The United States Big Problem

One of the largest health crises (no pun intended) in the United States nowadays is
obesity. This disease is incredibly common, extremely lethal, and completely preventable. While
some Americans are aware of the grave danger being obese puts them in, many are ignorant, or
simply uncaring about the health issue. Many simply view it as yet another criticism of the
appearance of overweight individual, but the fact of the matter is, the cosmetic toll it takes on
one's body is just the tip of the iceberg. Some of the United States most lethal diseases can be
directly caused by a higher-than-average body fat percentage. These diseases can range from
complications and problems with the joints, such as osteoporosis, or even much more lifethreatening conditions, such as coronary heart disease and various types of cancer (CDC).
Because of these horrific disease one can contract from being obese, obesity has become one of
the top causes of preventable death in America, second only to smoking (HealthAliciousNess.).
Perhaps the worst result of this national health crisis, is that its beginning to take hold of the
countrys youth. A direct course of action needs to be taken in this country in order to rid the
United States of childhood obesity
The United States obesity crisis has a very strong foothold in the youth of this country.
In the US, about 1 in every 5 children ranging from ages two to nineteen is considered obese
(CDC). Not only that, but in the last 30 years, the number of obese children has increased twofold, and the number of obese adolescents has quadrupled. This dramatic increase in the number
of obese children is often subject to the intense scrutiny of media.
First of all, when a child becomes obese at such a young age, they automatically increase
their risk of developing many different health complications before they reach adulthood.

Children who are overweight or obese are at a much higher risk of developing insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance occurs when the human body cannot use its own insulin effectively, and as a
result, glucose stores build up in the bloodstream. More often than not, insulin resistance will
lead to pre diabetes or Type 2 adult-onset diabetes (NDIC).
Also, obese adolescents and children have recently been discovered to be developing
conditions that were previously believed to only affect adults. This can prove to be extremely
dangerous because most of the medical and medicinal treatment for these diseases are not meant
for children to use them. One of these conditions is high blood pressure, or hypertension. This
condition can potentially lead to many other dangerous problems such as kidney failure,
aneurysms, and the left heart becoming enlarged (Mayo Clinic). Another condition that has
previously been exclusive to adults is high cholesterol. Children that have high cholesterol levels
are more likely to have a limited cardiovascular capacity, and thus limiting their ability to run
and play like normal kids (Weintraub). Worst yet, both of these complications can lead to one of
the most dangerous diseases in the US; coronary heart disease (NIH). Coronary heart disease
results when large amounts of plaque build up in the arteries and make it harder for the human
body to circulate blood. This can cause chest pain, clots, and eventually a heart attack. It is the
number one cause of death of the United States men and women (NIH). If a child suffers from
high cholesterol or high blood pressure at such a young age, they
Aside from these immediate health effects of childhood obesity, there are also many
complications that overweight children are more likely to suffer in their adult lives. According to
Kristen Nadeau, M.D., It looks like independent of this increased-exposure effect, kids'
maturing bodies may be especially vulnerable to the detrimental health effects of obesity. Early

exposure can make you much more predisposed to complications than might exposure once the
body is done maturing. It may be that childhood obesity changes the way the whole metabolism
is working -- and changes it during a critical developmental time frame (MM). Basically,
because a childs body is changing and developing, diseases such as Type 2 diabetes can grow
into much more serious health problems once they have fully matured. The University of
Colorado Cancer Center showed that childhood obesity can cause metabolic syndrome,
cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and its associated cardiovascular, retinal and renal
complications, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, polycystic ovarian
syndrome, infertility, asthma, orthopedic complications, psychiatric disease, and increased rates
of cancer (MM). As one can clearly see, children who suffer from obesity at a young age tend to
suffer from a lot more once they reach adulthood.
There is no denying the short and long-term health effects of childhood obesity, but many
people dont realize that the most disastrous side-effects are not related to physical health, but
mental health. As a child, there was a long period of my life where I was considered to obese,
and I know first hand of the psychological toll this can take on a young child. Other children
used to make fun of my appearance in the halls and call me names. Gym class was even worse,
because nobody wanted to be on my team, mostly because I couldnt run as fast or far as the
other children. These harsh conditions are shared by scores of obese children in the US. Obese
children and adolescents are often the target of discrimination and bullying as early as 1st grade.
A study was conducted in 2003 that asked children who's ages ranged from 8 to 15 to rate their
quality of life. Specifically, they wanted the children to consider factors such as their ability to
walk more than one block, play sports, sleep well, get along with others and keep up in

school (NYU Langone). The study found that children who were overweight or obese often
rated their life as low as children who were undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. When children
are mocked in school, have trouble keeping up in sports, and suffer from sleep apnea, it lowers
their overall self-esteem and well-being (NYU Langone).
Bullying is perhaps the biggest psychological trauma endured by obese children
nowadays. Picking on overweight children is almost a universal theme in US schools. Sara Gable
of the University of Missouri, Colombia, says that Overweight and obesity are terribly
stigmatizing conditions, regardless of ageLiving as a member of a stigmatized group is
stressful and can produce feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness (Bryner). This
antagonization of overweight children can have major repercussions on their confidence and
overall self image later in life. In school, it also has a negative effect on students grades and
performance. Students who are overweight or obese tend to score lower on tests than those who
are at a healthy weight. This is because academic performances directly proportional to a
persons self-esteem. Bullying can also can cause certain people to gain even more weight. Some
people, when faced with emotional problems, use food as a comfort and a coping mechanism.
The problem with this is that emotional hunger, unlike physical hunger, is not satisfied when the
person is full. People who experience emotional hunger tend to eat large amounts of junk food to
cope with emotional stress, and then feel even worse about themselves afterward (HelpGuide).
Bullying overweight children creates a vicious cycle.
The stakes for our nations overweight youth are exceptionally high, and yet many
establishments, such as restaurants, seem to be doing absolutely nothing to combat the situation.
Most Americans, when asked what is the least healthy eating establishment to feed their children,

will without hesitation say fast food. While this is the popular opinion, that doesnt mean that its
necessarily accurate. McDonalds has made large strides in the past few years in order to offer
healthier options for young children. According to a recent McDonalds nutritional report, they
announced that they will introduce about 100 million cups of apples annually into the diets of
[their] youngest customers and they have reduced sodium across its national core menu by
more than 11 percent. 100 percent of McDonalds national chicken menu items have been
reduced in sodium (McDonalds). McDonalds, as well as numerous other fast food
establishments, has been working to improve the overall health content of their childrens meals.
Now, McDonalds happy meals include milk instead of soda and a package of apples, and this has
reduced its calorie count to around 400 calories. The same cant be said about the kids meals at
popular table service restaurants. For example, a childrens grilled cheese meal at Applebees
contains a whopping 1,200 calories, which is nearly an entire days worth of the calorie intake of
small children (Romero). As one can clearly see, one of the essential steps to ridding this country
of childhood obesity is focusing on making the food that is marketed towards kids more
nutritious.
Some sit-down restaurants have ridiculous and incredibly unhealthy combinations on
their children's menu. For example, at TGI Fridays, children are given the option of having
macaroni and cheese and a side of french fries. When kids see this, of course they will order it,
because its two of their favorite comfort foods. What restaurants need to do is create fixed kids
menu combinations, and they should contain foods that create a well-rounded and nutritious
meal. If macaroni and cheese is the main dish, then they should serve it with a side of vegetables
in order to keep excess carb consumption to a minimum. Subway has already jumped on this

bandwagon. At Subway, a children's meal is severed with milk and fruit, and there are basically
no exceptions. IHOP has also made strides to improve the health content of their kids menu. All
of their meals designed for young children are served with fruit instead of french fries, vastly
increasing the nutritional value (IHOP). Perhaps restaurants should even start giving children
smaller portions of adult dishes. Child-sized salads would greatly benefit a childs health, and
most of the healthier options at a restaurant are reserved for adults and in adult-sized portions.
Hopefully soon, most restaurants will follow the trend of improving the health of our nations
children. Unfortunately for our nations children however, restaurants arent the only places that
serve them incredibly innutritious foods.
The American school lunch program is a hotly debated health issue for parents today. On
a daily basis, school-age children are not being fed nutritious, whole-foods, but rather processed
fast-food. Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition food studies and public health at New York
University said that School lunches hardly resemble real food -- they serve items such as
chicken nuggets, which are highly processed, with additives and preservatives, and list more than
30 ingredients instead of just chicken (Larson). All of these preservatives take a toll on the
health and waistline of American youth. Processed foods are high in refined carbohydrates, and
Business insider found that "One of the main problems is that refined, 'simple' carbohydrates are
quickly broken down in the digestive tract, leading to rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin
levels, and this can lead to insulin resistance and weight gain.
School is supposed to be a safe environment for children to learn and develop necessary
life skills. The food that schools are feeding should reflect such an aim. Students should be given
whole, natural foods that satisfy a basic food pyramid. Many people raise concerns about the

price of providing healthy foods for school lunches, but there is a program that costs no more
than the average school lunch provider. It is called Natural Ovens. It was first used in a
alternative school for children who were considered to have behavioral problems. Instead of
serving frozen, processed foods to the students, Natural Ovens allowed the school to serve fresh
fruits and vegetables and cook most of their own dishes. Interestingly enough, not only did the
students become healthier, but their overall behavior, academic success, and attitude improved as
well (Spurlock). If a positive diet can have these kinds of health benefits, then it should be
American schools ultimate weapon for combating childhood obesity. However, perhaps the best
solution to childhood obesity is also the most simple.
In order to prevent childhood obesity, the adults in a childs life need to institute the basic
lifestyle necessities of health. These can be simply summed up as diet and exercise. Not only do
the schools and parents of this nations children have to help instill proper dietary habits, but they
also need to encourage children to become more active. Sadly, schools have been doing the exact
opposite of this, and they have begun reducing or completely withdrawing recess from schools. A
report made in 2009 by the Alliance for Childhood examined various early learning centers in
LA and New York and found that children had less than 30 minutes a day, on average, of
"choice" time, in which kids could do whatever they wanted. Kids in L.A. had only about 19
minutes of free time each day. The rest of the kindergarten day was filled with academics and
standardized test preparation (Pappas). Recess and physical activity are paramount to
maintaining a childs health. The American Heart Association recommends that school-age
children participate in 60 minutes of physical activity each day, a number that is definitely not
being obtained through the school system (AHA).

The United States biggest national issue doesnt involve drugs, war, or debt. It involves a
nation of children who are on the fast track to an unhealthy life. If children truly are our most
valuable resource, then it should be the nations top priority to ensure that they stay healthy and
strong for the future.

!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!
!!
!!
!!
!
Works Cited
"Childhood Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/
data/childhood.html>.

"Childhood Obesity: The Effects on Physical and Mental Health | AboutOurKids.org." Childhood
Obesity: The Effects on Physical and Mental Health | AboutOurKids.org. NYU Langone
Medical Center, n.d. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/
childhood_obesity_effects_physical_mental_health>.
"Emotional Eating." HelpGuide. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://www.helpguide.org/life/
emotional_eating_stress_cravings.htm>.
"For picky ones, plate cleaners and everyone in between.." Kids Menu. IHOP, n.d. Web. 9 May
2014. <http://www.ihop.com/menus/main-menu/kids>.
Gardner, Amanda. "Does obesity affect school performance?." CNN. Cable News Network, 1
Jan. 1970. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/14/health/obesity-affectschool-performance/>.
"High blood pressure (hypertension)." High blood pressure dangers: Hypertension's effects on
the body. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045868>.
Larsen, Elizabeth. "The Problem with Your Child's School Lunch." Parents Magazine. N.p., n.d.
Web. 7 May 2014. <http://www.parents.com/recipes/familyrecipes/quickandeasy/
problem-with-your-childs-school-lunch/>.
"Let's Move." Health Problems and Childhood Obesity. USDA, n.d. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://
www.letsmove.gov/health-problems-and-childhood-obesity>.
MM, Kelsey. "Long-term effects of childhood obesity on late-life health revealed by study."
ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://www.sciencedaily.com/
releases/2014/02/140212132629.htm>.
"McDonald's USA - Nutrition...Just the Facts." Flickr. Yahoo!, n.d. Web. 8 May 2014. <https://
www.flickr.com/photos/aboutmcdonalds/7977920104/in/set-72157631515147116/>.

Mercola. "Eating Processed Foods Can Make You Sick and Fat." Mercola.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 8
May 2014. <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/12/9-dangersprocessed-foods.aspx>.
"National Diabetes InformationClearinghouse (NDIC)." Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes.
Skip NavigationU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, n.d.
Web. 8 May 2014. <http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/insulinresistance/
#resistance>.
Pappas, Stephanie. "All school, no play? Kids' learning suffers without recess, experts say."
TODAY.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2014. <http://www.today.com/id/44123365/ns/
today-parenting_and_family/t/all-school-no-play-kids-learning-suffers-without-recessexperts-say/#.U2xTOV7fhuZ>.
Romero, Melissa. "Least Healthy Kids Meals at Chain Restaurants." Washingtonian. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/wellbeing/healthy-eating/
least-healthy-kids-meals-at-chain-restaurants.php>.
"The AHA's Recommendations for Physical Activity in Children." The AHA's Recommendations
for Physical Activity in Children. American Heart Association, 1 May 2014. Web. 8 May
2014. <http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/HealthierKids/
ActivitiesforKids/The-AHAs-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-inChildren_UCM_304053_Article.jsp>.
"The Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Dec. 2013. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://
www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html?s_cid=tw_ob245>.

"The Most Preventable Causes of Death in the U.S.." HealthAliciousNess.

HealthAliciousNess , n.d. Web. 1 May 2014. <http://www.healthaliciousness.com/
blog/The-Most-Preventable-Causes%20of%20Death-in-the-United-States.php>.
Weintraub, Karen . "One-third of kids may be battling high cholesterol." USA Today. Gannett, 28
Mar. 2014. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/28/
cholesterol-kids-heart/7002601/>.
"What Are Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors?." National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.
N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2014. <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
health/health-topics/topics/hd//health-topics/topics/hd/>.
"Who Is at Risk for Coronary Heart Disease?." - NHLBI, NIH. U.S. Department of Health &
Human Services, n.d. Web. 8 May 2014. <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/
topics/cad/atrisk.html>.
Wong, Venessa. "The Best and Worst Restaurants for Healthy Kids' Meals." Bloomberg Business
Week. Bloomberg, 1 Apr. 2013. Web. 9 May 2014. <http://www.businessweek.com/
articles/2013-04-01/the-best-and-worst-restaurants-for-healthy-kids-meals>.

!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!

!
!
\