Checking Teenage Obesity - Role of Family, Junk Food and TV

[James]

Teenage is perhaps the most celebrated age of any one's lifetime. With a plethora of products in market, ranging from junk food to TV shows dedicated to this young brigade, the rising obesity problem has turned into a concern for parents and peers alike. With the habits and consequences that trickle down to the rest of the life, teenage is the time where we could not possibly afford to go wrong.

Television has been identified to have a significant role in shaping the lifestyle of teens that in turn can be directly held responsible for growing obesity issues. It commands a spectacularly large chunk of time spent by teenagers glued to their television sets. The fat that piles up revolves around these hours of inactivity lost irretrievably to watching television that could have just as easily been diverted to outdoor activities. Not only does this lead the teenagers into whiling away time inactive, it withdraws the requisite inspiration required to pursue outdoor activities. Worse still, the advertisements running through them endorse fizz and grease and complicate the scenario beyond redemption.

The march of junk food has done its bit to propagate obesity problems in teens. With the popularity of burger joints and pizza deliveries, it is hard to keep a tab on what is healthy food and what is not. It does not take long to see the outcome of such eating habits, but often the damage has already been done before it is realized. Being overweight is not just some cosmetic difference but runs deep into life threatening diseases and disorders. Moreover, the longer a person has been obese the more difficult it gets for him to lose those pounds. Not only it then requires serious medical procedures, an upheaval in the lifestyle at later stages is often difficult to achieve. Teenagers often give up the fight against obesity and enter a cycle of self pity and contempt on one's physical appearance. Carried forward to adulthood, these problems have serious implications on the professional and social fronts for teenagers. Teenagers developing obesity at younger age have been observed to have an 80 percent more likelihood of having weight issues as adults. Unfortunately, it often gets late before the issue is identified and corrective measures are taken.

The role that the family can play in situations like these stands pivotal in checking obesity at the very root level. Intervention in habits of long television hours and routine junk food binging is something that parents could do to nip the obesity concern in the initial stages. The point of correcting obesity boils down to the point of correcting the habits that cause it. Bringing in simple steps like decreasing the dependence on junk food help very effectively. Substitute unhealthy junk food with better alternatives such as fruit and salads. If it becomes impossible to keep away from junk food, try and prepare them at home where you could use less sugar less carbohydrate substitutes. Getting involved in physical exercise is also of utmost importance. If drastic changes seem daunting, do not give up. Small steps taken day in day out could give you results eventually. Take an action, before it gets too late.