The percentage of overweight children in western society has increased by almost 20% in the last ten years. Discuss the causes and effects of this disturbing trend

Obesity among children is western countries has grown by almost 20% in the

last

decade. Two of the main causes of

this

situation are the lack of movement and unhealthy

food

.

Moreover

, the effects of

this

trend are extremely dangerous on a long term.

This

essay will discuss the causes and the effects of

this

behaviour. Nowadays, children spend more time on passive activities than ten years ago. They prefer using gadgets to old traditional toys. If in the past children used to spend a lot of time outside, running and climbing the trees, today they are spending hours playing video games, sitting on the couch.

For example

, if you visit a school during breaks, you will see a lot of children checking their mobile phones; almost nobody plays football on the playground, like in the past.

In addition

,

food

is another important cause of overweight. Fast-

food

and sweets are consumed in large quantities. All the chemicals added make the

food

tasty and, somehow, they create a sort of addiction.

For instance

,

food

like burgers, pizza, chips or ice-cream are harmful for the body when it is consumed as a daily meal. So, “overdose” of junk

food

and playing on the computer

instead

of running outside are two major causes for overweight.

Furthermore

, obesity has

seriously

Suggestion

serious

harmful effects on individuals. Beside the bad image, which is just the top of the iceberg, there are serious threats to health, like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hormonal issues, bone injuries and so on.

Moreover

, the psychological effects are

also

very serious, like the lack of self-esteem and self-confidence and depression.

For example

, overweight children are more exposed to bullying because of their appearance. They are often traumatized and suffer from lack of confidence, because they cannot defend themselves and end up being isolated and frustrated.

Therefore

, overweight has serious effects, both physically and mentally, for children and

they

of them or themselves

their

last

in the long period of time. In conclusion, obesity is one of the most serious challenges of western society in the modern era. Less physical activity and junk

food

have harmful effects on children, like a lot of diseases and hidden psychological effects on long term.