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JUNIOR HUMANITY PROJECT

Obesity in Teens

STEPHANIE NAVA

Mr. Harrison
AP Language and Composition, Period 8
27 April 2014

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Table of Contents

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Abstract

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Overview
History of Obesity
Being obese or living healthy, which life is a better way to live? When it comes down to
this decision most people from the past would have preferred to choose a life of obesity. The
reason for this is, because back then the inadequacy of food during the olden days had driven the
belief that being fat was valuable, and being obese were desirable characteristics as mirrored in
art, compositions, and beliefs of medical doctors of that time. Therefore no one knew what being
healthy was they werent at all aware of the freighting symptoms that come along with being
obese such as heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke. It was only
in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that people began to realize that being corpulent
increases ones chances of fatalities. Nowadays obesity is a widening pandemic of frightening
dimensions and one of the most problematic health issues in the United States. And now one of
the most promising people of our nation are being the most affected, our teenagers.
Teens and obesity
Today vast numbers of adolescents are living big. Obesity rates have tripled for adolescents.
Over the past two decades the bulk of teenagers aged 12 to 19 who are corpulent have expanded
to less than 5 percent to nearly 20 percent. Teenagers all around are maneuvering, consuming,
and living way different then to those before them. Back then being outside was the childhood
most people grew up with, however no teens are now living motionless lives, with more of their
time fixed on technology rather than at play or doing physically exhausting work. In the United
States, the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance found that only one-third of high school
students grades 912 attended physical education classes daily and 81.6% of adolescents were

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not active for at least the recommended minimum of 60 min per day on all 7 days before the
survey.
Teenage obesity is a really important subject, because of the likely psychological and physical
results that come with being obese (especially those correlating with peer pressure and taunting).
However it isnt just emotions that affect an obese teen, yet also the unhealthy lifestyle can also
follow towards severe health disorders such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. A sedentary
lifestyle and unhealthy food choice are the main reasons for problematic issues that occur from
being obese. Therefore this is a serious issue among our nation, and it gets worse and worse the
more we put it off.
What causes obesity?
Whenever you consume more calories than you can burn it results in a tendency for one to gain
weight. The way one eats, activeness, and a bunch of other things have a toll on how your body
uses these calories, therefore ultimately deciding ones weight. If any of your family members are
already obese, you might have gained the gene that makes one gain weight. And your family also
helps form youre eating and lifestyle habits, which can lead to obesity.
Also, our busy lives make it harder to plan and cook healthy meals. For many of us, it's easier to
reach for prepared foods, go out to eat, or go to the drive-through. However these types of foods
are very high in saturated fat and calories. Food portion are larger than normal. Work schedules,
long commutes, and other commitments also cut into the time we have for physical activity.
Primarily obesity begins when increasing the number of calories goes beyond the average
calories pertaining to that person. In other words when someone starts to eat a lot the fat gets
deposited into the body tissue which results in obesity. Fatty foods such as pizza, chips,

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chocolate, etc., are some of the main offenders. Teenagers show more of a likening to such
unhealthy food items and hence are getting more affected by the rising incidences of obesity. The
other common cause is the lack of physical activity. Today many American teens live very
different from those kids before them, their lives have become sedentary. To be certain that
the food you intake is properly digested doing some type of physical exercise is most of the time
essential. However with life being more sedentary it decreases the time needed to exercise.
Therefore, the inadequacy exercise is a major contributing factor.
Are Genetics really to blame?
Our Genetic makeup also plays a contributing factor towards obesity. However, no matter how
many things you

come up with to bounce off the blame of obesity, it all comes down to your own

decisions, such as your diet and physical activity choices. Every single second there will always
be some type of confrontation that will make it difficult to lose weight and you will certainly
have to work extremely hard against. Being in good condition and healthy is most certainly no
walk in the park. It never has been and it never will be. If this were accurate everyone on this
world would be walking around all muscular, and running many miles a week. Therefore
genetics dont ultimately make up the decision to let obesity overtake your life; its up to that
person to decide for themselves.
Note that American is one of the most obese countries in the world, especially in our youth. Take
a look yourself. Fast food establishments on every corner, technology has made life simple and
teens lazier, and food consumption has increased sense when our ancestors arrived here. Being
obese is no longer considered a sign of wealth, now it is considered a symbol of death.

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Solution and Call to Action

With the preceding information there can only be one solution. It all leads back to the parents!
Our patents need to face the fact that if they do it or if they allow it were going to think it is fine.
Parents must also watch what they buy. If there is always ice cream in the freezer or brownies in
the pantry of course we are going to eat those things. Instead of buying that mouthwatering
chocolate cake why not buy a bag of baby carrots to munch on.
Parents never mean to cause health problems for their children; the problem is that many parents
lack the knowledge and education to stop obesity. Also, it is common for parents to lack the
discipline to eat healthy so they do not push their children to do the same. A common mistake
parents make is telling their children to eat everything on their plate, and if they do, they can
have dessert. The problem besides possibly forcing a child to eat beyond his/her full point, is to
make dessert ( which is generally unhealthy) a reward. One is telling children to eat everything
on their plate. This habit stays with a child his or her whole life. Emptying their plate is not
always a good idea because it is causing kids to constantly stretch the size of their stomach.
Children should eat until they are full and feel like stopping.
Another mistake is telling kids they can have dessert if they behave well. Making dessert seem
like such a reward is a bad idea. It causes them think that this is what will make them feel good.
This habit may stay with them their whole life and they may turn to sweets for comfort as adults.
According to CDC, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in
adolescents in the past 30 years. Could this be because families dont have homemade meals as

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much as before? Many families have both parents that hold careers and simply dont have time to
cook.
When a parent raises a child to eat out more than a few times a week, they should expect the
child to begin having weight problems. The parent has trained the child to eat fast food meals
often instead of raising him or her with healthy home cooked meals.
Many fast food restaurants such keep increasing the size of their burgers; adding more food
items, sauces and number or size of meat patties. This kind of indulgence can be toxic to the
body if done too often.
The chances of a child eating healthy even if parents are too busy or lazy to take time to plan
nutritious meals are nearly impossible. Eating habits are passed on from the parents. Habits such
as these are not easy to end.
A parent should have the wisdom to know when to say no to a child. Children dont know better
and if it was up to them they would live off of ice cream.
Thats why the parents shouldnt feel guilty when denying their children junk food and pushing
them to eat smart.
Action plan:
Its typical that a parent will do the food shopping for the home so its imperative to make
healthy, wholesome selections when food shopping. Its also typical for the parent to be the one
to take the kids through the drive-thru window, buy them sugary snacks at the store, and super
size their meals. Its obvious, then, that the home environment is the first place to set the
foundation for proper nutrition.

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Generally, schools, recreational events, and social activities dont provide a great selection of
healthy foods as they tend to lean more towards the sugary snacks, but with some proper
planning, a child can have a very good day of eating healthy. Providing a child with easy-toaccess foods can make all the difference in the world.Having cut up vegetables, fruit, nuts,
and seeds available can fill in for great snacks while breakfast, lunch, and dinner can
supply them with the majority of their body and mind building nutrients.

Inherently, kids will want some junk food and theres nothing overtly wrong with a cheat here
and there, but kids (like adults) left up to their own devices will eat as much junk food as they
can, so limit the empty calories and feed the kids what they really need healthy, fresh,
wholesome foods.
Action 2
Todays youth is way too sedentary, with the technological era making it much too easy to just sit
around and be occupied. Try to encourage kids to put down their indoor electronics and go
for a walk, ride their bike, hit the playground, play recreational sports, and engage in all
types of physical activities - especially with other friends. Kids tend to play more often and
longer when they are with other kids so this is a great way to get them moving.

Some ways to assist with their activity can be as simple as having them do some calisthenics. Set
up a small (yet safe) obstacle course for the kids to race each other through. Supply them with a

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large tug-of-war rope. Teach them some of the old-time favorite games such as running
bases, capture the flag, tag, jump rope, etc. These games may appear silly at first glance but
are great ways for kids to work on many skill sets such as their running, agility, conditioning,
strength, competitive nature, and strategic thinking.
Enjoying physical activity can help your child develop strong self-confidence and a positive
body image. The problem is that many overweight kids hate team sports, like those played in
gym classes or offered by community teams, because they get teased or can't keep up with other
children.
To help prevent public humiliation from being the only feeling your child has about exercising,
help her find activities that will build her self-esteem. You might start by taking a walk together
each evening after dinner. "Start going for short walks and increase the distance over time," says
Kinlan. "If your child can only make it for a block the first time out, that's OK. Sticking with it
matters more than the distance you cover. Over time, your walks can get longer." Your child's
weight will benefit as well. If you aren't active, you may have to push yourself beyond your
comfort zone to help your child. So it's just as important for you to set realistic, attainable goals,
have fun, and build on success. Working together to find fun activities may help your family get
healthier, move past old feelings of shame about childhood obesity, and build stronger bonds in
general.
Foster self-esteem
for kids to lead happy, healthy lives, many pediatricians recommend helping them develop strong
self-esteem and a positive body image.

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You may think your child will gain self-esteem when she fits into smaller clothes, but actually it's
the other way around. Having a positive self-esteem is an essential building block to getting to a
healthier weight. As a parent, it's important to look for ways to help your child feel good about
herself and make it as much your focus as revamping your family's eating and exercise habits.
Children are more likely to make healthy changes when they feel good about themselves.
Help your children find things to do that make them feel valuable. It might be community
volunteer work, visiting the elderly neighbor down the street, helping Grandma clean her yard, or
pursuing a special interest such as art or music. Point out your children's strengths and help them
develop their own interests and abilities. Teach her not to dwell on failures and bad sides, but to
focus on her good qualities instead. Teach her to have faith in her abilities, but do not be too
emphatic or she might feel pressure. Set a harmonious balance between praise and criticism do
not overdo either. This sort of training will help prevent comfort eating in the future.
If preventing weight gain were easy, childhood obesity would not regularly be in the news. Some
days you may feel like the cards are stacked against you and your child. Between unrealistic
beauty standards, fattening foods everywhere you look, and trying to fit exercise into a busy
schedule, it's normal to have setbacks.
Keep setbacks, too, in perspective. You don't develop healthy habits overnight, and you don't
always practice them every day. That's just a part of life. You will have bad days. You will
sometimes gain weight. Your child will, too. But don't let one bad day or week cause you to give
up. Remember that it is your choice to model healthy habits for your family; keeping their good
health in mind can help get you through the bad days and focused on better ones. Keep things in
perspective, and take things one day at a time.

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Considerations
Of course the plan above will encounter a lot of set backs.

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Final Comments
Earlier, obesity was seen as a disease of high-income countries only. But now, the global trend
has been observed. There is an acute need to make the public aware about the morbid effects of
obesity. Outdoor sports and activities should be encouraged by both the school authorities and
parents to tackle rising cases of childhood obesity. And healthy eating habits and an active life
style should be adopted by the individuals of all age groups and gender, to prevent obesity. The
key is to never give up and to never give in. If you slip up on your nutrition or physical activity
dont sweat it, just start again the next day. It is not about making huge life changes. It is about
being as consistent as you can and being conscious about your decisions. And remember there is
no such thing as the quick way out, fad diets and gimmicks never get you anywhere, but hard
work and dedication always will.
Obesity is controllable and even preventable by taking simple steps that include improving
nutrition and increasing physical activity. Specifically, it is important to eat right. Avoid junk
food in favor of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This may be difficult because many foods
designed to appeal to us have little or no health benefits and are high in calories. Also, limit your
time watching TV, playing video games, IM-ing friends and even driving. Try to be more
physically active. Young children should engage in at least 30 minutes of rigorous physical
activity daily and at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity. If youre currently inactive,
gradually increase activity. Dont focus on weight but on healthy choices. If obesity is a disease
then weve got millions of people in this world just laying on their deathbeds waiting to take
their last breath. But obesity is not a disease; it may act like a disease at times in the way it
inhibits body function and can be fatal, but it can be cured and can have minimal lasting effects if
it is dealt with correctly. Other diseases can only be treated, and stick with you the rest of your

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life, but obesity can be a temporary problem that a willing individual can overtake

Obesity is an important issue for teens. Begin the war against this epidemic for a more
promising, healthy future. When faced with a climb up the stairs or a ride in the elevator, take the
stairs. And when craving something sweet dont reach for a doughnut, pick up an apple instead.
To change the course of this epidemic, America must change as a society, and the change begins
with us.
Obesity is one of the most important global health concerns. Being obese has it set backs that
can really ruin a persons life, as well as end it. However being young and obese is not something
to be proud of, it needs to end now, before its too late. It is time for the youth of America to
wake up, just stop and think. Let us all say no to obesity and yes to a long life of healthiness
What you really need to take from this paper is that if you want to have a long and quality life
then you have to work for it, and that the work to get there and stay there is worth it. It will
always be worth it and it can even actually be fun, but it will never be easy. The only thing you
can really blame obesity on is each and every individuals personal choices; choosing to take the
easy way versus the hard way.

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Work Cited

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