Discuss Some of the Reasons for the Growing Increase in Childhood

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The Answer is Children today lead different lives than their parents or grandparents. Children used to play outside for hours on end, coming inside only to receive nourishment. Now neighborhoods may be less safe and outside play is limited. The walks to school have been replaced by car or bus rides. Gym class and after school sports activities have been subject to program cuts. Researchers know that only 42% of children ages 6-11 obtain the recommended 60 minutes per day of physical activity and only 8% of adolescents achieve this goal. Afternoons and evenings are filled with "screen" time-TV, video games, the Internet, and texting. The average media time a day for a child is 7.5 hours. Rushed families no longer cook as many freshly prepared meals. Snacking between meals is now the norm and pantries become "fair game" at any time. Portion sizes have grown and more and more families are eating away from home. Researchers have used the term "toxic" to describe the food environment in America.

Discuss Some of the Reasons for the Growing Increase in Childhood

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