Obesity rates spin out of control

Alice KorsStaff WriterNationwide, adolescents are getting less exercise, eating more foods high in sugar and fats and the results are the steep incline in obesity among children and young adults. In fact, obesity rates among children and teenagers ages 12-19 have tripled since 1980. Needless to say, obesity and weight problems among teens has turned into a national epidemic.The rapid rise in obese children is a result of many factors including drastic changes in lifestyles over the past few decades. For instance, thirty years ago most children would walk or bike to school. They would play outside with their friends and at a recess, and would never dream of having McDonalds for dinner on a daily basis. However, times have changed. For many people, walking and biking has been replaced with driving or busing. Playing basketball after school with friends has become chatting with them on Facebook. And with increased stressed and activity levels in families across America, home-cooked meals are no longer an option —fast food or greasy take out are both much more convenient and more cost-effective. Across the country, Americans are falling into these bad eating and exercising habits.Childhood obesity is the leading cause of both physical and emotional trauma. Not only is obesity harmful to adolescent’s emotions and social lives — it also has many long term, life threatening damages. According to the The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), type two diabetes, once only believed to only affect adults, has been seen in many cases of childhood obesity. In addition the CDC states, "61 percent of overweight five- to ten-year-olds already have at least one risk factor for heart disease, and 26 percent have two or more risk factors."In order to stop obesity in adolescents, the CDC encourages schools to help prevent childhood obesity by "helping students adopt and maintain healthy eating and physical activity behavior." This means improving health and nutrition by giving students healthier meal choices and opportunities for exercising. In addition, First Lady Michelle Obama has started the "Let's Move!" campaign in order to promote awareness about childhood obesity and help adolescents on the path to a healthier lifestyle.According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), within the last few weeks, they have "updated the nutrition standards for meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 13, 2010." This addition to the bill will help to provide students with healthier food choices, and prevent schools from serving lunches of tater tots five days a week. These new guidelines are one of many government implemented plans to help improve students diets and protect them against obesity.Obesity among adolescents has grown from a common, but serious, condition into a countrywide epidemic. What we as a society fail to recognize are the effects obesity have on our society are alarming, harmful and, in some cases, lethal.akors@thesamohi.com