Domestic Issue Paper

Childhood obesity is a very serious but preventable disease that is becoming increasingly popular with our children in America. Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines obesity as a condition that is characterized by excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body. Studies have shown that 15% of the children in the U.S. are obese. Obesity can lead to serious health problems including diabetes, heart disease, asthma, as well as emotional and mental health problems. To reduce and eliminate childhood obesity we, as parents and school teachers, need to increase our children’s physical activities as well as teach them healthy eating habits.

The New York Times article, “A Federal Effort to Push Junk Food out of Schools”, is an article explaining how the Obama administration is trying to remove soda products as well as candy and other fatty foods from our schools. The result is hopefully going to help lower the number of students who gain weight while at school. First Lady Michelle Obama is one who is very adamant that this legislation passes so that the unhealthy food is removed from the vending machines and replaced with nutritious types of food. Although both Democrats and Republicans believe that this is a good idea it is a plan that is going to be very expensive. The Obama administration intends to spend one billion dollars more to the already eighteen billion dollars for nations schools’ meal plans. The article states that even this billion dollar increase may still not be enough to cover the extra costs for nutritious meals to be provided for our children. As for the companies who provide the sugary drinks and snacks many said they would not be in favor of a federal ban but would voluntarily take sugary drinks out of the vending machines and replace them with juice or water. Faculty members at the schools who sell candy and snacks to students in an effort to help pay for the needs of extracurricular activities were not too happy about the new legislation because of the fact that there is no other money that can help with these costs.

Childhood obesity is part of our socialization here in the United States. A study confirmed that nearly two out of three Americans are overweight or obese. With our society today always seeming to be in a rush, makes our lives very difficult to strive for healthy eating habits. In the past it was more commonly seen of families eating dinner together where as today family members barely see each other let alone have time to sit down all together to eat. We also have many temptations all around us that make it very difficult for us to choose the healthier type of food. Our society is also seen as being lazy and not living the active lifestyle that we need to stay healthy. It is no wonder why our children are obese since they are following in their parents’ footsteps.

I think that with our society’s eating habits cultural diffusion is lost in an attempt for immigrants to assimilate to the American culture. Japan is known for their healthy eating habits as well as their long lives. Their diet consists of lots of rice and fish. When a family from Japan moves to America I believe that their children may refuse their eating habits and change to an American one, which consists of fast food restaurants and lots of sweets, so that they can fit in with their peers. I also think that they would enjoy a hamburger, french fries and a coke rather than some fish and rice. Then as generations live on they are more assimilated to the unhealthy eating habits that so many Americans have, which then may lead to being overweight.
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