Childhood Obesity - Paper

Research Paper on Childhood Obesity
Pamela Rhodes
ENG 122
Instructor:   Karen McFarland
November 14, 2011









Research Paper on Childhood Obesity

          There is an epidemic of Childhood Obesity in the United States today as the disease is increasing at an alarming rate.   This trend of overweight and obese children is growing in number because of a lack of exercise, improper diet and changes in lifestyle.   In this paper, I will talk about the causes, the effects, and what can be done to help prevent Childhood Obesity.   I strongly believe a school environment with “healthier cafeteria choices, longer and more intense periods of physical activity and robust in-school education programs” (UC Irvine Release, 2010) will ultimately help reduce obesity in children.   Through education, children can learn, along with their parents to make healthier choices in life.
          I chose to talk about this subject because I have worked with children the last 8 years on a daily basis.   I want to teach physical education, with an emphasis on nutrition when I complete my degree.   Schools are an excellent forum to help educate students, as well as parents, on ways to balance exercise and good nutrition toward living a healthier lifestyle.
            I intend to limit my chosen topic by only selecting certain aspects of Childhood Obesity to talk about.   For example, I am going to argue about the positive impact that schools can have on preventing Childhood Obesity.   I have done some of my preliminary research about the different aspects of a school’s role in the prevention of this disease.   Some of the particular aspects I will be talking about will be the education of younger people about healthy nutrition and making those choices available at schools.   I will also talk about the need to implement exercise programs that are fine-tuned for the needs of today’s children.   I do believe change within schools can cause positive impacts on the fight against...