Assignment 5.6

I chose the topic Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Obesity. I have a step daughter that is quite large and I was always on her for her weight. I was a very very thin child, all the way through high school, so her weight is alarming health wise to me. Once I stepped into the high school and started looking around I realized that there are LOADS of children who are overweight.

I then had to ask why and how did these kids get this way. I realize how adults get that way. As an adult I have the choice to put whatever I want in my mouth, and exercise as little as I want to. As a child, I had to eat what I was given, we weren't allowed to have sugar, candy, soda....we thought it was a major treat to have homemade cookies once in a while, and we were glad there was six kids in the family, that meant cake at least six times a year. AND we respected the guideline my parents set. Never in my mind would I have bought a soda out of the vending machine when I had been told not to, despite the fact that there would have been no way for my parents to KNOW I had had one. Of course, this all changed when I became a senior in high school and started drinking diet soda.

Anyway, I thought some research into this topic would be warranted. As I mentioned in my paper, I feel it's every one's responsibility to cut down on childhood obesity. Childhood obesity will lead to adult obesity, which will put greater stress on the health industry....until we find the "miracle fat pill." Which I am totally against. It just seems wrong to take a pill and continue to eat in a less than healthy manner. Does that make any sense? If they do make the wonder drug, I hope they make the side effects terrible if you eat the fat and high sugar foods.

I think I have strayed from the intended purpose of this assignment. I will restate myself: childhood obesity is on an alarming rise, it is every ones responsibility to become educated in proper nutrition and exercise, and it is the governments responsibility to provide safe communities and reasonably food prices.