Final answer:
Decreased access to organized sports and a sedentary lifestyle are major factors contributing to the rise in overweight children. Childhood obesity is a serious health issue, typically measured by BMI, that is influenced by multiple lifestyle factors, including sedentary behavior and poor dietary choices. Efforts like the Let's Move! campaign aim to address these issues by promoting physical activity and healthy nutrition.
Step-by-step explanation:
Inactivity/Decreased access to organized sports is a major factor in the sharp rise in overweight children. Obesity in children is a growing concern, with physical inactivity due to lifestyle changes playing a critical role. The definition of childhood obesity includes excess body fat that negatively affects a child's health or well-being, and the condition is often diagnosed based on the Body Mass Index (BMI).
Factors contributing to the rise in obesity include the growing sedentary nature of leisure activities, like computer games and television viewing, and decreased access to organized sports. Additionally, the adoption of less physically demanding work and an increase in consumption of unhealthy, fast food meals have exacerbated the problem. To address obesity, it is important to encourage physical activity and healthy eating habits as key components of a child's education.
The Let's Move! campaign was launched by former first lady Michelle Obama with the goal to educate and promote active lifestyles and healthy nutrition among children. This includes participating in physical activity and being mindful of calorie intake, particularly from processed foods. Increased activity helps reduce obesity by burning more calories and reducing fat intake.