The Blame game, an interesting perspective - Essay Example

” provides another reflection on the key causes of child obesity which consist of factors beyond the fast food industry. Child obesity is caused by many elements that consist of nutrition, genetics, and society. Obesity, like other health- related behaviors is one of the chief causes for disability. It is associated with heart disease, heart stroke, high blood pressure, and even cancer. Undoubtedly, childhood obesity is in rise throughout the United States as approximately 9 million of children in the US are obese or overweight.

Children in this current generation have a shorter life expectancy due to high rates of obesity as opposed to children 2 decades ago. . Obesity much like other diseases is associated with important risk factors such as heart disease, heart stroke, and even cancer. Many elements contribute to obesity, which is why it is important to address these issues. This paper will seek to address the problem and seek the remedies that could be implemented in order to eliminate this problem. According to Siegal, , fast-food restaurant around schools is a huge public concern that can serve as detrimental for kids in Chicago as the availability and the price of greasy food is extremely low.

He further argues that obese children experience peer pressure for not having that perfect body shown on TV as the body to have both psychologically and emotionally. According to his perception, it is ironic how society wants people to have the perfect body but at the same time promotes unhealthy food to children. Consequently, children are faced with emotional distress because there are confused. He justifies his opinion by portraying his recent study shows that those obese children are more likely to have low self-esteem, depression, higher rates of anxiety disorders, and psychopathology Since they are often discriminated and isolated in society, obese children are prone to fail academically.

He further on goes to suggest that obese children scored lower and math and reading test because they lack self-esteem that is so vital towards their academic success. One of the key elements that lacked from Seigal’s argument is the fact that Siegal’s research lacked was the actual eating habits of the students. Since nutrition is not our schools system priority, children have unlimited access to unhealthy foods (Siegal).. In some schools physical education programs have been cut due to lack of funds to support while the contract to vendors with high calories and low quality foods are encouraged within the schools settings.

Many of the competitive foods now sold in school cafeterias, vending machines, school stores, and school fundraisers are typically high in calories and low in nutritional value (Siegal).. Indeed, Schools can be viewed as a factor for child obesity. . Since Siegal fails to observe the eating patterns of young children, Miranda Cox argues that other elements as well as fast food industries should also be accounted for. Undoubtedly, the rise of obesity can be blamed for lack of parent’s cooperation, poor nutrition from schools, and the availability of fast food (Siegal).. It would not be fair also to blame the food industry for the poor quality of food being supplied to the children.

The lack of regulation from the FDA in the food industry is also the key cause of obesity. Seigal is clear that he wants a clear distinction of buffer zones between fast food chains and schools. However, Miranda Cox ultimately states in her argument that even with