Childhood Obesity Report

By: Eric Hartwell

In order to put the nationwide epidemic of childhood obesity in to decline, it is important that our country launch a strong attack on lessening the amount of junk food that is consumed by children, as well as encouraging more exercise. In a recent report, it was assessed that obesity has to be combated on every level of society, and include everyone from school officials, parents, food companies, and every branch of government.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has asked for fundamental changes to take place in our society. Among its recommendations, the Center asked to instill a national program in which American children would practice at least thirty minutes of rigorous physical activity a day. They asked schools to develop nutritional standards for the food and beverages they vend. The establishment of an anti-obesity task force was recommended. Food labels should provide consumers with more detailed information as to nutritional content and value. And finally, the marketing of junk food to children should be significantly curbed.

Other vital information conveyed in the report was the necessity for routine measurements of children’s BMI (body mass index) by physicians. The need for better nutritional information to be provided by the food industry was also accentuated. The government, it was argued, needs to take steps to make exercise a bit easier for every one to engage in – both children and adults.

Parents can also make a positive impact on their children’s lives by discouraging television watching and video game playing as extracurricular activities. They should also encourage their children to make healthier choices when it comes to the types of food they eat.

But parents alone will not reverse the disturbing trends in America today. Nor can schools, even. What is needed is for great changes to take place on the state and national levels.

The facts speak for themselves. As of today, over nine million children between the ages of six and nineteen are certifiably overweight. This is not just an unpleasant facet of our society – it signals a nationwide health problem. After all, overweight and obese children are a lot more likely to develop life affecting illnesses and diseases.

While the committee who wrote this shocking report does not have the power to actually implement its recommendations, steps have already been taken by influential public policy makers. For example, Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts has already introduced a bill that will carry out the recommendations, in some cases going beyond the report’s recommendations. One aspect of Senator Kennedy’s bill, for example, proposes to ban soft drink and snack food vending machines from all schools that receive public funding.

One aspect of the committee’s bill, however, has met with some resistance. That is the monitoring of marketing and advertising of junk food, which is said to be outside the authority of the agency.

Yet the food industry is being urged to act in a more responsible fashion in regards to the nationwide crisis. But it is not just the food industry who must take responsibility – we must all account for the crisis of obesity, whether it effects us directly or not.

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