Food Restrictions On Parents example essay topic

"At least 25% of all Americans under age nineteen are overweight or obese", notes Greg Crister in his article, "Too Much of a Good Thing". In the article, which appeared in the Los Angeles Times in July 2001, Crister proposes resolving this problem by teaching children not to overeat. This is a reasonable way to slightly improve the problem, but coupled with a parental example, it is a way to significantly reduce obesity. Crister tells us that although obesity has become an epidemic, the fight against it is "increasingly paralyzed by years of media-induced food hysteria, over-generalized and outdated nutritional wisdom", and the lack of restrictions concerning food. He puts the responsibility for setting these food restrictions on parents, but does not blame them for the nation's dietary problems. Instead, he blames the dietary problems on the notion that "a child restrained from overeating will either rebel... or worse, will suffer such a loss of self-esteem that a lifetime of disastrous eating behavior will follow".

Crister goes on to discredit the belief that kids know when they " re full by citing research to the contrary. Crister also says he understands that changing children's eating habits is "antithetical to some notions many parents hold dear". Furthermore, he sees how difficult changing eating habits may be when there are billion dollar fast food chains that convince families to "purchase a thousand supersize calories for a mere $2.50". Crister does, however, think it is possible. He directs us to the French, citing their redemption from obesity, which didn't harm their self-esteem.

In this article, Greg Crister provides a convincing argument, while remaining sensitive to the people at the heart of the issue. He points out that people should not be stigmatized, but their behavior should be. Crister remains fluent and consistent, allowing one to understand his points. His references to statistical data and research give validity to his claim that children can and should be taught food restraint. Not only are his ideas significant, but also would be very beneficial in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

Maybe Crister doesn't, however, put enough blame on the parents. Common sense tells parents that it is not healthy to become overweight, and they should set an example with themselves. If a child sees their parent overindulging, they will follow their lead. Also, as Crister says, there are billion dollar fast food chains everywhere, but parents must realize that cheap is not always healthy. With Crister's proposal to teach restraint to children to avoid overeating, and a parental example, not only would it be possible to lower childhood obesity, but it would also be feasible to lower obesity in general.