STUDENT WRITING: PROPOSAL to Reduce CHILDHOOD OBESITY by ADRIANA ESCOBEDO

Reducing the Obesity Level in Mexico

In Mexico 9.2% of children suffer from diabetes (Boseley). Diabetes is a big problem around the world because nowadays obesity is found among all people that are overweight. Millions of people are at risk because they neither eat healthy nor care about their health. Mexico’s president is trying to fight obesity in our country but it is not enough to solve the problem. He passed a law to increase the tax on junk food and sugary drinks to reduce obesity and diabetes. I consider that it may work, but I do not think that this is sufficient to reduce the obesity level.

The major problem that is causing obesity in Mexico and around the world is that people are becoming lazy and they don’t always try to cook healthy food or do exercise. The people that are always working do not have enough time to cook something healthy for their children and they look for the easiest way to give them something to eat fast. For this reason, they start eating more junk food and obesity is the consequence. On the other hand, people avoid doing exercise because they complain that they do not have enough time to go to the gym or money to pay for it and they are very tired from working.

We can try to reduce the obesity levels in Mexico by emphasizing the importance of exercise and eating healthy through workshops in schools and in the work place. We can recommend exercise for at least one hour per day and not only by going to a gym. We can go for a walk around our neighborhood with our dog or with our children and it is free. Schools need to promote physical education classes by encouraging children to practice a sport after class or during the PE class. Teachers should have fun activities for kids which involve cardio exercise to burn more calories and in this way avoid or reduce obesity among children and youths. In addition, schools and work places should add more healthy food on the cafeteria menu instead of junk food. Adding more fruit and vegetables, or maybe avoiding sugary products like sodas, candies and junk food on the menu should also help reduce the levels of obesity in our country.


Works Cited
Boseley, Sarah. "Mexico enacts soda tax in effort to combat world's highest obesity rate." theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 16 Jan. 2014. Web. 6 May 2014. .