Argumentative Essay On Child Obesity

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Obesity is alarmingly prevalent in the United States today. Defined as an overabundance of fat (adipose) tissue, obesity is one of the major leading causes of death in America. Because obesity “is one of the most pervasive, chronic diseases in need of new strategies for medical treatment and prevention”, it is a significant problem in the United States (www.obesity.org). Although obesity may be a considering challenge facing adults, child obesity is also becoming a serious issue. Affecting almost one-third of all adolescents, child obesity is caused by various sources. Though research has shown that child obesity may be passed down from parents to offspring somewhat, inadequate eating habits in conjunction with low amounts of exercise are the …show more content…

Parents, naturally, are the role models of their offspring. Furthermore, parents are main contributors to the personality and attitudes of their adolescents. Because of this, adolescents often adopt the habits of their parents through observation. As minors, children do not have the mental capacity of adults and lack the ability of foresight. As a result, numerous juveniles have poor health and diet without realizing the future consequences of their actions. Parents, “as primary role models...play a major role in preventing child obesity because they set the standards for the entire family” (www.aces.edu). Parents can positively influence a child’s eating habits by controlling “availability and accessibility of foods, meal structure, food modeling, food socialization practices, and food-related parenting style” (www.aces.edu). Additionally, parents must promote exercise and physical activity. Various children must be pushed in order to partake in exercise. Because technology and social media are sources of amusement for many youths, parents must limit the amount of time their kids spend indoors. By eliminating these sources of entertainment, children are more likely to go outside. Furthermore, children are more likely to engage in recreational activity if their parents do. Parents, as critical role models for adolescents, must encourage sound eating habits and regular exercise to prevent child

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