Dear Mr. Ferguson,
I am writing you regarding the deplorable state of affairs concerning childhood obesity in the state. I would like to stress that the statistics show not only high obesity rates among children but also high rates of disorders among children suffering from obesity, as well as several lethal cases, which raises my concern. I believe that taking the right course of action will help improve the situation considerably within the next several years.
Taking a single look at the recent data on childhood obesity and diabetes rates is enough to notice that the problem has been snowballing for several years running. For example, the 2010 report says that the rates of childhood obesity have peaked greatly compared to the previous decades: “Obesity has doubled in Maryland over the past 20 years, and nearly one-third of youth are obese, with significant consequences for health and the State’s finances” (Childhood obesity: A growing problem in Maryland, 2010). Moreover, the tendency among the Maryland children and teenagers to develop obesity continues nowadays at an even faster pace: “Currently, 31% of adults and 18% of children are obese, as defined by their body mass index (BMI)” (Perlstein, 2013). Therefore, I believe that the problem has become increasingly significant over the past few years and that it demands immediate solutions.
As it must have been expected, the key factor that influences the rates of child obesity and diabetes among younger students in school nutrition. As Schanzenbach explains, “By the end of third-grade lunch eaters are 23 percentage points more likely to be obese, are six percentage points more likely to be overweight, and have a 2.8 percent higher BMI” (Schanzenbach, 2008, 696). Therefore, the school nutrition program must be improved. Instead of junk food, the school should offer students healthy food that contains slightly fewer calories and contains less fat. It is important to mention, though, that offering only vegetables and fruits will be not enough; children need a balanced diet that includes protein, i.e., meat, and products containing carbohydrates as well. Fats consumption, however, should be reduced to a minimum. In addition, the school should also cut the number of sweets offered to children, since the latter are likely to develop diabetes in case of careless sweets consumption. As for diabetes prevention, it is reasonable to increase diabetes awareness among children. As the recent studies show, the intervention that involves such components as “nutrition, physical activity, behavioral knowledge and skills” (Foster et al., 2010, 444) works best when the rates of obesity or diabetes must be brought down.
That being said, I would like to stress the necessity to take action as soon as possible, since the rates of childhood obesity are likely to increase, as I said before. Even at present, it seems that childhood obesity has become more than an issue – it is nowadays a kind of a national scourge, and one must find a way to put a stop to the growing obesity rates. With that in mind, one will be able to help modern children avoid serious health issues in the future.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I hope that the offered information was of some help to you, and I am looking forward to you considering my plan on bringing the rates of childhood obesity down.
Reference List
Childhood obesity: A growing problem in Maryland (2010). Web.
Foster, D. et al. (2010). A school-based intervention for diabetes risk reduction. The New England Journal of Medicine, 363, 443-453.
Jordan, A. B. (2010). Children’s television viewing and childhood obesity. Pediatric Annals, 39(9), 569-573.
Perlstein, D. (2013). Childhood obesity. Web.
Schanzenbach, D. W. (2008). Do school lunches contribute to childhood obesity? The Journal of Human Resources, 44(3), 684-709.