More than one-third of all kids age nineteen or younger, are overweight, or obese. And the numbers are growing. Why?
Kids in the United States are unfit and overweight at alarming rates. The trend is quite shocking and continues to grow, despite education efforts. There are serious personal, financial, and social costs already being felt by our society.
The Center for Disease Control Reports show that the rate of overweight and obese kids has tripled over the past 30 years. The causes are many and make for a complex mix of reasons. Inactivity, poor nutrition, bad food choices, socioeconomic factors, and large-scale lifestyle changes in our country. Ignorance, lack of awareness, and just plain disregard, are among other factors adding to the problem.
Many kids have high blood pressure, diabetes, fat clogged arteries, and other maladies at very early ages. These and other health related problems are becoming common. Signs of poor health are skyrocketing amongst kids who are unfit and carrying excess body weight. Health issues that were typically not seen until middle age or older. It is not uncommon to see Kids whose health and quality of life is compromised before they become teenagers, and many times even at early grade school ages.
There are also societal costs. Unhealthy kids require more public, private, and personal resources. Medications and health care costs can place a real burden on family finances.There are more missed school days, more medical costs, and more public funds expended in their behalf. Excess weight can condemn kids to shortened, diseased lives. Opportunities, in some cases, may also be limited--both employment and social.
The International Diabetes Federation predicts that one in ten adults will have diabetes by 2030. Given our seeming apathy about childhood "unhealthy weight" and our casual attitude about addressing the issue, many experts in the field see this as very likely, while other health authorities feel that the ten per cent estimate is low.
If we continue to ignore the problem, it will only get worse. If we wait any longer it will not only continue to get worse, the costs will grow higher, and we will see additional burden placed on our health care system. Taking immediate action is long past due.
Where do we begin? Prevention is the first step. Public education and awareness is next. Changes in our schools is another obvious place to start. Awareness of the magnitude of the problem, and what can be done in terms of prevention, and curing the problem is essential. Getting both adults and kids to understand the seriousness of the issue, and the associated health risks for our kids and our nation is critical.
We must keep kids active. We must make certain that schools are providing good nutritional meals, and opportunities for daily exercise if we are to make real change, real progress.
No comments:
Post a Comment