive, but that is hardly a possible number to achieve. Foods that are not fattening are probably fruits and vegetables, but now that these foods have become more expensive, people rely on the unhealthier choices.
If a child’s parents are fat, that is not the reason why the child is fat. It is because of eating habits that the child inherits from the parents. Most of the obese kids included in the 32% are probably due to the parent’s bad eating habits. These children who turn out obese do not have a choice because they do not know how to make better choices at young ages. Parents need to be more cautious of their children’s diets, otherwise, they will end up getting diabetes or some kind of heart disease when they grow older, and they will not thank you for it.
Life is convenient and everything is so easy that people barely have to move. But it ends up making them not so happy. Eat food that will make the body healthy and beautiful, not fat and diseased.
Sources:
Jeffrey Kluger. “June 23, 2008: How America’s Children Packed On the Pounds.” TIME. June 29, 2008
Alan Zarembo. “May 28, 2008: Child Obesity Rate in U.S. hits a plateau, reaserchers say.” Los Angeles Times. June 29, 2008
This article was written by Charlene Choo. It was published in the Temple City Voice on July 2, 2008.
July 12, 2008 at 2:46 AM
I find some of these statistics suspicious, or at the very least not very pertinent to the temple city community at the least. As far as the 32% of children in America are obese, where is this statistic coming from? Citing sources is an important component to avoid claims of plagiarism. Also, this statistic was based upon what? BMI? Body Fat Percentage? Both of these (the most common measurements used to quantify obesity) are not meant to be used as measures for children. Look at the Nintendo Wii’s WiiFit. In an AP article, a young British girl was brought to tears when her WiiFit game console told her she was obese. However, Nintendo emphasized the fact that, because our bodies experience immense growth during the ages of one to 19-20 years old, that BMI and Body Fat % are unreliable when used to measure people under that age of 18.
My second piece of skepticism is in regards to the claim that the situation doesn’t get better at school. California state law has cracked down on the types of food allowed to be sold at schools based upon nutritional value. Thus, a 1000 calorie meal composed of the three food items described is unattainable at Temple City High School or Oak Avenue Intermediate School. If this news publication is supposed to keep our community informed, then why publish articles with large portions that aren’t applicable in this state.
My final complaint could have been cured had proper citations been made regarding the sources of these statistics. It is mentioned that at most, only 25% of children are involved in daily physical activities. However, in California, Physical Education is required to be included as a part of curriculum. So the children of California are thus a part of the 25% that do physical activities daily.
The purpose of this blurb is not to bash Ms. Choo, only to point out that statistics used and information found for articles needs to be cited so that readers can clarify their confusion. However, I hope the Editor-in-Chief/Founder read this post because I am surprised that, of all the things going on in Temple City, an article regarding obesity (which is generalized to the whole of the United States) is one of the top three to four articles worthy of being published. Your goal, as posted on your “About” page, reads as follows (copied and pasted):
The goal of the Temple City Voice is to eliminate community apathy by encouraging active participation and civic responsbility among the residents of Temple City. Additionally, the Voice aims to raise awareness about the issues surrounding our society.
Typo in responsibility aside, I cannot understand how articles are published in The Voice which have little to no direct correlation to the City of Temple City. Yes, obesity is a growing pandemic, but I can read the LA Times or the NY Times for this kind of information. I read The Voice for news about Temple City. Feel free to e-mail me back your comments/feedback/anything you want. My e-mail is tchsalumnus@yahoo.com.
July 12, 2008 at 8:25 AM
Thank you for leaving the Temple City Voice this comment. We have now included the sources used in the article and have corrected the typo error made on our about page. We hope you will continue to support the Voice.