What are the causes of increasing childhood obesity?
Researchers have focused their attention on the mid-1970s, when the rise in excess body weight among Americans, adults and children alike, began. Although the media frequently cites fast food, video games or high fructose corn syrup as “the cause,” the fact is that many factors played a role in that decade. Soft drinks became the national drink, replacing water and milk. Processed snack foods proliferated. In addition, cable television, home movies and the first computer games became established. The information age developed, along with computers at work and later at home. Suburban layouts fostered more driving and drive-through businesses. Commutes became longer. The list of causative factors goes on and on, making obesity a complex public health problem. No one problem caused it, and no single solution will make it go away. 2. Whatever the causes, are parents addressing the issue? Parents’ early recognition and intervention is critical because studies have shown that if a child beco
