Oftentimes, the problem begins with handheld video games. Yes, this problem can begin with handheld video games, which I, along with a growing number of researchers, believe are addictive. As these hand held video games become an obsession, then an addiction, the child becomes increasingly inert. Weight gain follows, which makes it more difficult for him to be active, and a potentially dangerous cascade begins.

            Video games are not the  sole culprit, of course. The activity level of the child has been considerably reduced over the last 40 years by television, computers and the car. Indeed more children are involved in organized after school sports today than was the case a generation ago but even these children are not getting the activity they would get if they simply came home from school, changed clothes and rode their  bikes around the neighborhood in search of pick up games, where one sits on a beach.

            The traditional school lunch has been replaced by the a la carte line, where kids are given “choices” between various high-carb, high fat foods. Those often even the home family dinner is  nothing more than a variation on fast food- pizza canned pasta and microwave meals. The result is a diet that is high in calories, refined sugar and sodium and low on nutritional value. Then theres the soda problem.  Today’s kids drink soda and very little milk. Soft drinks cause whatever calcium they have taken in to be flushed from their systems.

            The short term risks of the child- nutrition nightmare are already upon us in the form of childhood bone and joint problems a looming epidemic of childhood diabetes, hypertension  an d obesity- related sleep disorders  and breathing problems

            For the first time in history, we face the prospect of older parents taking care of adult children who are so riddled with health problems they cannot take care of themselves.

By: Teresa M. Bugay | Teacher-1 | Samal National High School