Assignment 16- Ella Jensen

Every kitchen in America has a secret killer. Assassins waiting in the wings to slowly poison our youth. Although their disguise may look innocent and unsuspecting, their affect on our nation’s health is all but innocent. Since the introduction of mass production and the industrialization of food processing, what we put in our bodies has gotten more and more toxic. These toxins rush through our bodies, in our blood until we feel the effects of obesity. When you look around the grocery store, look at the trends of consumption, what you see is the new trend in our children, our future generations. What you see is a big problem-literally, and it is growing each year.

The Mayo Clinic reported on a study that “in just two decades, the prevalence of overweight doubled for U.S children ages 6 to 11- and tripled for American teenagers” Children’s waistlines are growing at speeds faster than ever seen before. This trend of growth will ultimately end in a growth of death rates as well since obesity is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. and is likely to become the first in the next decade (Mokdad, Marks, Stroup, and Gerberding, 2004).

As childhood obesity becomes a more prevalent problem, we fail to find and exploit the causes. In society, children are simply eating worse and exercising less. Food containing harmful ingredients such as an abundance of sugar and sodium, high fructose corn syrup, msg, etc. are more readily available and are modified to taste better, so young kids can only see one clear option. According to CBS News and MSNBC, 49% of parents say that they don’t have enough time to cook well thought out, and nutritious meals, so they turn to fast food. This much fast food intake packs on about 6 pounds of fat per child per year. And because the parents are the ones supplying the meals, they play a most important role in the eventual, life-long eating habits of children. Not only are the kids eating unhealthy options, they are eating statistically more of it too. Lisa Drayer, a registered dietician and director of nutrition services, says that restaurants are distorting the public’s view on portion size, because of this, Americans acquire the “more is better” mentality. For example, 20 years ago, a bagel used to be 140 calories and 3 inches in diameter; today it is 350 calories and 6 inches in diameter. We have almost doubled our intake, thus doubling our energy consumption. So although you may think you need a round three at the Golden Corral buffet, you most definitely don’t. Jennifer Fisher, professor at Baylor college, found in her study that preschoolers ate 25% more when served larger portions, 25% more food than their body needs- leading to excesses of weight and fat storage from a very young age.

But it is not just about what we put into our bodies, as many dieticians will tell you, its about a balance of fitness and food. The decrease in daily exercise evident in many school days for new generations has greatly impacted future habits. Physical activity plays a tremendous role in getting rid of the excess energy from large portions and unhealthy food. How many kids do you see running and playing? Not many. Rather than engaging in sports and playing with neighbors like when I was a kid, now kids are more engaged with watching TV or playing videogames. Research firm Childwise found that children five to sixteen spend an average of 6 and half hours a day in front of a screen, compared to the three hours in 1997. Not only does this have other negative effects on the body, it substitutes most time that kids should be exercising and burning calories with sedentary activities.

Obesity isn’t just a physical obstacle; it affects every part of the child’s body and their quality of life. The energy imbalance associated with obesity severely affects all parts of your body. Children who are obese have a much higher risk of high blood sugar and cholesterol (70% of obese children have at least one cardiovascular disease), insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, breathing problems, joint problems, psychological stress and anxiety into adulthood, and impaired social, emotional, and physical functioning (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007). The English National Obesity Observatory found through series of studies that being obese as a child or adolescent has “an adverse effect on a young person’s self-esteem, self image, and self concept, with physical appearance and athletic competence being most affected.” As children, those who suffer from obesity are more likely to form anxieties and depressions about their condition, making it far less likely that they combat the problem themselves, affecting them in adulthood as well.

There are an abundance of professionals and organizations that see obesity as the true epidemic it is, and they have made valiant efforts to try to raise awareness. Morgan Spurlock made his independent film, Supersize Me, to examine the fast food business and it opened up America’s eyes to the harsh truth of fast food. HBO released a documentary series on the consequences, choices, children affected, and the challenges associated with obesity. And CMYK even produced and advertisement campaign in 2011 to promote awareness but it a shocking way. All of these impactful visual lessons do help raise awareness but it does little to affect the permanent lifestyles of those suffering. To truly fight the childhood obesity epidemic we get both private and public stakeholders involved in “shaping a new healthy environment for making healthier diet options for children affordable, and accessible” (World Health Organization). Some private sectors even have tried to make an impact by creating campaigns like “Let’s Move”, campaigned for by Michelle Obama, which educates about nutrition and the importance of exercise, as well as helping to make healthier options more readily available.

There is no quick fix to rid our society and our children of the toxins that have been embedded over the past couple decades. We must address the causes: too much food with too little nutrition, and a lack of exercise in our youth. As you look around at our elementary and middle schools, you can see the trends of unhealthy habits that need to first be addressed, and then be assisted by private and public sectors alike. Obesity is on the rise and we cannot let our future generations be victims of this devastating condition.