More and more children today are becoming disturbingly overweight, and childhood obesity has become a serious problem. Youngsters also exhibit early signs of cardiovascular diseases caused by excessive weight. While some claim that this is a result of the growing popularity of fast food, I believe the causes of the problem are much more complex, and solutions demand a multilateral approach.
There are multiple reasons why obesity is a problem today. Firstly, there is indeed a problem of the poor quality of food. Not only it concerns fast food joints, but also the food children eat at home. As a result of the emancipation of women, less women stay at home; consequently, for many families home cooked food has been replaced by ready-made meals, which typically contain vast amounts of sugar and chemical additives. What is more, these additives can be found not only in processed food, but also in products like milk, cheese, and meats. For example, one carton of sweetened milk contains on average 6 tablespoons of sugar.
Another cause is the accessibility and affordability of technological gadgets. Nowadays every child in a first world country has a smartphone and a computer, which results in children spending hours glued to the screen. The average screen time in America is 6 hours per day. Computer games and social networks have replaced physically active types of entertainment, such as sports games or just simple walking. Children do not get enough exercise.
There are various measures one can undertake to solve childhood obesity. First of all, parents and schools need to educate children about food. Teaching them to cook easy, 20-minute meals is an effective and entertaining way of instilling healthy eating habits. Children also need to learn basic nutrition concepts and develop appreciation of fresh, natural food products from local farmers. Secondly, as for computer game addiction and the sedentary lifestyle linked to it, parents should set an example for their children and involve them in various physical activities from childhood. For example, families could develop a habit of spending active weekends together, going camping, hiking or kayaking.
To sum up, I believe that the problem of children’s poor physical shape is complex. It is caused not only by the lack of sport, but also by the lack of education, as well as by children’s destructive eating habits. The solution, therefore, requires a comprehensive approach that will deal with each aspect of the problem.