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Kodong Ajak
Mrs. Egan
Language Arts 8
2 May 2014
Childhood Obesity
Did you know that childhood obesity is considered an epidemic now? From 1980 to recent
years the percentage of childhood obesity has tripled because children are eating more and at
the same time eating unhealthy food. In my research paper, I will be focusing on children
who are eating more, unhealthy food, effects of childhood obesity, and the cost of childhood
obesity, and how these children can reclaim your body. The reasons for the childhood
obesity epidemics are complicated. Currie-McGhee says: We eat more than earlier
generations. To understand why this is happening we must look at the environmental
factors. Children these days are eating more often snacking between meals is more
common than it was in the past (Currie-McGhee, 9). Nowadays we have working moms
and children spend a lot of their time outside of their home. We are so busy with work and
school activities that it is easier you to grab a snack than to sit down and enjoy a healthy
meal (Hicks, 31) Furthermore, Kessler states that Chewing slowly and taking your time to
eat gives you the sensation of you being full. When you eat quickly and you do not take your
time you will eat more (Kesseler, 25). Boe defines calories as a unit of heat your body
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needs for activity (Boe,320). Two slices of pizza twenty years ago was 500 calories. Today
the average pizza slice is 850 calories that is a 350 calorie increase. A cup of coffee twenty
years ago was 45 calories. Today a cup of coffee is 330 calories. That is a 275 calorie
increase (Kessler,). In Kesslers book Your Food is Fooling You, scientists studied groups.
One group was gaining weight and the other was not. Over the last several months, scientists
recorded every bite the two groups ate. They took photographs of their food. The results
were very clear the group that was gaining weight ate 400 calories more everyday (Kessler,
16). In 2011 at the University of North Carolina researchers found that the percentage of
calories children consume away from home such as school and restaurants, the food has
increased from 23.4% to 33.9% from 1977-2006 (Currie-McGhee,16). There are also a
study conducted that related a direct link between skipping meals and obesity. Some people
think that skipping meals will help them lose weight because they think they will eat fewer
calories. Most people who skip meals will get so hungry in between and eat more calories at
their next meal (Currie-McGhee,64). Study shows that people who eat healthy meals will
consume less calories throughout the day and find it easier to maintain a healthy weight
(Currie-McGhee,64). Another Proof of why children are obese is because they are eating
more. For example, The average burger size was 3.9 ounce. A burger sandwich today is 12
ounces. French fries were 2.4 ounces. French fries today are 6.7 ounces. All cups wee 7
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ounces. Now all soda cup size is 42 ounces.
Another cause of childhood obesity is unhealthy food. Consuming unhealthy food is not
good for your body. One of these unhealthy foods are saturated fats. If you open a can of
meat and you may see fat at the top you are looking at saturated fat. . Saturated fats are in ice
cream, fat cheese, whole-fat milk, and butter (www.cdc.gov). Another unhealthy food is corn
syrup. Corn syrup is a thick sweet liquid made from corn starch. Food processing companies use it
to sweeten baked goods, candies, and again ice cream. Corn syrup also holds moisture in so that
baked goods will not be stale (Encyvlopedia,28). Man-made ingredients are also in our food. A
man- made ingredient is BHA stand for butyrate hydroxylainosole. BHA is used to prevent
rancidity in food that contains oil. Unfortunately BHA has caused cancer in rats, mice, and
hamsters. The reason the FDA has not ban this product is because these animals have a fore
stomach and we do not. A fore-stomach is the first division of the stomach of a ruminant animal in
which most food is collected immediately after eating. Carmel coloring is sugar with ammonia. It
can produce carcinogens. Carcinogens are any substances that can produce cancer. There were
15,000 cancers with product (www.cdc.gov) .
Children who are eating more and eating unhealthy will experience many problems with their
body. Some of these problems I will be covering are high blood pressure, Asthma, and sleep
apnea. High blood pressure which is a serious condition can lead to many heart problems
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(www.nhlbinih.gov) Nhlbinih.gov states that Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against
the walls of the arteries If the pressure goes up or down it can damage your body.
Childhood obesity is linked to Asthma. Asthma is a choric (long-term) lung disease that narrows
the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, and
shortness of breath (www.nhlbinih.gov). Sleep apnea is also linked to childhood obesity. Sleep
apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses of breath while you sleep,
Breathing pauses can last for a few seconds to minuets. They may occur 30 times or more in an
hour.
Obesity is not only in terms of physical health. McGee explains It can take a toll on
individuals and families. There are a number of medical costs associated with child obesity. The
annual cost for prescription drugs, emergency room treatments, and outpatient treatments total
more than 14 billion dollars in the U.S. With an additional 238 million dollars in inpatient costs. A
2006 study by Thomas Corporation and Med fast found that a child treated with obesity and other
conditions are 3 times more expensive than health care systems on a healthy child. (Currie-
McGhee,60). The same study found that obese children are two to three times more likely to be
hospitalized than those who maintain a healthy weight. They are also likely to be diagnosed with
mental health, joint, and bone disorders. Furthermore since obese children have a high risk of being
obese as adults these costs are more likely to last a lifetime. (Currie-McGee,60)
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Reclaiming your body might take some time. Childhood obesity can be overcome by hard
work and commitment (Currie-McGhee,61). There is no easier way to overcome childhood
obesity than to exercise. Exercising for 60 minutes a day can change a lifestyle. Another vital
component to improving the health of overweight and obese children is getting the whole family
involved in the process. McGhee says, Your child will not succeed at losing weight if he is
munching On carrot sticks while everyone is slurping on milkshakes (Currie-McGhee,62).
We should change slowly so that everyone can get use to the healthy lifestyle. A 2010
Australian study had parent so f overweight children take a 6 month long change in their
lifestyle. The parents reduced portion sizes, were reading nutrition labels, being great role
models, and setting limits. When I say setting limits I mean eating out once a month or
something sweet once every week. Eating a reasonable size of fruits and veggies can make a
difference on a child trying to lose weight (Currie-McGee,63). Currie- McGhee explains that:
Many times parents of obese children think they are doing something good for their child when all
they are doing is giving them diet soda or fat free snacks when they are trying to lose weight.
The problem with these unhealthy choices is that that have little or no nutritional value and contain
artificial sweeteners that can actually increase appetite (Currie-McGhee,63).
I have learned so much from this paper. I learned that childhood obesity can be overcome by
hard work and commitment. People just cannot say I am going to lose weight and not exercise eat
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healthy food they have to get up and do those things, I learned new information everyday about
your body and the food we eat. I am so glad I did my paper on childhood obesity. Now I know a
little bit more about childhood obesity.

















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Work Cited
Currie-McGhee, Leanna. Childhood Obesity. Farmington Hills; Carnage Learning. 2012
Print.
Hicks, Terry Allan, Obesity. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation.2009.Print.
Kessler, David. The End of Overeating. New York City: Rodale Incorporatin.2009. Print.
Kessler, David. Your Food is Fooling You. New York City: Roaring Books Press. 2013.
Print.
Moss, Michael. Salt, Fat, Sugar. New York: Random House Publication.2013.Print.