The Link Between Child Obesity And Fast Food
Christopher Wen

Defined Tag: Child Obesity And Fast Food.

While child obesity and fast food are not directly linked, studies in recent years have shown fast food be a strong cause of obesity in children. Currently, 15% of all American children have been declared obese and the number is increasing. Many fast-food companies target children directly in their ad campaigns, drawing children to their food products through the use of commercials, toys and built-in play areas.

It can be presumed that more children currently eat fast food than ever before, considering the all-time high of fast food restaurants and marketing campaigns in the U.S.A. Things like ‘kids meals’ which are targeted specifically at children feature high fat and salt content, though are smaller in proportion to the normal sized combo meals.

While fast food organizations can not be specifically blamed for the child obesity epidemic, studies show both children and adults who eat from popular fast food chains on a regular basis are more obese than people who don’t. Some people who suffer from being overweight have placed lawsuits in the past against fast food chains to blame for their obesity, but none have succeeded. This is because choosing fast food is an option, and while some ad campaigns target children specifically, it is up to the parents to decide what to feed their children. Combating child obesity requires a combination of both healthier eating choices and regular exercise. In our current technological society many children often choose stationary activities such as playing video games, surfing the web or watching TV before getting active exercise outdoors. This leads to unused energy that the body later stores as fat, causing obesity in both children and adults.

While child obesity and fast food have been linked together thanks to recent studies, fast food restaurants and marketing campaigns are truly only part of the blame. Responsible parenting and healthy eating choices are truly the only way to fight child obesity and reduce the risk of health issues like heart attack or stroke.

Christopher Wen is the webmaster for green Health Children where he provides articles, news, and information on children toys, health, and education.

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