The Lack of Physical Activity in Children and the Associations with Childhood Obesity: An Overview of the Causes, Effects and Implications

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past thirty years in the United States, while educational performance has decreased among the world rankings. There has now been an emphasis on personal fitness and education must be implemented on today’s youth in order to promote a healthier, educated population. This paper will seek to describe the main causes and effects of childhood obesity, while explaining the detrimental health risks, as well. There will be a general overview of the history of physical education in the United States from the very beginning up until today, to show how much it has decreased in school systems across the nation. There will also be a description of the trends in socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and the media, explaining some of the negative effects they have on children’s physical activity