Childhood Obesity The Government Must Take Action Essay

Childhood Obesity is on the rise in the United States. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, â€Å"childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008[†¦] adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.† (CDC 2010) Parents have started to file complaints with school districts and state representatives about the lack of attention this issue is receiving. There have been several references to the school lunch program and the lack of physical activity that children are provided during the school day. On the other side, some parents believe that the government should not be involved and does not have†¦show more content†¦This underscores the need to provide fresh, healthy lunches that form strong eating habits and give students the nutrition and energy they need to focus when they return to the classroom. Serving nutr itional meals in schools will result in energized, focused, healthy, and successful children. There are people who are starting to join the fight against childhood obesity. According to Glazer, â€Å"The effort to ensure that our children live longer and avoid obesity has many voices, including former President Bill Clinton, who recently teamed up with the American Heart Association, and now Nickelodeon, to get the message straight to our youth about the importance of developing healthy eating habits (2005). The parents that are against government reform need to understand that childhood obesity has also affected our health care system’s cost. The Center for Disease Control has found that the United States spent $117 billion on obesity in the year 2000. Furthermore, it was linked with more than 300,000 premature deaths. People with BMIs of 25 and higher are at increased risk for myriad diseases and conditions: hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart dis ease, angina pectoris, congestive heart failure, stroke, gallstones, gout, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea and other respiratory problems, cancer, complicated pregnancies, bladder control problems, kidney stones, depression, eating disorders,Show MoreRelatedThe Intervention Of The Food And Beverage Markets Should Be Motivated By The Health Crisis Of Childhood Obesity1450 Words   |  6 PagesThe intervention of government in the food and beverage markets should be motivated by the health crisis of childhood obesity combined with market failures that have contributed to the problem. In this case, consumers might not make informed decision, resulting in higher weight outcomes. There are several policy alternatives which may change environment of food consumption and reduce obesity. 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