<![CDATA[Wildcat Times]]> <![CDATA[Wildcat Times]]> en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Fri, 24 May 2013 21:26:01 GMT 15 <![CDATA[Parents to blame for childhood obesity]]> By Nita Weltman, Class of '13

Official Strong4life website
Harsh advertising: Tina is one of the many overweight children chosen to be in the strong4life campaign ads. The picture shown was one of the most popular posters that Strong4life used to put an end to childhood obesity. “This campaign is an example of what not to do in obesity prevention,” said Yale University obesity researcher Rebecca Puhl on the NBC Today Show.

It’s hard to take the blame on something so serious like your child’s health, but parents need to realize that they’re at fault when it comes to their child’s wellbeing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of overweight children has tripled since 1980. Today, one in three American kids between the ages of 2 to 19, are overweight or obese. There is a difference in the terms overweight and obese. The definition of overweight is; having more body fat than is optimally healthy. The definition of obese is; a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to serious health problems. There was a recent campaign ad for Strong4Life in Georgia that stirred up controversy on whether or not it was doing more harm than good. The black and white poster features two over weight children posing miserably. One male, one female, both look around the age of 10. On the boys poster it shows in red print WARNING, and underneath the words read; “Fat prevention begins at home. And the buffet line.” And on the females poster it has the similar red writing with the words “It’s hard to be a little girl, if you’re not.” That is outrageous. The kids featured in the ad cannot help that they are overweight, because they simply eat whatever their parents put in front of them. The ad is also bringing down kids self-esteem. A little girl could be a healthy weight for her height, and see that she looks some-what like the girl in the ad, and she might develop an eating disorder. “People wonder why eating disorders are on the rise today, and this advertisement shows why.” Junior, Ashley Turner said. The ad isn’t raising awareness about the issue or showing how you could help prevent obesity, but I don’t think Advertisements are the only ones to blame when it comes to this issue. Advertisements are meant to alert others about serious issues, whether it’s good or bad. A couple of months ago, there was a problem with doctors not telling parents that their child had a weight issue. A study was shown that less than 25% of parents recalled their doctors telling them their child was overweight. But I don’t think doctors are to blame. Parents should be able to see if their child is getting bigger. Parents are probably one of the main reasons their child is struggling with weight. Some parents are working and they don’t have time to cook, so they pick up McDonald’s on the way home from work a couple times a week. That is not a healthy diet and children shouldn’t be eating that type of food multiple times a week. Along with the high-sodium meals, there are also sugary snacks and candy that are available almost anywhere. Parents should keep an eye on what they feed their children because all the unhealthy meals could lead to serious health problems when they are older. Another thing parents should do is go grocery shopping by themselves. They shouldn’t bring along their child, because those big puppy dog eyes could influence anyone to buy more cookies or ice-cream, instead of fruits and vegetables. Along with the unhealthy diet parents feed their children, there is also the lack of physical activity. It is recommended that children exercise or play at least 60 minutes a day, preferably outside. With all the new games and gadgets that the parents are buying their children, that number seems ridiculous. Parents should monitor how long a child plays a video game or watches TV and make sure they include some sort of physical activity a day. “It is important for children nowadays to get the proper activity and exercise.” Retired physical education teacher Nancy Baron said. I think that parents nowadays should seriously open their eyes and watch what they are feeding their children, as it could lead to serious health risks when they are older. Children that are overweight now, are most likely to be overweight as an adult. Parents should also try to enroll their child in a sport or activity, so they have their daily amount of exercise. ]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:14:27 GMT