Analyzing Context

Reading the Context of Your Public Debate

1. Perspectives- Numerous people believe that childhood obesity is a crisis in schools around the U.S. that is only getting worse each year. On the other hand, numerous individuals believe there is not an issue with childhood obesity in our country. Others believe that childhood obesity may be an issue in our schools, but it is not enough to be considered a crisis. 
2. One major disagreement among these perspectives is physical activity and nutrition among adolescents. Without enough exercise and proper nutrition children become overweight, resulting in an increase of childhood obesity rates. 
3. The point of agreement among these individuals is that no matter what a child eats or how much/ how little they exercise, it affects the child's physical, mental and emotional well-being.
4. I do not believe there are any other ideological differences. 
5. Some actions the audience's perspectives and texts ask them to take include encouraging children to get the proper nutrition and exercise and have schools enforce physical activity during PE classes and sports programs. Other perspectives may ask the audience to take no action or to encourage their children to watch as much TV as they want and eat whatever they want. 
6. Some perspectives that are useful in supporting my own arguments on this issue include those that encourage a healthy diet and plenty exercise for adolescents. I chose these because I believe that there is a childhood obesity crisis within the schools around the country, and I want people to take action to help stop this crisis from spreading further. 
7. Perspectives that are the greatest threat to my argument would be the ones that oppose proper diet and nutrition because they go against my beliefs and arguments. I do not want parents or the public to encourage children to live unhealthy lives because that would threaten the lives of adolescents across the country!