Children of the past
Children today
When I was a child and technology was just emerging, I was caught up in the outdoors and nature. I played outside with the neighborhood children and I rode my bike almost everyday. I used my imagination and creativity to come up with things to keep myself occupied. I built a block house, I drew my family, I colored rainbows, I collected rocks, I watched the birds and I used my mind to keep myself entertained. Things were different back then because technology hadn't become a huge part of people’s lives as yet. Now, when I tell my younger cousins to go outside and play hopscotch, I don’t get the response I would expect from little children, instead they ask if we could play on my phone. They’d prefer to be entertained by an electronic device. Things have changed because of the increase of technology in the world. Not only would my cousins rather sit in front of a TV, computer, Ipod, phone etc, but many of today’s children would also want to do the same. This constant urge to be in front of a screen has many negative health effects; one of the most dominant being that this increase in the amount of technology available is having an effect on the obesity rate.
According to this article written by Maggie Fox published on NBC news, there is a connection between the amount of money a country spends on technology and obesity rates for that country. The surprising statistic discussed is : “For every 10 percent rise in what a country spends on information and communications technology, there’s a 1 percent increase in obesity rates.” This statistic is telling us that the more a country makes technology available, the more people spend money on it, and the more overweight a country’s citizens become. Humans are spending too much time in front of their TVs, phones, computer, etc. in their chairs and sofas at home instead of going outside and getting active. Children pass too many hours with their eyes fixed on the television and less hours exercising.
Not only is technology reducing our exercise but it is also changing the way we eat and what we eat. There is an increased intake of processed foods that contribute to obesity. People are not spending time preparing a healthy meal, instead they are grabbing fast foods. These habits can stick for a lifetime.
Technology has made life simple for us, but it should not be taking away from the time that we are active and exercise. Our bodies needs physical activity to be healthy. Not enough exercise can lead to obesity and therefore we can see how technology has a negative effect on our health particularly on our weight. So sometimes, it’s best to just get off the phone or stop watching TV and head outside.
