Persuasive Essay On Junk Food

Andre Glosson

Junk Food Essay

Junk food has contributed to a large amount of kids being obese. “KidsHealth.Org” has reported that 1 out of every 3 kids are now obese. Many kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-games. And today's busy families have fewer free moments to prepare nutritious, home-cooked meals. From fast food to electronics, quick and easy is the reality for many people and Families. Since 1970, the amount of fast food restaurants in business doubled, which equates to about 300,000 establishments in the United States. Coincidentally, 33.8 percent of the U.S. population is affected by obesity and 19 percent of children and adolescents are also affected. Over the past thirty years, the Attention of obesity and obesity-related diseases in the U.S. has risen sharply. Since the early 1970s, the share of children age 6 to 19 classified as overweight has more than tripled, from 5 percent to 17 percent, while the share of adults classified as overweight or obese rose from half to two-thirds of the population. Over this same period, the number of fast food restaurants more than doubled. Exposes such as "Supersize Me" and "Fast Food Nation" as well as reports in the popular press have frequently suggested that fast food is at least partly to blame for the U.S.'s rising obesity rates.Teaching children about healthy eating is important so they have a good way of knowing which foods are good in moderation and which are good on a daily basis. Children who eat too much of the wrong types of foods are at higher risk for health conditions like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. With all the ads for junk food on television and the ever growing popula...

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...But just as we expect our schools to do the heavy lifting when it comes to teaching geography, algebra, physical education, and history, we should expect schools to teach children about food -- where it comes from and how it affects our bodies and our health. Where it's been done well, we know it works. First of all, most kids find that cooking is fun. The more children cook and prepare fresh recipes from scratch, the more likely they are to appreciate healthier and varied ingredients and develop a skill that will serve them well throughout their lives. The more children learn about food and nutrition, the more likely they are to eat fruits, vegetables, and other healthful foods. And the real-world experience of Alice Waters' edible schoolyards show that the more that children plant and harvest fresh fruits and vegetables, they more motivated they'll be to eat them.