Essay on Benefits Of Student Exchange Programs - 990 Words

An exchange student is a student that leaves his/her country for a foreign one for a year, where she/he usually learns a new language and experiences a new culture. Nowadays, there are more than 35 international exchange programs from which very many high school students benefit. For instance, each year, almost 13000 students travel on American Field Service Intercultural Programs between 65 countries (AFS, 2011). Unfortunately, the number of students who go on exchange is still relatively low, even if the benefits they receive are big. Because the age of 15-18 is the perfect period of time for going on an exchange [1], students discover a new culture and develop themselves [2], adults can have a new experience by taking a student†¦show more content†¦Consequently, students do not have to focus too much on their studies while being abroad; they can focus more on their personal growth. Furthermore, through exchange programs students develop themselves, thus contributing to s ociety from an earlier age. Most people don’t think about self-development until they experience a life-changing event — something that shakes them up and changes their perspective. An exchange year is such a one-in-a-lifetime experience that prepares young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world. They experience the first culture shock when arriving in the host country and the second one when arriving back to their home countries. These shocks make youngsters more sociable, confident, adaptive, independent, flexible and definitely more tolerant. Besides, discovering a new culture also implies discovering more about their own culture and about themselves. Fortunately, all previously mentioned effects are long-lasting. An AFS long-term impact study showed that, 20-25 years after their experience abroad, AFS program alumni are more likely to be fluent in foreign languages, have higher education levels and be more comfortabl e in different cultural settings, both professional and personal, than their peers who did not have a secondary school intercultural sojourn experience (AFS, 2008). For instance, Catherine Coleman, an AFS alumni, is a former United States AirShow MoreRelatedSWOT Analysis of Curtin University802 Words   |  3 PagesThe Exchange Student Program at Curtin University faces a number of problems, but low application numbers are among the most important. Much of the problem appears to stem from communications issues. In undertaking the situational analysis, there are three main problems that have been identified. The first aspect is a SWOT analysis. The program is well-established, and has a lot of great locations and programs of study. There is funding available in the form of bursaries for students wishingRead MoreEssay about Foreign Exchange1563 Words   |  7 PagesForeign Exchange One of the greatest experiences that a college student can have is that of studying abroad. It is one of the most enlightening experiences one can ever become involved in. It is a wonderful way to learn about another culture. Unfortunately, many of the foreign exchange students at State University have a difficult time interacting with the American students on campus. This lack of interaction is causing all students at State to miss out on a very important experience. AlthoughRead MoreInternational Business Programs Case Study834 Words   |  4 Pages If college students want to get connected with the international programs, they can do so, by learning who the faculty and staff are. There are numerous of faculty and staff members on the international programs. Some of them include Brad Bodenhausen, a director of international leadership and training center, Yi Winnie Wu, a assistant program specialist, Jinzi Fan, a program specialist in the international leadership and training center, Kelly Cabrera, a coordinator in the international leadershipRead MoreSocial Exchange Theory And Social Interaction982 Words   |  4 Pagesbegin socializing with us during this time, forcing our exchanges with them and others to become â€Å"trained†. Building these social relationships requires exchanges that are associated with rewards and costs. Chibucos Leite (2005), believe that in social situations, one will select only those behaviors that increase their chances of meeting egocentricities in social situations. In a relationship, if o ne sees a relationship as having more benefits than risks, they are more likely not to terminate theRead MoreU.s. Securities And Exchange Commission1523 Words   |  7 PagesThis program evaluation contains the overall progress of the 529 plans and the benefits. The objective of the 529 plans by the Government of United States of America is to provide advantages to the college savers in availing the tax rebates and tax reductions. The educational system is benefiting from these plans and the document provides the analysis of the factors that play their part in the providing the benefit to the sector and the overall economy. According to the U.S. Securities and ExchangeRead MoreHuntingdon College. Huntingdon College Has A Tiny Campus1017 Words   |  5 Pagesthe National Register of Historic Places. Around 1,100 students attend the traditional day and adult evening degree completion programs. Students from almost every county in the state attend Huntingdon College. Huntingdon College is consistently listed among the top best colleges in the region. They are a member of the Tree Campus USA program. The student to faculty ratio is 14 to one and the average class size is just 17. All academic programs have a basic liberal arts curriculum that branch offRead MoreThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) Or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( Aids )1281 Words   |  6 Pageseducation and programs rapidly expanding to assist and reduced not only this population, but the larger drug user population. The CDC along with the, High-Impact Prevention and the National HIV/AIDS Strategy are working to maximize the effectiveness of prevention methods and improve overall conditions for injection drug users. These organizations provide funding for state and local governments, an estimated 339 million dollars over the next five years. Providing programs, on safe sex, exchange needle orRead MoreCreating A Culture At Salem Lutheran School1085 Words   |  5 Pa gesClassroomless Culture Schools vest their interests in creating a culture in which students identify and relate to norms and traditions set forth by their school environment. While this certainly benefits the members of that school environment, the activities and extracurricular programs that students partake in also possess a culture unique in their own right. Youth serving organizations present a faction of these extracurricular activities and are well versed in creating cultures of their own.Read MoreIntroduction. In Contemporary Society, The Boost Number1269 Words   |  6 Pagesinternational students all over the world (Bohm et al., 2002) Because those students figure out that education abroad is more concerned about personality, and can be independent of them. However, second language learning has become one of the most serious problems for international students. Therefore, higher education provides language courses for international students who are not native-tongue. However, many students are n ot using the foreign languages fluently yet. If international students want a perfectRead MoreAnalysis of Some of the Benefits of Study Abroad Essay1538 Words   |  7 Pagessectors of life either related to the business or the education. It can be done only through the exchange of the language, culture, and traditions (Caffarella Daffron, 2013). The Middle East is an important location of the world because of the tremendous energy resources like the oil, gas etc. After the tragic incident of 9/11, now the European countries are thinking more about the Middle East. The students from Europe, especially from America, are moving towards the Middle East Universities for education

Analysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry...

What is the definition of the American Dream? How was it different in the 1800s? The concept behind the American Dream is that if people work hard then they can accomplish anything they desire. But in the 1800s, the American Dream had a different meaning: it meant achieving happiness for oneself and his family. In Mark Twain’s famous novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim has a dream that he would travel up to the free states where he would save up money in order to return back to the south and buy his family out of slavery. He tries to reach his dreams by taking the long journey down the Mississippi River into the heart of the slave states. His determination allows him to accomplish anything he puts his mind to; he is also very†¦show more content†¦Watson. Throughout his travel down the Mississippi River, Jim has to be alert. On one such occasion, as Huck comes running away from the trouble that the Grangerfords have caused, Huck claims â€Å"I never felt eas y till the raft was two mile below there and out in the middle of the Mississippi. Then we hung up our signal lantern, and judged that we was free and safe once more† (Twain 116). Jim perseveres on this path of trouble just so he can become free. Jim works day and night so he can assure that both him and Huck are out of harm. In reality, Jim is faced with a bigger problem, his social status. He is stuck with the title of a slave for a long time and no matter how hard he tries, he will fail in getting rid of that title. David Smith further argues, â€Å"This usage, like the term ‘nigger stealer’ clearly designates the ‘nigger’ as a piece of property† (Smith 217). This is one of the reasons why Jim takes this journey without fear. Jim finds out that he is being auctioned off to another man because he is â€Å"property†, and the only way Jim knows to escape that title is to go north and become free. Knowing the path he is taking is treache rous, he has plans of becoming a â€Å"free† man by working hard so he could save his family from the same situation that he is facing at that very moment. In order to achieve greater means, there has to be a set goal and that is exactly what Jim has. Jim is Analysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry... Breck Paschal Mr. Valencich AP Language and Composition, Period 4 30 October 2017 Education Through Escapades The Antebellum period is characterized by abolitionists and supporters of slavery who have shaped societal ideals and as well as the traditional education system. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Huck Finn) is one of the time periods most prominent pieces of literature. Huck Finn comically criticizes civilized society by implementing humor, irony, and satire, in the hopes of enlightening readers that traditional classroom education does not truly determine one’s intelligence. Huck’s suspicion of society in combination with his developing relationship with Jim causes disillusionment of the Antebellum ideals†¦show more content†¦This is a logical and rational idea and point. However, Huck does not find this point relevant and would prefer not to waste his breath, stating, â€Å"I see it warn’t no use wasting words—you can’t learn a nigger to argue. So I quit† (Twain 83). Twain also adds a subtle use of satire on racism. If all men are the same, then why are some of them enslaved? This is a turning point in Huck and Jim’s relationship. Huck originally views Jim as property and uneducated, however eventually Huck starts to realize that Jim actually has ideas and feelings. Jim is capable of making intelligent arguments using logic and reasoning. In addition, Huck states he is well-educated, â€Å"I had been to school most all the time and could spell and read and write just a little, and could say the multipl ication table up to six times seven is thirty-five, and I don’t reckon I could ever get any further than that if I was to live forever. I don’t take no stock in mathematics, anyway† (Twain 16). Verbal irony is prevalent because Hucks answer to six times seven is erroneous. Twain’s humor as seen in Huck’s ignorance is used to criticize, expose, and support the idea that even the educated are unintelligent. Books do not always capture reality and eventually Huck is able to abandon reasoning through books and focus more on the practical experience he learns from Jim. In Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer’s character serves as aShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn752 Words   |  4 Pagesit. In the 1880s classic American novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain urges individuals to release themselves from the current bonds of society to achieve a greater level of happiness. In order to reach the greater level of happiness unreachable in the current circumstances of society, individuals must learn from and mimic nature’s methods which nature utilizes to better itself. Analysis of Literature Critics generally agree Mark Twain intentionally uses nature, more specificallyRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn And Henry James1557 Words   |  7 Pagesmisjudgment between Americans and exotic immigrants. Those famous authors like Mark Twain and Henry James wrote down social and psychological transformations bring out in the nation by creating removed, impartial status of daily life. In order to bring readers to be fascinated and thoughtful by their novels and to depict their character and the reader’s setting to life, Mark Twain in the adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Henry James showed the reality of life in his story Daisy Miller. There areRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventure Of Huckleberry Finn 1064 Words   |  5 PagesKirubel Sharpe Mr. La Plante Honors English 11 AA Fifth Hour 8 January 2015 Unit IV Essay Mark Twain argues that â€Å"self-moral code† votes society’s â€Å"moral code† in determining what’s right or wrong. He supports his assertion by juxtaposing Huck Finn s believes to society’s morality and making fun of the idea of speeches. In order to manifest his beliefs to the readers, Twain uses Juvenalian satire and irony to demand society to second guess the moral codes set by society and instead for each personRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn 1701 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Æ' A work of literature can be read by ten different people, and it will be understood ten different ways; Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is no exception. At the end of the novel, Tom reveals his plans for the â€Å"evasion† which is relatively immoral, but Tom and Huck would never know whether it was or was not. In addition to its blind cruelty, it is misleading in that it seems as if it is meant to be interpreted, which is one reason why it is constantly critiqued. Another reason itRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn 1307 Words   |  6 Pagesbehind the American Dream is that if people work hard then they can accomplish anything they desire. But in the 1800s, the American Dream had a different meaning: it meant achieving happiness for oneself and his family. In Mark Twain’s famous novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim has a dream that he would travel up to the free states where he would save up money in order to return back to the south and buy his family out of slavery. He tries to reach his dreams by taking the long journey downRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1322 Words   |  6 Pagesneeds to have the feeling that he is surrounded by characters of reliance and assurance. Huck Finn has a highly different perspective of the world opposed to the people who surround him. Most importantly, Huck struggles heavily on determining the difference between right and wrong because of the people around him that influence him. He makes his decisions based upon past experiences dictated by trust. Mark Twain makes the choice of a social satire because having Huck tell the story allows the reader toRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn2267 Words   |  10 Pageschanges in their freedom, they are still being oppressed. Oppression is a common theme throughout American Literature, weaving in and out of many that are seen as classi c American novels and poetry. Some of these books include Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the poetry of Langston Hughes, Richard Wright’s Native Son and Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. The form of oppression that is evident throughout all these works, is racial oppression, and narrowing it down even further, the oppressionRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn Essay1936 Words   |  8 PagesCHAPTER –III HUMANISM IN MARK TWAINS NOVELS A study of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an adventure in understanding changes in America itself. The book, at the center of American geography and consciousness, asks readers to reexamine definitions of â€Å"civilization† and freedom, right and wrong, social responsibility and inhumanity. Published in 1885, the novel recounts those pre-civil war days when the controversy over slavery, with designated slave and Free states, disfigured the faceRead MoreHuckleberry Finn and the use of Satire Essay1109 Words   |  5 Pages Huck Finn and the use of Satire Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been controversial ever since its release in 1884. It has been called everything from the root of modern American literature to a piece of racist trash. Many scholars have argued about Huck Finn being prejudiced. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses satire to mock many different aspects of the modern world. Despite the fact that many critics have accused Mark Twain’s novel of promoting racismRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s Works Made A Huge Impact On Readers And Literary Critics1288 Words   |  6 Pages2/26/17 P:2 Outline Mark Twain’s works made a huge impact on readers and literary critics. His writing occurred during both the romantic and realist time eras in American Literature. He has simple, seemingly artless narrators and an understated style leads readers to arrive at the social commentary of his narratives on their own. Mark Twain’s writing influenced society because he created a new perspective on life with the views pointed out in his books. The distinctive trait of Twain s was his sense

Deception Point Page 17 Free Essays

Rachel could only stare. I traveled three thousand miles for this kind of hospitality? This guy was no Martha Stewart. â€Å"With all due respect,† she fired back, â€Å"I am also under presidential orders. We will write a custom essay sample on Deception Point Page 17 or any similar topic only for you Order Now I have not been told my purpose here. I made this trip on good faith.† â€Å"Fine,† Ekstrom said. â€Å"Then I will speak bluntly.† â€Å"You’ve made a damn good start.† Rachel’s tough response seemed to jolt the administrator. His stride slowed a moment, his eyes clearing as he studied her. Then, like a snake uncoiling, he heaved a long sigh and picked up the pace. â€Å"Understand,† Ekstrom began, â€Å"that you are here on a classified NASA project against my better judgment. Not only are you a representative of the NRO, whose director enjoys dishonoring NASA personnel as loose-lipped children, but you are the daughter of the man who has made it his personal mission to destroy my agency. This should be NASA’s hour in the sun; my men and women have endured a lot of criticism lately and deserve this moment of glory. However, due to a torrent of skepticism spearheaded by your father, NASA finds itself in a political situation where my hardworking personnel are forced to share the spotlight with a handful of random civilian scientists and the daughter of the man who is trying to destroy us.† I am not my father, Rachel wanted to shout, but this was hardly the moment to debate politics with the head of NASA. â€Å"I did not come here for the spotlight, sir.† Ekstrom glared. â€Å"You may find you have no alternative.† The comment took her by surprise. Although President Herney had said nothing specific about her assisting him in any sort of â€Å"public† way, William Pickering had certainly aired his suspicions that Rachel might become a political pawn. â€Å"I’d like to know what I’m doing here,† Rachel demanded. â€Å"You and me both. I do not have that information.† â€Å"I’m sorry?† â€Å"The President asked me to brief you fully on our discovery the moment you arrived. Whatever role he wants you to play in this circus is between you and him.† â€Å"He told me your Earth Observation System had made a discovery.† Ekstrom glanced sidelong at her. â€Å"How familiar are you with the EOS project?† â€Å"EOS is a constellation of five NASA satellites which scrutinize the earth in different ways-ocean mapping, geologic fault analyses, polar ice-melt observation, location of fossil fuel reserves-â€Å" â€Å"Fine,† Ekstrom said, sounding unimpressed. â€Å"So you’re aware of the newest addition to the EOS constellation? It’s called PODS.† Rachel nodded. The Polar Orbiting Density Scanner (PODS) was designed to help measure the effects of global warming. â€Å"As I understand it, PODS measures the thickness and hardness of the polar ice cap?† â€Å"In effect, yes. It uses spectral band technology to take composite density scans of large regions and find softness anomalies in the ice-slush spots, internal melting, large fissures-indicators of global warming.† Rachel was familiar with composite density scanning. It was like a subterranean ultrasound. NRO satellites had used similar technology to search for subsurface density variants in Eastern Europe and locate mass burial sites, which confirmed for the President that ethnic cleansing was indeed going on. â€Å"Two weeks ago,† Ekstrom said, â€Å"PODS passed over this ice shelf and spotted a density anomaly that looked nothing like anything we’d expected to see. Two hundred feet beneath the surface, perfectly embedded in a matrix of solid ice, PODS saw what looked like an amorphous globule about ten feet in diameter.† â€Å"A water pocket?† Rachel asked. â€Å"No. Not liquid. Strangely, this anomaly was harder than the ice surrounding it.† Rachel paused. â€Å"So†¦ it’s a boulder or something?† Ekstrom nodded. â€Å"Essentially.† Rachel waited for the punch line. It never came. I’m here because NASA found a big rock in the ice? â€Å"Not until PODS calculated the density of this rock did we get excited. We immediately flew a team up here to analyze it. As it turns out, the rock in the ice beneath us is significantly more dense than any type of rock found here on Ellesmere Island. More dense, in fact, than any type of rock found within a four-hundred-mile radius.† Rachel gazed down at the ice beneath her feet, picturing the huge rock down there somewhere. â€Å"You’re saying someone moved it here?† Ekstrom looked vaguely amused. â€Å"The stone weighs more than eight tons. It is embedded under two hundred feet of solid ice, meaning it has been there untouched for over three hundred years.† Rachel felt tired as she followed the administrator into the mouth of a long, narrow corridor, passing between two armed NASA workers who stood guard. Rachel glanced at Ekstrom. â€Å"I assume there’s a logical explanation for the stone’s presence here†¦ and for all this secrecy?† â€Å"There most certainly is,† Ekstrom said, deadpan. â€Å"The rock PODS found is a meteorite.† Rachel stopped dead in the passageway and stared at the administrator. â€Å"A meteorite?† A surge of disappointment washed over her. A meteorite seemed utterly anti-climactic after the President’s big buildup. This discovery will single-handedly justify all of NASA’s past expenditures and blunders? What was Herney thinking? Meteorites were admittedly one of the rarest rocks on earth, but NASA discovered meteorites all the time. â€Å"This meteorite is one of the largest ever found,† Ekstrom said, standing rigid before her. â€Å"We believe it is a fragment of a larger meteorite documented to have hit the Arctic Ocean in the seventeen hundreds. Most likely, this rock was thrown as ejecta from that ocean impact, landed on the Milne Glacier, and was slowly buried by snow over the past three hundred years.† Rachel scowled. This discovery changed nothing. She felt a growing suspicion that she was witnessing an overblown publicity stunt by a desperate NASA and White House-two struggling entities attempting to elevate a propitious find to the level of earth-shattering NASA victory. â€Å"You don’t look too impressed,† Ekstrom said. â€Å"I guess I was just expecting something†¦ else.† Ekstrom’s eyes narrowed. â€Å"A meteorite of this size is a very rare find, Ms. Sexton. There are only a few larger in the world.† â€Å"I realize-â€Å" â€Å"But the size of the meteorite is not what excites us.† Rachel glanced up. â€Å"If you would permit me to finish,† Ekstrom said, â€Å"you will learn that this meteorite displays some rather astonishing characteristics never before seen in any meteorite. Large or small.† He motioned down the passageway. â€Å"Now, if you would follow me, I’ll introduce you to someone more qualified than I am to discuss this find.† Rachel was confused. â€Å"Someone more qualified than the administrator of NASA?† Ekstrom’s Nordic eyes locked in on hers. â€Å"More qualified, Ms. Sexton, insofar as he is a civilian. I had assumed because you are a professional data analyst that you would prefer to get your data from an unbiased source.† Touche. Rachel backed off. She followed the administrator down the narrow corridor, where they dead-ended at a heavy, black drapery. Beyond the drape, Rachel could hear the reverberant murmur of a crowd of voices rumbling on the other side, echoing as if in a giant open space. Without a word, the administrator reached up and pulled aside the curtain. Rachel was blinded by a dazzling brightness. Hesitant, she stepped forward, squinting into the glistening space. As her eyes adjusted, she gazed out at the massive room before her and drew an awestruck breath. How to cite Deception Point Page 17, Essay examples

Causes of Childhood Obesity Essay Example For Students

Causes of Childhood Obesity Essay Causes of Childhood Obesity Essay Works Cited Axmaker, Larry. Childhood Obesity Should be Taken Seriously. Online Posting 24 November 2004. Accessed 9 April 2005. 1-4. Bastin, Sandra. Perils of Childhood Obesity. American Academy of Pediatrics Quarterly. Volume 31 (11/2001): 44-49. Retrieved Medline 9 April 2005. 1-5. Buffington, Cynthia. Causes of Childhood Obesity. Beyond Change: Information Regarding Obesity and Obesity Surgery. Volume 17 (12/2003): 12-17. Retrieved Academic Search Elite 9 April 2005. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Services. Special Issues: Childhood Obesity. Online Posting 7 July 2003. Accessed 9 April 2005. 1-5. Reading, Richard. Increasing prevalence of obesity in primary school children: cohort study. Child: Care, Health Development; Vol. 28 Issue 2 (03/2002): 189-197 Retrieved Academic Search Elite 9 April 2005 Rush, Traci. Childhood Obesity. Online posting 13 October 2002. Accessed 9 April 2005. 1. When speaking of her 8-year old daughters obesity, a prideful mother replies Oh its no big deal, she just still has her baby fat. Unfortunately, chances are that the daughters obesity is really no cause of her baby fat, but can be contributed to a combination of diet, genetics, and a sedentary lifestyle. Studies show that obesity among children 6-17 years of age, has increased by 50% in the last 20 years, with the most dramatic increase seen in children ages 6-11 (Axmaker, 1). This obvious epidemic has raised great concern in the medical community because widespread childhood obesity has increased the prevalence of the once rare juvenile diabetes and pediatric hypertension (Bastin, 45). This concern has prompted intense investigation of the causes of childhood studies, aside from socioeconomic status, three major causes have been shown: diet, genetics or biological factors, and lifestyle. Because fat must have a source from which to increase, diet is an obvious contributor to obesity in children. Dietary guidelines recommend that children between the ages of 6 and 11 should receive about 1800 calories a day, with 50% from carbohydrates, 30% from fat, and 20% from protein (Bastin, 47). With the ready availability of high calorie/high carbohydrate soft drinks, fruit juice, and high carbohydrate snacks, childrens diets have become increasingly less nutritious. Surveys conducted among children and teenagers have shown that 7 out of 10 children eat fruit once a day, and 5 out of 10 teenagers eat fruit once a day (Bastin, 47). Because children are replacing the missing fruit servings with high calorie snacks, weight gain will occur dramatically over time. An over consumption of 50-100 calories can lead to a gain of 5-10 pounds a year (Oklahoma Cooperative, 1). Many parents mistakenly encourage carbohydrates with a high-glycemic value as substitutes for fat and protein. High-glycemic carbohydrates prevent fat breakdown and drive fat into fat deposits, causing fat to accumulate, which occurring in high levels is obesity. The era of home cooking has all but disappeared from our society, with meals being replaced with pizza, or fast food creating yet another innutritious aspect of childrens diets. Carbohydrates also take far less time to empty from the stomach than do those foods high in fat or protein, causing hunger (Buffington, 14). A child having eaten a bowl of cereal for breakfast is likely to be hungry by mid-morning with the need for a snack. At school, he or she may satisfy their mid-morning hunger with yet another high carbohydrate food such as a soda, candy, cookies, or a bag of chips. These poor food choices are contributing to the increasing epidemic of childhood obesity. Everybody knows the child that can eat any type of food all day and never seem to gain weight. This occurrence has led researchers to investigate the role that genetics plays in childhood obesity. Not all children who are inactive or who eat poorly are obese, much in the same way that some obese children eat fairly healthy, and exercise moderately. Heredity has recently been shown to influence body fat percentage, regional fat storage, and the bodys response to overeating (Rush, 1). Children who have obese parents are 80% more likely to be obese than their lean parented counterparts (Buffington, 16). This familial correlation is contributed to genetics as well as the parents eating habits. History of Anthropology EssayResearchers suggest that a sedentary lifestyle is the greatest cause and predictor of childhood obesity (Bastin, 46). This sedentary lifestyle is due in large part to television, computers and video games occupying much of a childs time that would otherwise be spent in physical activities. Some studies have shown that children and teenagers spend up to 25 hours a week in front of the television, not including the time spent using computers or playing video games (Bastin, 46). With the increased time of television viewing, not only are childrens lifestyles becoming more sedate, but they are eating higher calorie foods in these drastically reduced times of activity. Researchers have found a very close correlation between Television viewing and the consumption of high calorie snacks (Oklahoma Cooperative, 3). When children combine extended periods of inactivity with consumption of high calorie snacks, a recipe for obesity is created. Studies conducted by t he American Academy of Pediatrics have shown that with every hour of television a child watches daily, chances of becoming obese increase by 2% (Bastin, 47). Years ago children typically spent this time outside engaging in physical activities. Not only did children get more exercise at home, but 80% of children were involved in physical education, while currently only 20% of children are involved in some type of physical education (Rush, 1). Educators hope to increase academic performance by decreasing emphasis on physical aspects of education, disregarding that recess fosters free and creative play, a component necessary for children to develop properly (Axmaker, 3). Much like in dietary respects, sedentary lifestyles can create a cycle in which, inactivity promotes obesity, and obesity promotes inactivity, making it difficult for a child to overcome obesity. Because of the drastic increase in obese children as well as adults, the issue of child obesity is finally being given the attention warranted. While many people may suggest that only one factor contributes to a childs obesity, scientists know that it is a conglomerate of factors all playing a role in whether or not a child will become obese. While diet and genetics play a large role, scientists are finding more and more that the factor with the greatest effect on obesity is a childs lifestyle. Childrens television viewing time should be limited, while active play should be encouraged. If parents and children alike can create a healthy balance between genetics, diet and lifestyle, the growing issue of obesity may one day be no longer a concern, and generations will live to be healthier.