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Childhood Obesity In America

Controlling Childhood Obesity in America
By
Jessica Spencer
English 102
Dr. Grimes
1 May 2006
Outline
Thesis statement: Childhood obesity in American can be controlled if a healthy lifestyle
of exercise and healthy eating can be incorporated into each child’s day.
I. Childhood obesity in America
A. Growing epidemic
1. Statistics
2. Problems
3. Define epidemic
B. Advertisements
1. Fast food
2. Sesame Street
3. Groups
II. Safety issues
A. Safety seats
1. Statistics
2. Price
B. Junk food/fast food
1. Trans fat
2. Portion sizes
III. Health
A. Body mass index (BMI)
1. Accurate/not
2. School system
Spencer i
3. Psychological effects
a) Depression
b) Stress
c) Low self esteem
4. Physical effects
a) Diabetes
b) High blood pressure
c) Asthma, etc
IV. Activities
A. Sedentary lifestyles
1. Exercise
2. Television
3. Computers
4. Video Games
B. Environment
V. Genetics
A. Leptin
B. Cortizol
C. Hyperthyroidism
VI. Argument - not genetic linked
A. Dr. Aylesworth
B. Specific gene
VII. Controlling
Spencer ii
A. Exercise
B. Lifestyle change
C. Food
D. Who?
1. Parents
2. Churches
3. Schools
4. Communities
5. Government
Spencer iii
Controlling Childhood Obesity in America
America is now filled with children who are overweight or medically obese.
According to the American Obesity Association, obesity is close to passing smoking as
the number one cause of preventable death (par. 2). Nine million American children
over the age of six (including teenagers) are overweight or obese (par. 4). According to
Demian McLean, obesity in children has doubled in the United States for children ages 2
to 5, and has tripled in children ages 6 to 11 in the past 30 years (par. 6). A child with a
BMI over 85 percent is considered overweight and someone with a BMI over 95 percent
is at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other weight-related diseases (Weiss, par. 6).
“Obesity is clinically diagnosed as greater than 90th percentile...