By ERIC FLOWERS

Contributing Writer

Childhood obesity is a huge problem in the United States and America’s youth are dying because no one is helping them.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define overweight as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water or a combination of these.

According to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. This shows how critical this issue is becoming.

The CDC says that in children 6-11 years old in the U.S. who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010. This really needs to change because at this rate in 2020, the percentage might be more than 20%. To change this, all kids have to do is eat right and get at least an hour of physical activity a day.

Parents should lead by example and live healthy lifestyles themselves. By being physically active and exhibiting smart dietary choices, children will fall into the same routine and make better choices themselves.

“I feel that if parents get up and actually work out with their kids everyday it could help them a lot,” said Stanley Cea, a freshman at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS).

Another way to prevent childhood obesity is your dietary lifestyle at home, school or wherever you are. School is a big factor in preventing this because that’s where kids spend a vast majority of their time. School impacts kid’s eating habits because there aren’t people present to mind their food choices. So while at school, kids are on their own to make smart decisions.

The Los Angeles Unified School District has spent the last few years revamping their lunch menus to include healthier, tastier and more nutritious lunch options. More school districts nationwide should follow this example. Switching tater-tots for string beans and chicken patties for grilled chicken are simple, yet pleasant ways to push students towards living a healthier lifestyle.

“To keep fit, people should eat right and exercise daily,” said Rudy Calderon, a sophomore at DPMHS.