Childhood obesity is becoming a prominent problem all around the world as times change. As the number of reasons for this increase grows exponentially, we must take action to seize control over this issue. This can be done if both the masses and the government combine their efforts to put a stop to childhood obesity.
Firstly, the rise in childhood obesity can be directly linked to the time children spend outdoors nowadays. As owning an electronic device becomes commonplace, social media and online games have skyrocketed in popularity. As a result, children are less likely to leave the comfort of their home to play sports or visit playgrounds with their peers, instead holing themselves up in the house and socialising solely through online calls and multiplayer games. Parents should make the effort to keep the screen time of their children under control and sign them up for sports lessons to ensure their child is getting sufficient exercise. Physical actitivies such as hiking or kayaking can also be carried out as family bonding exercises on the weekends.
Additionally, the frequent of observation of obesity in children can also be a result of the number of fast food chains popping up around the country. As fast food chains often sell food that is cheap and served quickly, it is easy for busy parents to gravitate towards feeding their children fast food instead of cooking a meal from scratch. This could also cause the child’s taste buds to develop abnormally, causing them to crave unhealthy foods high in fat and sugar instead. To prevent this, the government should limit the number of fast food joints in a given area and encourage families to cook their own food by making sellers price raw ingredients at a lower price range.
Last but not least, parents and governments can aid the decrease of obesity in children by supporting school sporting events. Parents can volunteer to make coordinating these events easier on the organisers and the government can set up roadblocks for events such as marathons. By providing their aid, educational institutions will be motivated further to plan similar events in the future, giving students more opportunities to break a sweat. By igniting their competitive spirits, students will be provided with a purpose to stay fit and healthy and have the motivation to participate willingly in sports and exercise.
In conclusion, growing rates of childhood obesity can be stopped if the community works together to ensure the health of the next generation. Keeping the next generation healthy and fit is not a faraway dream if we combine the effort of every single individual and government official to pave the way for their success.