My Story and Kids Self-Esteem.

As I mentioned in my “about me” section, I talked about growing up in an organic vegetarian home, where junk food was only allowed on special occasions.

Despite learning at young what healthy eating habits were, I still had that infamous baby fat that most kids have growing up, especially during puberty. Until middle school, I never thought about my body, but as a entered my teens I began to look at it more critically and realized I lacked confident, because did not feel that I was at a healthy weight for my size and age. I weighed more than, than I do now, which was almost eight years ago.

Even though I ate really healthy, I didn’t have a body that I was happy with, so I covered myself up. I was so insecure with what I looked like that I wore a sweatshirt for literally three years straight, no matter what they weather was, so that I could hide myself.
Many children in the United States unfortunately do not grow up the way I did, so they continue to put on the pounds rather than loose them as they get older. I feel that because I knew how to eat right and maintain balance, my body was able to regulate itself as I got older and is now at a healthy weight.

With this said I want you to understand my point why self-esteem is so important to me and should be for everyone, and how healthy eating habits are related.

Kidshealth.org says it best that “Self-esteem is all about how much people value themselves, the pride they feel in themselves, and how worthwhile they feel.” Self-esteem is also so important because feeling good about yourself affects the way you act, the friends you make, and the way you enjoy life.

Children and teens that are overweight generally have low self esteem and get caught in a Obesity-Self Esteem Cycle. Eating healthy at a young age will most likely lead to better health in the future, which in turn will stimulate high self esteem levels. With the rising rate of obesity in the United States, more children are at high risk for low self-esteem.

Kellogg, being such a predominate figure in the market, needs to take advantage of their standing to help their consumers, not hurt them. The junk foods they solicit to children are only pushing them towards unhealthier lives physically, but mentally. If they care about the future of the American children, it will reconsider what it advertises to children and try and promote better life-styles overall and stop selling junk.