Fighting Obesity: What We Need to Do to Keep Our Children Fit

From the results of a study released earlier this year scientists' concluded that by the year 2010 nearly half of the children that live in North and South America will be overweight. And, although we lead the world in chubby children the rest of this planet is not too far behind. Europe trails us by about 10 percent and Asia places a respectable third.

Is this little facet of knowledge alarming? Should it be? and, how concerned are we as a society about this global epidemic??

Yes, i did use the word epidemic because that's exactly what this is. Using the trusty site, www.dictionary.com, I found the definition of epidemic to be the rapid spread or increase in the occurence of something. In this case, it's a disease. Obesity is a disease with an endless list of health related areas that it has a negative impact on.

Do we really want to live in a world where more people are overweight than not? A world where people are unable to perform normal, daily functions because their obesity is stopping them? Do we want to witness a world first hand when for the first time in history the lifespan of the average human starts to decline simply because he or she can't say no that jumbo sized tub of greasy fries?

YOU CAN'T TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS

Most everyone is familiar with this saying. What this dog is trying to tell us is that change in our general lifestyle becomes more difficult the older we get. Human beings like to use the excuse of age and slowed metabolism and less free time to account for their packing of the pounds. But, if that's the case, then what excuse do the children have? What about the young children who are eating fatty foods and watching television or playing video games inside all day instead of going out and getting some fresh air? What excuse do they have?

YOU GUESSED IT, NONE