For one of my blog posts, I wanted to ask one of my friends what they know about childhood obesity so that I could improve my blog after hearing what people know and what they need to know. I asked Keegan Long specific questions that I have seen come up many times while I have been researching. Here is what she had to say,
How would you define childhood obesity? Overweight children because they do not have access to healthy foods and resources to learn about better living.
Is childhood obesity common in the U.S. and why? Yes, because there are so many fast food restaurants and access to unhealthy lifestyles that is easier to become overweight. Also, these places are less expensive and are very convenient for people to go to.
Does childhood obesity begin with the parent's choices? Yes, because if you grow up in a unhealthy lifestyle and your parents are never giving you the opportunity to eat healthy, then you never will. If your parents feed you healthy foods, then you will grow up choosing those foods before the unhealthy ones.
Do you think childhood obesity is more common among poor populations? Yes, because it is cheaper, easier, faster, and more convenient for the people who can't afford healthy foods. Also, healthy foods are more expensive than cookies for example, so people who are not as fortunate, have to resort to these options.
Should school cafeterias be held responsible for this issue and if yes, what could they do to change it? The kid always has a choice of what he/she should eat, so as long as the school is providing healthy options for the child, then the school should not be held responsible. If they are only providing unhealthy options, and the kids do not bring their lunches, then they are obviously going to eat what is there, rather than not eating at all. In that scenario, the cafeteria should be held responsible.
Lastly, do you know of organizations involved in helping this problem and would you be interesting in getting involved? Yes, I know about the NFL's organization that is called play 60. I know that their point is to encourage children to be active for at least 60 minutes every day. I would definitely be interested in getting involved because I know that I would not want my children or any children to have to go through the issues, physically or psychologically, that comes with being obese.
Do you think that blog posts that I have posted would help her gain more knowledge about childhood obesity? Do you have any suggestions for improvement?
Bibliography
Obesity, Teen. Teen Obesity. 29 February
2012. 7 March 2012
<http://www.teenobesity.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Defining_Teen_Obesity1.jpg>.
I think this is a very interesting idea that helps everyone understand what people do and do not know about obesity. I think her answers are the typical answers of someone who watches TV and understands the basics about the topic. I do think if she were to read your entire blog, she would learn a great deal about childhood obesity and the implications. I think if you posted about cafeterias and the pros and cons of adding healthy foods and taking out unhealthy options that would be very interesting. I know in the past few years this has been a hot topic of discussion and I would love to learn more about it!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea, I might steal it! I think it's really insightful to hear what people who are not as well-informed as I am, (after reading your blog obvy!) I think it's helpful to start with what people do know, so that we can build up on that knowledge from their basic foundation! I completely agree with Alyssa. I think that it may also be interesting if you post about what children SHOULD be eating, and what some positive ideas of new meals! Maybe some recipes?! I also would be interested in how you feel about prison food plans (not exactly children) and new laws deciding what is allowed to go into foods!! YAY BLOG
ReplyDeleteI love the topic that you are focusing on! I think it is something that people tend to look over because it is not talked about often, especially among high school students. I definitely think that parents need to become more aware of ways to prevent their children from eating unhealthy foods, and focus on providing them with healthy lifestyles. I agree with Ali and think that recipes would be a great addition to the blog. This is a great blog and really informs the reader about your topic!!
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