Friday, March 17, 2006
Childhood Obesity on the Rise
In the past few years, the growing rate of childhood obesity has alarmed researchers in the U.S. Now, a recent study shows that the problem is not just an American one. The number of overweight children around the world is rising quickly.
The study, published in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, says that by 2010, about half of the kids in North and South America will be overweight. That is double the current rate of about one-third of the population.
Researchers say the rise is caused by an increase in kids eating junk food and a decrease in the amount of exercise kids get. The International Obesity Task Force released the study after analyzing worldwide trends in childhood obesity.
A Global ProblemThe study predicts that obesity rates of all children in the European Union will rise from the current rate, 25 percent, to 38 percent by 2010. The rate of obesity is also expected to rise in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
"We have a truly global epidemic which appears to be affecting most countries in the world," said Dr. Philip James, chair of the International Obesity Task Force.
James said the epidemic has "enormous health consequences." Being overweight can lead to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and other serious health problems.
The study points out that obesity doesn't just impact an individual's health. Obesity can negatively affect entire nations' economies and healthcare systems as more and more people need medical assistance and other services for obesity-related health problems.
The Government Weighs InDr. Stephen Blount, a global health expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, talked to TFK Kid Reporter Emily Doveala about the obesity problem at the TIME Global Health Summit last November. He said kids in the U.S. are "too big, they weigh too much."
Blount said the CDC is fighting obesity by "trying to teach more children, their parents, and their teachers about getting the right amount of food, not too much; getting the right amount of exercise, not too little."
By Jill Egan
This article was taken from http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/news/story/0,6260,1171097,00.html
Make some comments in Spanish about this article.
Dead Line April 7th, 2006. 12:00 pm
The study, published in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, says that by 2010, about half of the kids in North and South America will be overweight. That is double the current rate of about one-third of the population.
Researchers say the rise is caused by an increase in kids eating junk food and a decrease in the amount of exercise kids get. The International Obesity Task Force released the study after analyzing worldwide trends in childhood obesity.
A Global ProblemThe study predicts that obesity rates of all children in the European Union will rise from the current rate, 25 percent, to 38 percent by 2010. The rate of obesity is also expected to rise in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
"We have a truly global epidemic which appears to be affecting most countries in the world," said Dr. Philip James, chair of the International Obesity Task Force.
James said the epidemic has "enormous health consequences." Being overweight can lead to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and other serious health problems.
The study points out that obesity doesn't just impact an individual's health. Obesity can negatively affect entire nations' economies and healthcare systems as more and more people need medical assistance and other services for obesity-related health problems.
The Government Weighs InDr. Stephen Blount, a global health expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, talked to TFK Kid Reporter Emily Doveala about the obesity problem at the TIME Global Health Summit last November. He said kids in the U.S. are "too big, they weigh too much."
Blount said the CDC is fighting obesity by "trying to teach more children, their parents, and their teachers about getting the right amount of food, not too much; getting the right amount of exercise, not too little."
By Jill Egan
This article was taken from http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/news/story/0,6260,1171097,00.html
Make some comments in Spanish about this article.
Dead Line April 7th, 2006. 12:00 pm
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Welcome!
Welcome dear students. This year we'll work with this space called BLOG. The main objective is to write impressions, comments and ideas based on some texts or pieces of news collected from internet for you.
I hope this new way to work is useful for your english development.
Thanks and let's work.
I hope this new way to work is useful for your english development.
Thanks and let's work.
# posted by Teacher Michael Rossel @ 3:43 PM
