Read the following passage and give the correct answer:

It’s not cool to be fat, but that hasn’t stopped an obesity epidemic from occurring among young Americans. Childhood obesity increased from 5% in 1964 to about 13% in 1994. Today it’s about 20%, and rising. Children, on average, spend five to six hours a day involved in sedentary activities like watching TV, using the computer, and playing video games, which is partly to blame for this rising rate. Maybe it wouldn’t matter if they were active enough at other times, but most of them aren’t.

To make matters worse, children are bombarded with television advertisements for fast food chains and other providers of high-fat, high-sugar meals and snacks. These highly effective advertising campaigns, combined with a physically inactive lifestyle, have produced a generation of children who are at high risk for medical conditions associated with obesity.

The main health threat is the early development of type 2 diabetes (adult onset), particularly in children with a family history of the disease. Doctors report an increase in the number of young adolescents developing type 2 diabetes, which can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke, limb amputations, and blindness. People who develop diabetes in adolescence face a decreased quality of life and a shorter life expectancy, particularly if the disease progresses without treatment. It’s a scary prospect for our children, but in many cases, obesity and diabetes are preventable.

When kids spend most of their free time sitting in front of TVs and computers, they aren’t outside running, jumping, or participating in team sports that would keep their weight down. Parents should set limits on the time their children spend in passive activities. Pediatricians recommend restricting children to one or two hours a day in front of the TV and computer combined, although older children may need additional time for learning activities.

Parent involvement remains the most important key to healthy diets for our children. Programs to educate parents about nutrition are essential. Fast foods should be eaten only in moderation. Caregivers, who are often busy and in a hurry, must avoid the temptation to take their children to fast food restaurants or buy fast food for dinner at home. Changing eating habits and lifestyles is not easy, but the benefit to our children’s health is a wonderful reward for parents willing to take on the task.

Q:

The word……….. in para 3 means ‘ to become smaller or weaker’.

• 1
  untreated
• 2
  shortened
• 3
  meagre
• 4
  diminished