No one likes being the odd person out. But if you're overweight and a child, chances are you'll not only be the last one picked for the team, you'll also find it harder to make friends. In the oftentimes cruel world of children, overweight children are more likely to be shut out than even children with other physical challenges. And there are more overweight children now than ever before. Obese children are taught at an early age that they are unacceptable by societal standards, and it is not a hard lesson to learn. These lessons are all around them from the moment they become larger than average. There is no place to escape it. Family, school and friends all provide pressure about the "problem." Overweight children often fall victim to ridicule, taunts and insults from peers, which can product long-term psychological effects.
             According to the American Dietetic association (ADA), while the health status of children in the United States has generally improved in the last three decades, the number of children who are overweight has more than doubled. (Larkin, 16) Approximately 4.7 million children now meet the criteria of twenty percent above desirable weight, and are considered obese. (Larkin, 17) Obese children also have increased average blood pressure and heart rate. Because they carry excess weight, obese children are also at risk for orthopedic problems, such as bowed legs and weight stress in lower extremities. (Hansen, 25)
             There are many reasons children struggle with being obese. First, children are not as active as they once were. Watching television is the strongest predictor of developing childhood obesity. Children eat more when they watch television and they tend to eat those products that are advertised on television that are almost all fattening. Nearly everyone on television is thin and the medium seems to suggest that you may eat and stay thin.
             Heredity also plays a part; obese parents tend...