To prevent the childhood obesity epidemic, it is necessary to evaluate and analyze the real causes of the problem. Childhood obesity is becoming a huge problem in American society. Over the past three decades, the rate of overweight children has increased by 300%. This is an alarming rate that is only going up. Every member of society should take steps to become healthier. This would help the present and future generations to come. The American lifestyle keeps us too busy to be a healthy society. With the expansion of technology, children are becoming more and more inactive. In the last century, children played outdoors from dawn to dusk. They didn't realize that free time was great daily exercise. Physical activity is a fundamental necessity for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. With the advancement of technology and the growing popularity of video games and television, fewer and fewer children are doing physical activity. Stationary activities, like video games and watching TV, keep kids in and away from exercise. Blaming children alone for this lack of exercise would be wrong. Parents are the ones responsible for giving these games to children, but this is not so bad. Where things get worse, however, is when children are given these games or televisions without time limits. Through research, they found that 26% of children watch television for more than four hours a day. In an effort to encourage outdoor play time for children, Nickelodeon has stopped programming from noon to 3 p.m. daily. It seemed like a great idea, but does it really help? Children attend school Monday to Friday from 8am to 3pm. The moment Nickelodeon chose to go dark is the same moment, baby... middle of paper... t. Network. April 14, 2011.Crouse, Janice Shaw. “The fast food industry intentionally markets unhealthy food to children.” Fast food. Ed. Tracy Brown Collins. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2009. In question. Gale Opposing views in context. Network. April 14, 2011. Luna, Amy. “A culture obsessed with thinness spreads misconceptions about obesity.” Port of San Francisco (April 8, 2008). Rpt. in How should obesity be treated? Ed. Stefan Kiesbye. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. In question. Gale Opposing views in context. Network. April 14, 2011. "Programming fights childhood obesity." Daily Review [Towanda, PA] April 2, 2011. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Network. April 14, 2011."All school food sales should offer healthier options." Should junk food be sold in schools? Ed. Norah Piehl. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. In question. Gale Opposing views in context. Network. April 14. 2011.