It is no secret that poor eating habits are a
contributing factor to a person being underweight, overweight or obese. While
fewer people are diagnosed with being underweight (Sizer & Whitney, 2014)
it is important to realize that these conditions (underweight, overweight and
obesity) can be prevented. Such conditions can be prevented by ensuring that
children learn the importance of healthy eating at an early age. During my
academic years in elementary I recall the phrase “You are what you eat”.
However, I did not gain concept of the phrase until
I entered my thirties and begin to take notice of the many ailments my family
and friends were being diagnosed with. The more I pondered on what that phrase my
philosophy about the foods we consume on a daily basis changed. I realized that
their health problems were the result of them consuming too much processed
foods.
Therefore, it
is also important to teach the younger generation about ways to reduce their
chances of being underweight, overweight and reduce their chances of being obese.
Many developmental theorists believe that children learn to imitate behavior
and this includes healthy eating habits. Therefore, teaching prevention is the
key. So, it is critical to prevent these conditions from the beginning. Prevention
starts by teaching children about healthy eating and feeding children from the
food groups according to the food pyramid and the five characteristics of a
healthy diet. It would also be beneficial to encourage a child to exercise on a
daily basis. The following video expounds on obesity prevention.
References:
Eating Tips for Disease Prevention [Video file]. (2012). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=b1rgHnBt2Zk
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