Childhood Obesity: A Growing Issue in America

This September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and it serves as a great opportunity for elected officials, physicians, educators, parents, or anyone else to come together and help raise awareness for an issue that our country currently faces. This year, the President of the United States has made it clear that we need to take a stand in order to combat the rising rate of childhood obesity. As of September 2012, there are now a number of new resources available to everyone in order to help them raise obesity awareness in their own communities. Enough is enough; we can no longer sit on the side lines while the youth of this nation are facing an ever increasing problem. It is time to get involved!

According to the latest reports, there are now more than 23 million American children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. At this level, health officials and medical experts officially consider childhood obesity to be an epidemic. In the past two decades, the obesity rates have been going up for all ages all over the country, however obesity amongst children has become a particularly grave situation. Many health officials are very worried for the future health of the nation if we are to continue at this rate. Since the year 1980, the rate of obesity amongst America’s youth has tripled.

At this current level, childhood obesity has nearly one third of America’s kids at an early risk of developing some serious medical conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. If you are not shocked by this news, then you should know that not only are these conditions mostly associated with full grown adults, but also heart disease is now the most common killer in the United States (kills more people per year than cancer).

Now there is no point in pointing fingers of blame in anyone’s direction, because it is a problem that rests on all of us. This also means that we all must be a part of the solution, which will in no way be simple given the current level of childhood obesity. However, we do know a good place to start, and that is by helping to raise further awareness for the risks involved with obesity. Unfortunately, even though we live in an informational age where the internet has been able to provide us with more than we ever thought possible, there are still many people who are ignorant of the risks that their daily habits put them at. Fortunately, with collaborative effort childhood obesity awareness advocates, partner organizations, and our communities can help to remedy this situation. This is the first step in helping our society develop some healthier lifestyle habits which can last us a lifetime.

If the youth of this nation start to adapt even slightly healthier lifestyles, you will be surprised by how much of a difference it could make. This problem is that many of the kids today can get everything they need without leaving the couch. National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month 2012 marks a serious push for schools and parents all over the country to talk to their kids about improving their lifestyle habits. Getting the necessary physical exercise and eating healthier can be a tough change to make as a child. However, obesity clinical studies have shown that parents and educators can have a serious influence on children who are struggling with obesity. There are now some new programs which should be helping the word get out there this month, while also making it that much easier for anyone to prevent and address childhood obesity. This is the primary reason for National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, as it gives us a chance to work individually and together in order to help combat this growing issue.