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Erinn Byrd
Mr. Bennett
British Literature
16 September 2011
Teen obesity
Have you ever wondered what are the factors that lead up to obesity in our
community today are, and how to go about trying to change the fact that obesity is
common among our society? Statistics like this that say,“about nine million U.S.
children ages six to 19 are overweight and that teens at ages of 12 to 19 with weight
problems have tripled since the 1928’s”(Odle)is just not acceptable, and action should be
taken to try to change the obesity problem immediately. If things keep going as they are
with no change to things like diet, and exercise the U.S could be looking at teenagers
being overweight or obese as adults (Hellmich). As an example,” a study in the Journal
of the American Medical Association found that heavy teens often gain a lot more weight
in their 20s. Half of obese adolescent girls and a third of obese teen boys become
morbidly obese (80 to 100 pounds overweight) by their early 30s” (Hellmich).With
technology and the advancements that have been made it is senseless that obesity is a
battle that is being fought. There are many ways to fight the growing obesity problem
such as going to camps, getting surgery, changes in food and family eating habits. If
children just keep going on this same path they will develop serious health issues and
emotional issues.

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“Approximately 18% of children and adolescents currently suffer from obesity”
(Helmrath); one way many people try to fight this grown epidemic is to undergo bariatric
surgery. Because this obesity problem is continuing and doesn’t seem to be slowing
down, it is becoming more important to try to figure out how to provide the best bariatric
surgical care to adolescents. These adolescents are not only just becoming extremely
obese but many are also developing the same complications that adults get after going
through this surgery (Helmrath). The amount of bariatric surgery’s done in the U.S has
been growing along with the number of children going under the knife for this surgery.
Going under the knife for this surgery isn’t as easy as saying let me have it, you have to
have tried everything else like camps and diets before you are even concedered for it.
“Bariatric surgery has now been shown to be safe effective,and durablein adults” on the
other hand this surgery on teens isn’t always as successful and safe because teenagers are
less likely to follow the “postoperative dietary, physical activity, and other nutritional
recommendations” by the doctors (Helmrath). The doctors also try to make sure that a
patients family circumstances will not increase the chance of the surgery having a poor
out come like with weight regain or nutritional deficiency (Helmrath). If there is a
chance of that happening they think about “waiting and doing the procedure later in life
when the patient has attained a greater maturity” (Helmrath). With every surgery there
can be complication, with the bariatric surgery the complications consist of
gastrointestinal leaks, bleeding, marginal ulcers and Internal hernias. Even with the risk
of complications many people still go for it because it does cause major weight loss and
the majority of the pationts weight will be lost within the first 12 months after surgery
(Helmrath).

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The kinds of foods we eat are no longer nutritious and good for your body but are
just bad for you like the stuff fast food restraints like McDonald's, Wendy’s, KFC, Burger
King and Taco Bell sell. “In Western civilization, manydietshave developed into
convenient, fatty and sugary foods, leading to obesity even in children and
teens”(Odle).A study in a mall food court provided information that stated, “teens over
consumed fast food regardless of their body weight, and overweight teens underreported
the amount they ate” (Scene From a Mall: A Study of Teens and Fast Food). It is a sad
fact that in the U.S fast food has become a one of the main sources of the teenage diet.
The Consumption of the fast food is among all “socioeconomic and racial/ethnic groups
in the U.S” not just one (Scene From a Mall: A Study of Teens and Fast Food). Fast food
is consumed buy at least three-fourths of teens one or more times a week (Scene From a
Mall: A Study of Teens and Fast Food). It doesn’t have to be this way fast food doesn’t
provide the essential neutrinos need that our body’s needed to survive.
“Good nutrition in adolescence is important not only to achieve full growth
potential but also to protect future health” (Finn). “Protein, iron, calcium, vitamins A, C,
and D, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin” are nine of the recommended nutrients and
calories needed to help your body achieve a long and healthy life (Odle). Parents of
children need to start their kid on good eating habits early in life so it will be with them
as they grow up and start making decisions for them self’s. “Eating a balanced diet with a
variety of foods will give teens the energy they need to stay physically active, which is
important to their growth, mental health, and to keeping obesity in check” (Odle). In
response to the fact that almost nine million U.S kids from ages six to 19 are overweight
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) suggested following daily food selections

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such as things like: six to 11 servings of breads, cereals, rice, and pasta Three to five
servings of vegetables, Two to four servings of fruit, Two to three servings of dairy
products and Two or three servings of meat, fish, poultry, and legumes (Odle). Calcium is
also a major part of a teen’s life and they “should consume 1,200–1,500 mg of calcium
per day” but unfortunately “60% of teenage boys and more than 85% of teenage girls fail
to get the recommended daily allowance of calcium” (Odle).The healthy foods are out
there and there are many web sites and books that tell people exactly what they should eat
to stay healthy so it is up to the people to make the healthy choices.
Obesity in children has to start somewhere and that is at home. In many homes
both parents have to work to provide a home for the kids to live in but this also leave the
kids having to think of food by themselves and they go strait for the easy fast food meals.
There are ways parents can work but still provide a good healthy meal for the children.
Parent could cook “the meals on weekends and freezing them for busy weekdays, look
for cookbooks or online sources of quick and healthy recipes, also cooking with less fat
by using cooking sprays and baking and roasting instead of frying ”(Odle). Parent could
also put together little healthy snakes for the kids thought the day so it keeps them from
going and grabbing a bag of chips because it is easy and will also help with them from
over eating at dinner (Odle). It is hard to make sure you kid is eating right all the time
but in the long run all of the food preparations will be worth it when your children are
living a long and healthy life.
Obesity can come with so many health problems that no one should have to go
through. There are kids that are facing diseases such as heart disease,
osteoporosis,diabetes, asthma, and cystic fibrosis at young ages because they are so

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heavily overweight. Children’s cholesterol levels are high which is an important risk
factor for hart diseases this can be caused buy many things but one of the main causes is
diet and exercise. Bone development is a critical part of an adolescence growth and the
amount of physical activity is very important in helping the growth. “More and more
research indicates that obesity and certain cancers also have roots in adolescence” (Finn)
which is not good we need to take charge and fight this growing epidemic to keep the
children of today healthy.

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Works Cited
Finn, Susan Calvert. “Reach Out to Teens.” Journal of Women’s Health & Gender-Based
Medicine Vol. 10.3: p229-231. Academic Search Complete .Web. 7 Sept. 2011.
<http://proxygsu-sche.galileo.usg.edu/
login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/
login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=4486883&site=ehost-live>.
Hellmich, Nanci. “A ‘call to action’ on teen obesity.”USA Today 10 Nov. 2010: n. pag.
Academic Search Complete .Web. 7 Sept. 2011. <http://proxygsu-
sche.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/
login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=J0E419702684210&site=ehost-live>.
Helmrath, Michael, Mark Vierra, and SayeedIkramuddin. “Challenges of Adolescent
Bariatric Surgery: Tips for Managing the Extremely Obese Teen.” Journal of
Laparoendoscopic& Advanced Surgical Techniques 18.1: p157-169. Academic
Search Complete.Web. 8 Sept. 2011. <http://proxygsu-sche.galileo.usg.edu/
login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/
login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=29411538&site=ehost-live>.
Odle, Teresa G. “Teen Nutrition .”The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine.Ed.
Jacqueline L. Longe.2nd ed. Vol. 4. Detroit, 2005. 1985. Gale Virtual
Reference Library. Web. 1 Sept. 2011. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/
i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3435100767&v=2.1&u=cant48040&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=
w>.

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“Scene From a Mall: A Study of Teens and Fast Food.” Eating Disorders Review 15.4:
p4-4. Academic Search Complete.Web. 8 Sept. 2011. <http://proxygsu-
sche.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/
login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=14241958&site=ehost-live>.