| Nearly 15% of all children in the USA are officially | | | | Schools must also take action as nearly half of the |
| Obese. That is also true for teenagers and that | | | | children in school eat school meals. They must be |
| percentage is getting higher each year. The last three | | | | given healthy great tasting food instead of what fits |
| decades has seen a huge increase in these figures. | | | | the budget for financial reasons. Too many schools |
| What makes it all the more frightening, is that it is | | | | are driven by financial costs instead of realizing that if |
| not getting better. | | | | they fed their children healthy food, it would in fact |
| Over 25 Million children in the USA are overweight or | | | | save them money in the long run. |
| in danger of being so. Childhood obesity is rising and it | | | | It is important to understand the cost to the |
| is now the biggest pediatric problem in the USA with | | | | American tax payer is estimated to be between $150 |
| up to 30% of adolescent children suffering from it. | | | | to $200 Billion dollars a year with time lost at work, |
| So who is to blame for this crisis? Well, to be honest, | | | | hospital costs, medications etc. The fatter people get |
| the parents are most at fault but alongside that we | | | | the more it costs the country in lost production and |
| need support centers and programs put in place to | | | | ultimately the lifestyle of the people and the |
| help. Children who have obese parents are 75% more | | | | economy itself. |
| likely to become obese themselves, which means we | | | | Chronic diseases are associated with obesity like high |
| need to help the parents now to prevent this from | | | | blood pressure, cancer, diabetes etc. The cost of |
| getting out of hand. Helping people eat more healthily | | | | treating these disease puts more and more pressure |
| and control their weight is important in helping to | | | | on the health system and the overall cost to the |
| reduce the childhood obesity problem. | | | | nation is huge! |
| It is not just in the USA of course. This is becoming | | | | Childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic and soon |
| a worldwide problem with Australia having one of the | | | | it will be out of control completely. We need to not |
| highest childhood obesity problems. It is a national | | | | just educate these people but the whole nation as a |
| issue and not just restricted to rural and suburban | | | | whole. Action needs to be taken now before it really |
| areas. | | | | is too late. |