Studies show there is a serious obesity problem in America. Inactivity (or insufficient physical activity) is only part of the problem. Poor nutrition is largely to blame. That’s probably not earth-shattering news to most of us. But what should be noted is the effect it has on our young people.
Not only does a lack of nutrition impact the lives of adults, but our nation’s youth are also at risk. By some estimates, roughly 17% of youngsters aged 2-19 years are obese. 1 While it may not seem significant, that’s a staggering 12.5 million young Americans. Overall, these figures are not just staggering, they are alarming.
“Childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic in the United States,” says William H. Dietz Jr. of the New England Medical Center. And, according to Steven L. Gortmaker, associate professor of the Harvard School of Public Health, “The proportion of American children who are overweight has increased more than 50 percent over the last two decades.” 2
In addition, the Harvard School of Public Health has found that 27 percent of children between the ages of 12 and 17 were obese. 3
Why is this matter so important?
Well, according to American Journal of Diseases of Children, obese children become obese adults. Nevertheless, obesity is not hereditary. 11 According to obesity expert Dr. Albert Stunkard of the University of Pennsylvania, the tendency toward obesity, however, is hereditary.
Some findings suggest that 80 percent of the offspring of obese couples become themselves obese, compared to 14 percent from the couples of normal weight. 4
In closing, if we don’t take a proactive stance and do something about our health, we are destined to become a nation of overweight and malnourished society. Through healthy eating and good nutrition we can help prevent this from happening. We’ve all heard the old adage time and time again: You are what you eat. I, for one, believe it!
References
1. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/facts.html
2. http://www.healthy-eating-politics.com/processed-foods.html
3. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/
4. http://www.healthy-eating-politics.com/processed-foods.html
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