Obesity – Junk Foods Among Kids

Obesity – Junk Foods Among Kids
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Obesity – Junk Foods Among Kids
Childhood obesity has become a global epidemic due to the constantly increasing prevalence of these cases. Findings by Driessen et al. (2022) estimate approximately 124 million children worldwide as obese and state that if this issue continues to remain undermined, the population could rise to 254 million by 2030. I feel that such high numbers are accurate, considering that I frequently meet chubby children everywhere. Even in my neighborhood, a significant proportion of the kids are visibly overweight, confirming the statistics by Driessen et al. (2022). Arguments from the All Documentary (2022) reveal the complex health challenges that emerge from this issue, including dental complications and cardiovascular diseases. One of the emerging trends is that an unhealthy diet, especially the intake of junk foods, directly leads to increased obesity among kids (Driessen et al., 2022). As a result, this essay will investigate the central factors leading to junk food consumption among this population, the consequences of obesity, and identify appropriate interventions to address the problem. Thus, the central argument is that parents influence poor eating practices exposing their children to surgeries and bullying associated with obesity, leading to the need for policies and pubic-level interventions to arrest the problem.
One cannot dissociate the parents from their role in their kids’ increasing consumption of junk foods. For example, finding parents taking their kids for lunch or weekend treats in the many fast-food joints within our community is commonplace today. The film reveals that this behavior is reprehensible since Dr. Campbell acknowledges that parents know the foods are unhealthy but purchase them for their children anyway (All Documentary, 2022). Obesity documentaries reveal that parents often fail to model healthy eating behaviors in their children by allowing them to consume ultra-processed food items, beverages, and sweets at an early age (All Documentary, 2022). Dr. Fiona Campbell illustrates the case of parents simply allowing their children to cook English foods like pizza in their homes despite their awareness of the associated risks. I am surprised by the lack of control that causes parents to focus more on pleasing their children instead of prioritizing their health while selecting their foods. Such an aspect demonstrates why they feel disempowered and undermined by the aggressive food marketing that makes specific junk food items preferential for kids (Driessen et al., 2022). I think that in such instances, the parents should lead by example and educate their children that the popularized junk foods and drinks are unhealthy and a leading cause of their weight gain and related health complications. Experts agree that parents consuming the same junk foods as their kids normalize this practice, explaining the poor food choices by the children (All Documentary, 2022). Such an approach would induce a desirable behavioral change.
Unfortunately, increased intake of unhealthy meals at home exposes children to dive...