According to The Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC), obesity in children continues to rise. In 1980 there were only  7 percent of children ages six to eleven that were obese and only 5 percent of kids ages twelve to nineteen. But by 2010, these percentages increased to 18% percent and have stayed there.  Also, one in every three kids in America is overweight according to kidshealth.com. But why is this?  Why are more and more kids overweight or obese?

According to WebMD, while some obesity in children can be caused by genetic factors, which the child can’t really help, the leading reasons for obesity at a young age are lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating.

Many parents worry about the amount of physical activity their child is getting. On average, a child should be getting sixty minutes or more of physical activity per day. But some children fail to reach this. According to livestrong.com, if a child is not getting enough exercise, he or she could become overweight. They could also develop Type II Diabetes, have a higher blood pressure, or higher blood cholesterol. Also if children do not get sufficient exercise or physical activity, their muscles tend to be weaker.

Many physical education teachers agree that exercise is important and that kids should at least be getting at least sixty minutes of it. Mrs. Trump, who was a physical education teacher at Mayfield for thirty-four years before retiring in 2014, also coached girls’ track and cross country and advised the unicycle club. She thinks that kids should be getting exercise or any type of physical activity because it is good for the brain and strengthens the blood flow, the heart, and the muscles. She also added on that physical activity as a kid encourages a healthy lifestyle later as adult.

Mrs. Krupar, who also teaches physical education, agrees that physical activity at young age means better health in the long run.  And Mr. Haba thinks developing a habit of working out at a young age creates a healthy lifestyle for the rest of one’s life.

According to livestrong.com, in 2008, The Journal of the American Medical Association did a study that showed the percentage of physical activity for those ages nine to fifteen throughout the year. Kids that were nine years old had the most physical activity with three hours on the weekends and weekdays. But fifteen year olds only got around 49 minutes on the weekdays and 35 minutes on the weekends. According to this study, physical activity lessens as kids age. But since this study, both age groups have gone down in the time they spend doing any physical activity.  Mr. Haba thinks that kids are getting less exercise and physical activity because of the increase in technology. He said their minds are getting attracted to their cell phones, video games, and television, while going outside to play becomes less common.

Exercising isn’t the only problem, though; eating junk food can have negative effects on the body and can lead to poor habits and lifestyle. According to healthyeating.com, not having a well-balanced diet is the main reason for obesity in children. But having a terrible diet can also lead to nutritional deficits. According to helpguide.org, eating unhealthily can lead to an increase of mental health issues, worsen the symptoms of ADHD, and negatively impact one’s mood or self-esteem.

Mr. Haba said that exercising but eating unhealthy  is like having a nice car and only cleaning the glass.  While keeping up the outside may make it look nice, for the car to run well and to last, you have to take care of the inside too–change the oil, keep the fluids filled, etc.

To combat the rising levels of obesity in the country, kids and parents have to work together to make healthy choices.  Kids can join a sport at school, go to the gym, enjoy a walk or run, or simply take on hobbies that involve moving around such as skiing, skateboarding, or dancing. As Mrs. Trump said, exercise and physical activity can be structured and done by yourself or it can just be a fun activity with a couple of your friends. Parents can support kids’ nutrition by stocking the house with healthy snacks, limiting trips to fast food (which has been proven addictive), and providing well-balanced meals that fuel the body.

With one in six kids classified as obese, something needs to change.