The Impact of Obesity on Youth

Everyone who is an adult knows that the best and worst times in life can be during the teen years. As teenagers, individuals face extreme changes in their bodies, their minds, and in the expectations placed on them by their peers and society.

When obesity in youth is added during these years, the impact can be excellent. The first thing the obese youth will become alert is the way society perceive them. People who are overweight face much chauvinism from society. These prejudices include people believing that obese individuals are lazy, unmotivated people who lack self-control. Hence overweight people find it more difficult to get jobs.

However, overweight people have no more troubles with these issues than the general population. Obesity is caused by many factors. Obesity in youth may be caused by a lack of education, a lack of confidence or a poor home and family situation.

One of the causes of obesity in children often results from a sedentary lifestyle. Most people gain too much weight because they are taking in many more calories than they are burning. First, develop good eating habits early in life, and stick with them into adulthood. This means selecting fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products in place of high fat and low nutrition choices. It also means eating only when you are hungry, instead of snacking out of boredom or habit. Stress can also be an influencing factor for obesity. Some people tend to overeat because of tension. Stress comes because of family problems, financial problems, medical problems etc.

If young people are not informed about good diet habits and good exercise habits, they will probably have problems with weight control. As we have become a media and computer-oriented society, youth spend less amount of time doing physically energetic events.

It is vital that we teach these youngsters the advantageous of good diet habits and regular exercise. As youth become educated on healthy lifestyles, they will develop better self-confidence, which will facilitate them to maintain a normal body structure.

How poverty causes youth obesity

Due to lack of money, some people tend to eat some unnourished food. So they do not get any nutrients and vitamins from their food.

Young people used to learn how to eat, how to work, and how to live from their parents and families. With the decay of the family, children in today’s society have to learn on their own how to function and live.

Mothers used to cook meals for their families and parents used to be involved in all aspects of their children’s lives. Dads used to be available to coach sports for their sons and daughters, encouraging physical activity. You can take family walks or bike rides, or organize a neighborhood basketball game. Keep your kids active as much as possible, and another cause of childhood obesity will fall by the wayside. Reducing the amount of time that is spent in front of the television and computer, and encouraging outdoor play and participation in sports is one method to help kids keep their activity level up and their weight down. It is also vital that parents pay attention to what their kids are eating, and encourage healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. Changing poor habits during childhood is easier than changing these habits as adults. Obese children will need to spend some time to get back to their normal weight. If these eating habits are changed in childhood, it is easy to change.

Summary: Once a young person develops a weight problem, that person can find it increasingly hard to overcome the behaviors leading to it. This leads to the youth facing criticism and low self-esteem. Youth obesity easily becomes a lifelong problem that is, in turn, passed on to the next generation.

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CHILD OBESITY