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In
the past 20 years, the number of children with obesity—meaning
that they have an extra 30% of body fat—in the United States
has doubled. Lately, a lot of attention has been brought to teen
and child obesity because the recent epidemic has produced the most
dramatic increase in the history of the nation. The main thing to
remember about obesity is that it’s a preventable disease.
With the right health plan, and with guidance from your doctor, you
can combat obesity and prevent it. Obesity isn’t a simple condition,
and it can’t be solved by a simple diet. Many combined factors
work together to cause obesity, including genetics, metabolism
and your environment. Genetics means
that if your mom or dad is obese, you are more likely to be obese
as well. This means that you should
take extra precautions. Metabolism is how fast your body burns calories.
Calories are burned through exercise and just living; it takes many
calories to make your heart beat, lungs work and body function. So,
if you lead an inactive lifestyle and prefer to spend time on the
couch and playing video games, you are more likely to be obese. Exercise
does not have to be intense—a walk or 30 minutes of low-intensity
exercise every day will help to prevent obesity. Environment is what’s
going on around you in your life. If your family is inactive, if
your parents cook lots of fatty foods, if you don’t have a
gym class at school or if you are not challenged to eat healthy food
and be active, then you are more likely to be obese. Talking to your
health teacher or doctor is a great way to get on track if you think
you are obese, or if you think your genetics, lifestyle or environment
make you a prime candidate for obesity later in life. A doctor will
be able to give you advice and a personalized health routine. |
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