In many countries, childhood obesity is a growing problem. What are the reasons for this and what can individuals and governments do to tackle the problem?

Obesity is becoming a global health concern , particularly to

children

. Though there are several reasons leading to

this

trend, the government can do so much to counteract

this

problem. The rate of overweight

children

is continually increasing in

this

modern society. One major factor that influences

this

trend is lifestyle. The way a family lives contributes a lot to the eating habits of young family members.

For instance

, if both parents are busy working, they tend to rely on easy-to-cook

meals

and fast food deliveries rather than healthy home-cooked

meals

to feed their

children

. Practically, these

meals

are time-saving and undeniably delicious and satisfying.

However

, they have high salt content and considerable amount of preservatives which in the long run may build up unnecessary fats.

As a result

,

children

and even adults become unnoticeably heavier each day. Another culprit is the school's academic focus, students are loaded with school work and tasks nowadays, and

as a result

, physical education is regarded as irrelevant. There are myriad solutions that can resolve

this

problem,

first,

the government should widely emphasize the educational campaign on important nutrition

as well as

the risks of obesity not just at the family level but most importantly in schools.

For example

, a routine nutritional assessment practice on every campus for early identification and intervention of high-risk students.

Second,

additional tax should be implemented on junk

meals

to limit consumer purchases.

Finally

, governments should collaborate with other stakeholders

such

as private and nongovernment companies to promote a work-life balance atmosphere in the community.

This

strategy will provide time for families to gather at home, cook and eat their

meals

together rather than constantly rushing to fast food chains. In conclusion, the emerging problem of child obesity may pose serious problems and the government should strictly implement measures to address the worsening concerns in child health.