Sara Allen

English 2010

April 29, 2014


Reflective Essay
For my final project in my English class, we were asked to reflect on our
experiences during this semester, and elaborate on the assignments we completed.
This class, at times, became very tricky for me. Some teachers expect differently
than others. There were times I didnt know if I should explain how I felt about
certain topics, or if I should give just the facts. I love English, and I enjoy writing my
feelings about hard-hitting topics, that are discussed and argued about around the
world.
The topic my group chose to discuss, throughout the semester, is the concern
of Childhood Obesity. We chose this topic because it is a serious issue that a lot of
people dont understand needs to be taken seriously. We wrote about different
topics that related to Childhood Obesity. Throughout the semester I had to discuss if,
and how, obesity can be related to genetics. To do this, we had to address many
different audiences, and not seem argumentative. We had to list facts, and sources
that proved what we found were true, and proven.
I was asked to place two of my best-written papers in this final portfolio. I
chose to include my Argument paper, and my Brochure that I made. The reason I
chose these two documents is because they were well written, based off the
teachers comments, and the classmates. I thought very thoroughly when writing all
my assignments but these two were the most fun for me to complete.
I enjoyed doing the argument paper because it was one of the only papers
where we were allowed to argue our side, and give facts as to why you should agree
with what was being argued. I enjoy giving people reasons why people should agree
with me, and my argument paper did just that. The teacher did suggest that I started
my paper in a more effective way, to help capture the readers attention. I was told
that my in-text citations were used nicely, and pictures were placed according to the
paragraphs.
When I would leave reviews for my peers, I would suggest putting more
voice into their papers. I think a well-written paper is one where you can tell who
wrote it based off of the voice that was used. You want to read a paper that intrigues
you at the beginning, and keeps you wanting more as you read. I also suggested, in
some peoples papers, that they give the reader an imagination. The writer should
give you an image to imagine, and help you broaden your imagination as you
continue to read their paper. My greatest strength, as a peer reviewer, would be that
I could help people revise their essays, and hopefully help make them better, before
they turn them in for grading. I hope I have been able to help people in my class, get
a better grade on papers they have turned in.
Examples of reviews for peers: Religious affiliation is a BIG reason to motivate people to take
action, well thought out. Your answers to all of the topics discussed sound very well thought through,
and you seem to know exactly what you are talking about. I agree with you on the media. They twist
certain stories to make them out to be worse than what they really are.
Your questions look very thought out, and thorough. Very nice. Maybe ask if it would hurt to suggest
lighter food choices for the children for lunches instead of things like chicken nuggets, nachos, etc. I
think your interview is going to go very well. I would like to see what other information you find out.
I received a lot of good reviews on my papers that helped make them better.
There were a couple of reviews where people suggested I dont ramble off, and try
to stay on topic. I tend to ramble off topic when I am speaking, so sometimes I
continue to go off topic when I am writing also. I will work on getting better to not
do this in future papers.
Examples of peers comments to me: Documentary's sounded too tough for me. It is hard for
me to pick one side of the argument; I need to see both sides. I am sure you will do great!
She did a great job using information from the documentary, facts and statistics. Maybe add personal
application and conclusion, over all she did a great job, I like the information.
There were several goals that I achieved in this course. I captured my
audience, and kept them intrigued while reading facts about a serious issue. I helped
my peers make their papers better, as they did mine. My main goal in this class was
to make sure I understood who my audience was, and knew how to draw them in.
There are many different audiences so you need to make sure you know how to
address each situation that is thrown at you.









Sara Allen
Argument
02-17-14
Is Obesity in Children Caused by Genetics?
What is Childhood Obesity?
How does Childhood Obesity relate to genetics? This is a common question asked
by many that still havent been able to find the answer. Childhood obesity is an
argument that has been discussed by many. But what a lot of people mainly argue is
if it is genetics or not?
Where does it begin?
Everyone loves a chunky baby. I mean, look at those big cheeks. As the child gets
older, weight becomes more of a serious issue. It is debated how children become
obese. Is it because of genetics or is it simply because their parents dont limit what
they eat? Studies show that the more weight a woman puts on while pregnant; the
more likely that child is going to have weight problems when he/she is older. It
appears that there is something about moms gaining more, than the Institute of
Medicine recommendations, that may predispose
their kids to pack on the pounds. Researchers
suggest several potential explanations for the
relationship between excess pregnancy weight
gain and childhood obesity, but none are certain.
For instance, it may just be that moms who gain
too much share the same obesity-promoting
genetic make-up and dietary and activity preferences as their kids. While certainly
this plays some role, the relationship between too much pregnancy weight gain and
childhood obesity holds even for moms who started pregnancy at a normal weight
(Digate, Natalie).
How do you know your child is obese?
According to The Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a child is not
considered obese until their weight is 10 percent higher than what is recommended
for their height and body type. Studies have shown that obesity begins within the
stages of 5 and 6 in adolescents. If one parents is obese, there is a 50 percent
chance that their children will also be obese. Now if both of their parents are obese,
the child has an 80 percent chance of becoming obese. According to The Academy of
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a child is not considered obese until their weight is
10 percent higher than what is recommended for their height and body type. Studies
have shown that obesity begins within the ages of 5 and 6 in adolescents. If one
parent is obese, there is a 50 percent chance that their children will also be obese.
Now if both of their parents are obese, the child has an 80 percent chance of
becoming obese (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry). The
International Journal of Obesity suggests that childhood weight gain is strongly
According to The Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a child is not
considered obese until their weight is 10 percent higher than what is recommended
for their height and body type. Studies have shown that obesity begins within the
stages of 5 and 6 in adolescents. If one parents is obese, there is a 50 percent
chance that their children will also be obese. Now if both of their parents are obese,
the child has an 80 percent chance of becoming obese. According to The Academy of
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a child is not considered obese until their weight is
10 percent higher than what is recommended for their height and body type. Studies
have shown that obesity begins within the ages of 5 and 6 in adolescents. If one
parent is obese, there is a 50 percent chance that their children will also be obese.
Now if both of their parents are obese, the child has an 80 percent chance of
becoming obese (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry). The
International Journal
of Obesity suggests
that childhood
weight gain is
strongly influenced
by genetics. Thirty-
two genes have been
identified as risk
factors for obesity
but previous
analyses suggest that
these genes alone
cannot fully explain
the high level of heritability in childhood obesity, as together they explain only two
percent of individual differences in childhood body weight. This has led to a
problem of missing heritability. (Llewellyn)
Lifestyles and
Environment
Being around people that
dont eat healthy, and dont
exercise, make it very
difficult for people that want
to lead a healthy lifestyle.
The family, friends, schools, and community resources in a childs environment
reinforce lifestyle habits regarding diet and activity. Children are surrounded by
many things that make it easy to overeat and harder to be active: Parents have less
time to plan and prepare healthy meals. As a result, children are eating more
processed and fast foods that are usually less healthy than home-cooked meals.
Children see up to 10,000 food commercials every year. Most of these are for candy,
fast food, soft drinks, and sugared cereals. More foods today are processed and high
in fat and contain too much sugar. Vending machines and convenience stores make
it easy to get a quick snack, but they rarely sell healthy foods. Overeating is a habit
that is reinforced by restaurants that advertise high-calorie foods and large portion
sizes (Kaneshiro).
Several Easy Steps to Prevent Childhood Obesity
There are a good handful of things you can do to prevent your child from becoming
obese, or ways that you can lower your childs BMI. Parents should not make
changes to a child's diet based solely on perceptions of overweight. All preschoolers
exhibit their own individual body structure and growth pattern. Assessing obesity in
children is difficult because children grow in unpredictable spurts. It should only be
done by a health care professional, using the child's height and weight relative to his
previous growth history, (Department of Health). Also, the Department of Health
states that weight loss is not a good approach for most young children, since their
bodies are growing and developing. Overweight children should not be put on a diet
unless a physician supervises one for medical reasons. A restrictive diet may not
supply the energy and nutrients needed for normal growth and development.
How serious is Childhood Obesity?
There are
certain
health risks
that can
occur if
childhood
obesity isnt
taken
seriously.
Doctors and scientists are concerned about the rise of obesity in children and teens
because obesity may lead to the following health problems: Heart disease, Type 2
diabetes, Asthma, Sleep apnea, and Social discrimination. Kids are really mean,
especially when you arent like them. Children who are overweight or obese can
get a very low self-esteem because kids make fun of them. Obese children may
experience immediate health consequences, which can lead to weight-related health
problems in adulthood. Obese children and teens have been found to have risk
factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including high cholesterol levels, high
blood pressure, and abnormal glucose tolerance. In a sample of 5-to 17-year-olds,
almost 60% of overweight children had at least one CVD risk factor and 25% of
overweight children had two or more CVD risk factors. In addition, studies have
shown that obese children and teens are more likely to become obese as adults. I
find it to be extremely depressing that we have to change ourselves so much
because of how mean some people can be.
In Conclusion
Having a child who is overweight can be prevented up to a certain extent when it
comes to genetics. Genetics can make it harder for the child to lose weight, but if
you maintain healthy eating, and physical activity, you wont need to stress about
your child losing weight. It is the parents responsibility to make sure that their child
eats plenty of fruits and vegetables, and gets the physical activity that they need.
Make sure that your child gets out, and plays with those kids at the park rather than
staying home, and playing on their game systems. Help prevent your child growing
up with a problem that could affect them for the rest of their lives.





Work Cited:
"Department of Health ." Preventing Childhood Obesity. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb 2014.
<https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/resources/obparnts.htm>.
Digate, Natalie. "Does Childhood Obesity Start at Conception?." ACE. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb
2014. <https://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/2113/does-childhood-
obesity-start-at-conception/>.
"Health Problems and Childhood Obesity." LetsMove. N.p.. Web. 17 Feb 2014.
<http://www.letsmove.gov/health-problems-and-childhood-obesity>.
Kaneshiro, Neil. "Causes and risks for obesity-children." Medline Plus-Trusted Health Information
for you. N.p., 3 Feburary 2014. Web. 17 Feb 2014.
<http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientinstructions/000383.htm>.
Llewellyn, Dr. Clare. "Study Finds Strong Genetic Components to Childhood Obesity." UCL
News. N.p., 27 Mar 2013. Web. 17 Feb 2014. <http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-
articles/0313/260313-childhood-obesity-genetics-heritability>.
"Obesity in Children and Teens." American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. N.p., n.d.
Web. 17 Feb 2014
<http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Fami
lies_Pages/Obesity_In_Children_And_Teens_79.asp&xgt;.








Changes I made to my documents as I revised
Before placing certain papers into my final portfolio, I made some changes that were
mentions by my peers, and my teacher. On my brochure, I made sure I reworded the
heading on the inside panel, and I also included a heading on the inside panels. On
my Review paper, I fixed how I had my citations. I corrected them so there werent
any bullet point, double spaces, etc. That was all that was mentioned in this paper. In
my argument paper, I made sure I began my revised version with How does
Childhood Obesity relate to genetics? It was suggested I begin my paper like this
instead of In this paper, because it will be more effective to capture the readers
attention.