The percentage of overweight children in western society has increased by almost 20% in the last ten years. Discuss the causes and effects of this disturbing trend.

A drastic alleviation in number of overweight children has been observed over the last decade. In the modern time, obesity in children has seen a surge of almost 20%. There are several reasons contributing to this as well as it’s potential effects. Lifestyle choices has led to the emerging issue of obesity in children in western society. Not following a healthy diet is one of the major and important reason for significant increase in the weight. For example, consumption of packed food instead of cooking fresh and healthy meals at home has been an easy and convenient way for children while their mothers are away. Another cause of the problem is lack of exercise. Playing video games on computers and mobile phones have been the first preference of teenagers rather than playing outdoor games in free time. Since there is no or very less body movement, the consumption of calories is very low. Such a lifestyle can have major effects on the health of the children in long-term. A rise in weight has been observed as the main reason behind many diseases. For instance, diabetes, high cholesterol and so on are faced by people suffering from weight issues. Apart from this, low self-confidence has also been a result of obesity in most of the children. Physical appearance is a confidence booster for all, especially as a child, since people tend to bully fat students. Poor lifestyle choices like consumption of less nutritious food and not working out has certainly contributed to an increase in percentage of children suffering from overweight. If not properly taken care of, this could result in health problems in the future which can prove to be a disadvantage for the society.