Obesity (Aim for IELTS Writing 8.0) Question: Some people think that the Government is responsible for the rise in obesity in children, while others think it is the fault of the parents. Discuss both sides and give your opinion. Response: Nowadays, an increasing number of school children are suffering from the problem of overweight. While the Government is often criticised for failing to curb childhood obesity effectively, others believe that their parents should instead be blameworthy. In this essay, I shall discuss both sides of the arguments as well as my view on the issue. Criticism against the Government often arises from the poor supervision and regulation over children’s diet and its food suppliers. It is not uncommon that Governments in many countries have failed to intervene by proposing new laws or financial disincentives to discourage the introduction of junk food to the market. As a result, fuelled by the force of globalization and effective marketing campaign, junk food – which often contains high fat and sugar contents while poor in nutritional value – is introduced as part of children’s regular diet in chain stores set up by multinational fast-food businesses. Such non-intervention policy will, in turn, increase the likelihood of youngsters suffering from obesity. On the other hand, other critics believe that poor parenting is a major reason for the soaring number of obese children. For instance, parents often allow their children to indulge in their portable devices for an entire day and hardly regulate their usages. Since these youngsters become less physically active to participate in sports and cardio exercise to burn the calories, it is very likely that they will become more prone to getting overweight. I strongly believe that the Governments shoulder a greater responsibility for the worsening situation. While nation-wide legislation and policies that impose stricter punishment will have a greater impact on society, the Governments should introduce healthier diets in school and a curriculum that places more focus on physical education for the well-being of our children. To conclude, despite the divided opinions as to the role of the Government and the parents in causing childhood obesity, it is my firm conviction that the former should have a greater role to play. (326 words)