OBESITY IN CHILDREN: A MODERN EPIDEMIC

my latest sociology paper…

 

OBESITY IN CHILDREN: A MODERN EPIDEMIC

At the time of publishing’s Greg Critser’s article (2000) approximately one quarter of all American’s under the age of nineteen were obese.  This is an incredible amount of children and a very frightening statistic.  With the untold medical bills due to obesity related illnesses I present here an action plan that public schools can use to curb this trend.

The first major change that must occur is of course dietary change.  A system wide change in public schools must exist.  A gradual if not total phasing out of junk food such as burgers, fries and pizza must occur.  Children like these things though; perhaps a system where a child could carry a card and eat say one or two portions of unhealthy food a week could be created.  This card could be marked or swiped in some way allowing to keep unhealthy food in check for the individual.

Education is of course also important. Children need to be taught the benefits of eating healthy and why they should.  When educated, children will often help their parents. Community wide actions must occur to help this.  It is no good educating children if their parents are simply going to buy and cook low nutritional food.  Community action programs such as those employed by the “Alliance For a Healthier Generation” need to be undertaken.  Here we see education at every level.  If obesity is to be prevented, everyone in the community must be educated.

Along with education healthy use of food and perhaps even mandatory cooking classes for at least a school year for all children should occur.  I myself chose to do cooking class for a year in my tenth grade.  A healthier attitude toward food must then be created.  Critser’s study mentions the long well known problem of portion control.  Americans are subjected to huge portions.  Portion control is a very real thing that must be addressed.  “McDonald’s is taking a good first step in helping to make meal sizes healthier. Their current ‘phase-out of the Super Size fry and the Super Size drink options’ may help to make trips to eat fast food a little less unhealthy.” (Ianelli, 2004)

Soft drinks are also a real problem. “Taking all of this into consideration, soda just doesn’t add up to be a beneficial drink. Even the label on a can states that it is not a significant source of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron” (Candelero, 2008).  Soda really has no nutritional value. Soda has been linked to hyperactivity, obesity and tooth decay. A system wide replacement of soda in vending machines must occur. Schools must embrace healthier alternatives. In New York City, public schools removed soda in preference for “Snapple.”  Not much better, but still a step forward.  Of course this is also mentions corporate sponsorship.  Corporate sponsorship as mentioned in Manning’s study (1999) addresses the real problem of sponsorship.  For the problem of obesity, corporate sponsorship actually promotes unhealthy dietary practices. Burgers, fries and soda are all thrust into the lives of children from a very young age.  Groups such as Seattle’s Citizens’ Campaign for Commercial free schools (CCC) are helping to curb this trend.  If schools feel they must obtain corporate sponsorship, it would be better if it was from local community businesses which are not promoting poor dietary consumption.

Exercise is a real concern. Today’s children have their computers and their televisions.  With ever increasing urbanization there are often less recreational grounds for children.  An effort to force children to exercise in and out of schools must be made.  Children should be encouraged in school to participate in physical activities.  Recreational playgrounds, fields etc. should be overhauled, built or just maintained. Alternatives to playing in the street, with their computer or just sitting in front of a television should be made.

To conclude here is a list:

• School wide dietary changes
• Education of children, parents and entire community
• Teaching portion control and encouraging cooking.
• Elimination of unhealthy soft drinks
• Exercise programs

Now while these will not solve everything overnight, unless something is done, America faces a bleak future.  “The cost to the general public health budget by 2020 will run into hundreds of billions, making HIV look economically like a bad case of the flu” (Critser , 2000).

References

Alliance For a Healthier Generation, retrieved February 25 2008 from http://www.healthiergeneration.org/schools.aspx

Candeloro, Carol (2008), The Truth about Soda: Is Soda Bad for You, retrieved February 25 2008 from http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/the-truth-about-soda-soda-bad-you.html?pageNum=1

Critser, Greg (2000), Let them eat fat:The heavy truths about American obesity

 

Ianelli, Vincent (2004), Portion Sizes and the Obesity Epidemic, Retrieved February 25 2008 from http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/obesity/a/portion_sizes.htm

Manning , Stephen (1999), How Corporations Are Buying Their Way into America’s Classrooms.