In many countries today, the eating habits and lifestyles of children are different from those of previous generations. Some people say this has had a negative effect on their health.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Eating Habits Essay
The eating habits and lifestyles of children are different from those of previous generations
Changes in lifestyle and eating habits are quite normal between generations. Many children nowadays eat food that their parents or grandparents did not. They also do many activities that are different. The view that these changes are not positive for children is a widely held one. Moreover, there is evidence that these changes have adversely impacted the general health of children. However, the results are generally not seen until later in life.
Children's diets nowadays may include many items that their grandparents never consumed, such as frozen foods, prepackaged foods, and other imported foodstuffs. However, not all of these food items are unhealthy. Most children now eat less food which is bought and prepared freshly; some people would say this is a direct result of everyone leading a much busier life than in the past, including children.
Another lifestyle factor that cannot be ignored is physical activity or lack of it. Nowadays, many children are not as active as children in the past. Many people blame this on the computer and video games and the growth of TV culture. While some people may not consider children playing outside or participating in sports to be very important, there are various health benefits from such activities that carry through to adult life and their health in the future.
A combination of fast food and lack of physical activity in the early years of life does not bode well for a person’s health in the future. There is now evidence of the consequences of this combination. In countries such as the USA, obesity and other conditions related to being overweight and not having a healthy, balanced diet are becoming a burden on the health services. Some experts say the seriousness of the problem related to changing food habits even outweighs smoking-related conditions in terms of the health resources being used to combat such cases.
I agree with the view that a more sedentary lifestyle and worse eating habits generally produce less healthy children and subsequently adults. However, not all children are inactive or consume vast amounts of junk food, although it has become a sufficiently common lifestyle habit to impact health services and concern governments.
How would you answer this eating habits essay question?