In many countries, the percentage of overweight children has increased in the last ten years. Discuss the causes and solutions to this disturbing trend.
It is true that the number of obese children in many societies has been on the rise in the last few decades. This essay will discuss the reasons why this is occurring and offer some solutions.
A major cause of this situation could be the growing influence of technology in children’s lives. Unlike children of previous decades, for whom playgrounds were their primary source of entertainment, modern children have at their disposal highly addictive technologies such as the smartphone which occupy most of their non-school time. Naturally, such a sedentary lifestyle predisposes them to weight issues. This could also be attributed to easier access to junk food. In contrast to a few years back, there are fast food outlets on every street corner even in suburban areas. This combined with the increased amount of junk food advertisement targeting children means that children are more likely to be attracted to such food, hence the obesity.
However, there are a variety of possible solutions available to address this problem. The most likely way to combat this issue is by encouraging children to be physically active. This may require them to fix and keep in check the amount of time their offspring spend on technological devices. Doing so would rekindle children’s interest in visiting playgrounds. Second remedy would be for the government to take steps to curb fast food consumption. This can be achieved by implementing additional taxes on fast food and subsidies on healthy food. As the cost of food is an important consideration for consumers, this step is likely to tilt them towards healthier food options.
In conclusion, addiction to technology and junk food are both to blame for the increasing obesity among children. Not until the parents and governments intervene will the issue be resolved.
