The percentage of overweight children in western society has skyrocketed over the last ten years. This is primarily caused by the increased appearance of fast food chains in local areas and a heightened implementation of sugar-packed foods within children’s reach. Thus, this amplifies the emergence of detrimental and chronic health issues among these children and it brings about many complications related to the child’s relationship with food throughout their lifestyle.
There are countless causes for the increase in child obesity in societies today which notoriously includes the increased presence of fast food chains in local and educational areas as well as the integration of high sugar meals in their lifestyle. The availability of fast food chains is growing more prominent every single day as new fast food restaurants conquer the food world every single day. Most times, these food chains open up in busy areas in which many offices, public buildings, and even schools avail all for the purpose of ensuring a greater profit. The presence of these seemingly convenient fast food chains makes it easier for younger generations to rely on these fast food chains for their regular diet (whether it may be because they may not be able to find a meal prepared for them when they get home or the enticing notion of fast food they may crave). Moreover, the availability of highly processed and sugar-filled foods within a child’s life strongly plays into the increase of them becoming overweight. A prime example of this is the implementation of unhealthy foods into their media consumption, such as including an ad for a starchy and sugar-packed cereal in their favourite channel or show. The display of these foods in the sight of children triggers a craving and psychological need for these unhealthy products and therefore may encourage them to obsessively indulge in these products for long periods of time. Consequently, the consistent consumption of these sugar rich foods along with a poor diet expedites the process of fat accumulation in a child’s body and thereby suffering from becoming overweight.
Being overweight not only plants critical health issues within children but it also plays a huge part in a complicated relationship with food throughout life. As the percentage of child obesity increases in our world this brings on a plethora of chronic health complications and disease that the child may suffer. For instance, obesity in children causes the rise of many diseases such as diabetes, cholesterol issues, and blood pressure issues within the overall population. The increased presence of these diseases limits these children (who will soon grow into functioning individuals of society) from living a normal life and makes them suffer until the day they die. Moreover, the increased appearance of these diseases within the population extends the likelihood of future generations having to suffer from diseases their ancestors developed.
In conclusion, many children today are suffering from being overweight and the numbers of these children may increase if no protection or restrictions are applied that safeguard their health and dietary lifestyle. Children are consistently turning to fast-food and sugar-filled products as their availability is maximized throughout local regions and this puts their health at a cost as they develop dangerous and chronic diseases as well as put their relationship with their diet at risk.