The epidemic of childhood obesity

Link: http://thewashingtonpost.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx?key=p%2F9dxkfA95UlK3r%2FqpNFo5T%2BtZ5xMlQR67b4vA2ngt19FVEjNU%2FUaRrylb4TvaR%2BLi5w3KOt84uG%0D%0A1UdFFPZfb3ylvEjvQ7hVhuo3%2FYZg3IADY4yBPJQVIEEBsGlJD0Vj%0D%0A

2. Category of problem: Health

3. Level of problem: National 
4.      The article concerns: childhood obesity 

5.      Why is this important to families/individuals OR how does it affect individuals/families? 
Childhood obesity is a serious epidemic in this country and affects the future of our nations children. 

6.      What are your views on the issue/policy?

Childhood obesity is a serious epidemic in America. Almost 35% of children are overweight or obese, and have extremely high risks of getting type 2 diabetes and having awful heart and health problems as future adults. As long as this country has a love affair with fast food meals that have the nutrient equivalent to eating a pound of lard, this epidemic will not be resolved. Children will eat what food they have access to, or are given by a parent or some sort of educational institution. When school cafeterias started allowing sodas, hamburgers and fries to be served, they just helped the children become overweight. Instead of awful calorie dense food being served there should be much much healthier options. In my old high school, there was maybe three vegetable options within the myriad of cheese pizzas, mashed potatoes, chicken fingers and orange chicken being served, and that is not okay anymore. Along with these children not having access to health options at school, when they get home they are barraged with commercials for fast food, Doritos, sodas and god knows what other processed garbage. If something is not done about this ever-increasing epidemic, the generation of children that are being affected by this, will end up dying at a young age.