Children Make Themselves Fat

Kids make themselves fat. A child from the ages of 4-18 makes the decision to turn on the TV over going outside or picking up a controller to play games over picking up a pencil to do their homework, so why do we think that childhood obesity is a different issue and blame parents for their child’s unhealthy lifestyle? A child is responsible for what they choose to do and for what they want; this means a child that makes poor decisions could end up overweight and won’t choose to do anything about that weight. A kid that wants fast-food everyday, the newest console, watches TV and YouTube constantly will almost always be behind physically when compared to kids who play outside. Children are responsible for their weight issues because they refuse to acknowledge the consequences their actions have on their physical health.

The responsibility of a child wanting to watch YouTube over playing outside falls on the child, not the parent. A child may avoid going outside to watch the newest video of something that peaks their interests like any adult would consider doing, but when that becomes a normality then the child’s health is put at risk. YouTube isn’t to blame as there are always some required after school activities that the school must have for them to do; so there is always something for a kid to do besides sitting around, eating, and watching TV. To get a child a hobby at a young age is beneficial to their health as it keeps them active/busy pursuing a goal rather than indulging in sedentary activities. The health of a child is important and dealing with a major issue like obesity is something they would thank you for. 

Funding is needed for school programs to alleviate obesity in our youth. Most existing programs warn students of the dangers of obesity (lack of energy, high mortality) for all demographics. Kids ignore these general warnings because they don’t perceive themselves to be at risk. Roughly 5-20% of them are, however, and battling obesity will become harder as they age. Labeling children as obese can get them bullied, and parents object too when their kids are singled out for attention, however well-meaning. The children’s health is paramount, though, and we can’t be deterred from counseling them regardless of the obstacles.

Children are responsible for their grades, their behavior, and their everyday choices, so their weight should be accepted as something they control too. YouTube is a grand distraction as of late but the choice of doing homework over watching a video should at very least be considered similar to the choice of playing outside over watching a YouTube video. Kids also need to be willing to fight against others’ harassments and not succumb to the insults but understand that there is an issue and that it can be solved with some dedication and a little hard work. Obesity is a rising issue for children across the world and the fault doesn’t just lie with the parents, but the kids who choose an unhealthy lifestyle over an active one.

References

Committee, O. O. P. P. F., Institute, O. M., & Early, C. O. P. P. (2011). Early childhood obesity prevention policies. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Institute, O. M., Food, A. N. B., & Committee, O. P. I. P. C. (2007). Progress in preventing childhood obesity : How do we measure up?. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Institute, O. M., Board, O. H. P. A. D., Food, A. N. B., & Committee, O. P. O. O. I. (2005). Preventing childhood obesity : Health in the balance. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com