Why I Think Childhood Obesity Is A Problem

I was at McDonald's the other day ordering unsweetened iced tea when I overheard a grandmother talking to her grandson. She was asking him what he wanted to order and when she asked what drink he wanted, he said "Soda"! She replied that she don't normally like him to have soda but it's the holiday season so why not?

This was actually refreshing to hear. After witnessing so many kids refilling their sodas at the self serve soda machine, it's nice to know that some people understand that soda shouldn't be an everyday thing (ideally, you should always avoid it).

Too many kids eat fast food every day and I do think it affects their weight. I ate fast food when I was a kid, but my parents only took me to McDonald's like once a week. It was a treat, instead of something that was everyday. The portion sizes were also smaller. I remember wanting to get a large soda and always being told no. As the portions grew larger, so did I after college.

Other big contributors to obesity include processed foods. The Spongebob Squarepants boxes of macaroni & cheese are too hard for kids to resist. I do see parents buy these things and I hope they are balancing the food with healthier options like vegetables. I wonder how many people are aware of the cancer causing Yellow #5 that is found in many boxes of macaroni & cheese. I fear that many parents do not realize the harmful ingredients in processed foods.

I hope the obesity rate will eventually go down as more information is available. I do think that eating balanced meals at home would improve the situation. The more processed foods that are eaten and the lesser amount of vegetables being served, the more likely that the epidemic will continue.