A Growing Concern: A Brief Consideration of Childhood Obesity
This 5-page undergraduate paper examines childhood obesity, outlining the causes, prevalence, and possible solutions to the problem. Childhood obesity has been growing significantly since the 1970s, and has been linked to health issues as diverse as depression, high blood pressure, increased risk of serious disease, shortened life expectancy, and high cholesterol levels. Studies have suggested a number of causes for childhood obesity, including parental weight, socioeconomic status, home environment, sedentary lifestyle, and improper food choices, to name just a few. Researchers disagree even more significantly on possible prevention programs. Some suggest school programs, while other suggest parental education. Increased safety of neighbourhoods and even smoking and alcohol-prevention programs have also been cited as important tools to be used in combatting childhood obesity. This essay concludes that the lack of consensus among researchers suggests that obesity is a much larger problem that one may initially think, and that more research is needed to effective deal with the issue.
