Fast Food and Obese Kids
Is it not obvious that the children of today are getting bigger and bigger? I blame it on fast food. Some may use the convenience of it as an excuse, but its simple laziness on the parents. A child may be asked, “What do you want for dinner?” and they may simply reply, “Chicken Nuggets or Cheeseburger!” This same child may very well be asked would they rather have vegetables, fruit, or McDonald's and Burger King and the answer would not be the "politically healthy" choice. This is becoming a big issue because fast food is making our children obese and unhealthy and no one is trying to do anything about it. A child can only eat what is allowed to them and it's as simple as that. Some kids have gotten so comfortable with their poor eating that they throw tantrums and fits because they cannot have their chicken nuggets, barbeque sauce, and little toy. This is just to show how dangerous it as become to our kids, not only to health, but behavior as well. Jeanie Learche Davis shows in her article Fast Food Creates Fat Kids that a study provides evidence that on average, one-third of the nation’s children eat fast food, but not only are they eating unhealthy food, they eat more of everything else, too. Kids between the ages of 4 and 8 eat 6% more food than children who do not eat fast food and kids between the ages of 10 and 14 eat 17% more food. I believe that the fatness of these kids is the parents’ fault. They have become so lazy in their parenting that instead of cooking their child a healthy meal, at these young ages, they would rather take them to McDonald’s or Burger King and provide them with an unhealthy Kid’s Meal. Not only have these fast food restaurants sucked our poor children and parents in with toys and other gadgets, but they have upped their menus to Mighty Kids and Big Kids Meals which give them an even bigger dose of clogged arteries, high cholesterol and weight gain. A doctor, Kelly D. Brownwell, PhD, also stated in an editorial that "the food industry claims that their products are not the primary cause of obesity..." and that "the nation's children deserve protection from damaging forces." We have become captive to the enslavement of these fast food restaurants and its making our kids fat. At this point we need to just learn to tell the kids “No you cannot have this or that, I’m cooking and you are going to eat it.” Period. Until they become adults, and are able to make their own decisions, parents should provide their child with a fair share of healthy food, exercise, and a limited amount of snacks.
I think this blog was very true. The kids (and adults) of America are getting bigger and bigger, and their parents are a big part of this. If they provided their children with a healthy way of living, I'm sure that many more children would turn out as healthy people. Also the article used was a good way to back up the claim.
ReplyDeleteI think this blog is so true. Kids today are getting extremly big. It's all the parents fault to,they rely on these fast food places to save them from cooking a meal that could put their children in the risk of getting diabetes, high cholesteral, high blood pressure etc. If parents would take that extra hour or thirty mintues to whip up something healthy for the family. Parents can find all diffrent types of meals to whip up by going to(http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/quick_healthy_dinner_recipes)this is a great website with meals that the kids will love as well as their body. It will give them longivity, they will be able to run and play with their friends, and do things normal kids do.
ReplyDeleteI believe that childhood obesity is the parent's fault. However, I do not agree that "no one is doing anything about it." Most fast food places, such as Burger King and McDonald's, now offer healthy choices for kid's meals. They offer fruit and milk instead of French fries and Coca Cola. Not that the French fries and Coke are not still available to the children, but these fast food companies actually promote the nutritious options over their previous options. For children, having a choice for what they want for lunch is empowering. The occasional cheeseburger is not going to cause a child to be obese. As long as the parent monitors the moderation of unhealthy food consumption and they encourage exercise, children of American should be able to live healthy and happy lives.
ReplyDeleteI would't blame the fast food industy for the obesity of kids. I would place the blame on parents and their love of convenience. The fast food establishments are now offering healthy alternatives to kids, but the parents won't enforce healthy habits or controlled diets. Fast food is not to blame, lazy parents are. You also state that parents should say, “No you cannot have this or that, I’m cooking and you are going to eat it.” This clean your plate mentality your advocating is also partly reason for the high obsesity rates among kids. If a child is not hungry they shouldn't be forced to eat. Provide healthy food for long enough and they will choose to eat. Fast food is a buisness and they will continue to thrive. Parents need to set better examples for their kids and take advantage of the alternative that resterauntes are now providing.
ReplyDeleteI think the big idea here is: Who is responsible for kids' obesity? The blame should not be put on the fast food chains because technically, they are doing their job. They are fulfilling the client's orders as they place them and making sure what their consumer demands is what they supply. They are simply doing business. As consumers, they should be disciplined enough to know what is a good choice in a meal or considered as you mentioned a "dose of clogged arteries, high cholesterol and weight gain." You mentioned that no one is doing anything about it. That is incorrect! Our First Lady, Michelle Obama, has an organization called Let's Move, which is a nationwide initiative to end childhood obesity in this generation and future ones. So I'm not sure where you might have researched, but there are organizations out there trying to reverse this obesity epidemic. I disagree with your statement that parents are lazy if they do not cook their children a meal. Parents are busy! I am not saying they are too busy to be concerned with the health of their children, but some parents have many tasks to do once they are off of work and with their kids. For convenience, they offer their children a quick meal that is pretty cost-efficient and satisfying. Not all parents do this on a daily basis. Children always throw tantrums for things that they cannot acquire, not just food. Besides, what makes you think that all fast food meals are unhealthy? Nearly all fast-food chains have a meal containing a salad. Even though this is fast food, is it still considered unhealthy? In recent months, nearly all popular fast food chains have improved their menu by adding more healthy options included. Take McDonald's for example, they have added apples and even milk as an alternative option for meals. After completing some research, I came across information that they even have a meal called the "Go Active," which is a meal that has been designed to promote the importance of food/energy balance. So are all fast food meals considered unhealthy? No. However, I fully comply that it is up to the parent's responsibility to make sure their child[ren] are having great choices for food and encouraging them to get active instead of sitting in front of the television or gaming system drinking pop.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.letsmove.gov/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/09/08/remarks-first-lady-lets-move-launch-event-with-nfl-new-orleans-louisiana
http://weightloss.about.com/cs/eatsmart/a/aa041804a.htm
Your article is very engaging; it caught my attention because I have always had my opinions about obese children. However, I do not agree that fast food restaurants are the blame for obese children at all; I would place the blame exclusively on a child's parent. Using fast food restaurants as an excuse so that parents will not feel as guilty about their child's obesity is not good. Many fast food places, such as McDonald's, offer healthier choices for a kid's meal, for instance apple dippers, milk, apple juice, etc. it is the parents decision whether or not to make their child consume these healthy food items. And as usual many parents completely ignore the fact and give their child the fattening French fries and a soda, which also cause tooth decay. So are fast food restaurants really the blame for our obese children?
ReplyDeleteI agree with this blog. You can't blame the fastfood places for the fast growing children obesity rate. I blame the parents. I agree that the parents would rather take their kids to a fastfood place than cook a dinner. True a fast food place is easier no mess but this is killing America's children. Going to these places is feeding into their disease.Parents have to get off their butts and cook an decent meal.
ReplyDeleteThe children in our nation are getting bigger because of the parent's decisions of feeding them. A child's eating habits are created when they are fed foods that their parents allow them to eat. I agree with the blog, but blame it all on the parent's motives of raising the child. Many parents in America get lazy and don't cook and buy fast food for an alternative. Another reason kids might get fat is that the parents let them have their way when they whine or throw tantrums because they get picky on what to eat. Parents need to get in control of their children's habits.
ReplyDeletehttp://children.webmd.com/guide/kids-healthy-eating-habits
Parents have gotten lazy, and they may think that it is ok to eat out every meal, but it is damaging to their kids health, and to their family. Meals prepared at home should be healthy and include a serving of vegetable and meat. The convenience of fast foods would intrigue most "meal preparers" to let their kids start with one fast food meal a week, to eventually eat it for nearly every meal. In my opinion, you never know what the makers put in fast food burgers or chicken. The cause of obesity in young children is directed towards eating fast foods too often. It's not just because of the consumption of these high calorie meals, but that children get used to the convenience. This will eventually be the cause of children sitting on the couch all day, waiting for their next meal, and never exercising http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/articledetail.cfm?id=82). I've heard that a family that prepares their meal, and eats together, will be a happier family. To you believe that?
ReplyDelete*Do you believe that?
ReplyDelete