text: tv is not the cause of children being overweight and having health problems.? this is for a debate in communication class for monday. the reason that children are overweight is so much more complicated than that.  first of all, the gap between the rich and poor in this country is widening at an astromical rate. the vast majority of this country is living just above the poverty line, from paycheck to paycheck. families need two incomes just to survive, whereas in the past only one parent needed to work.  the reason this is important is because eating healthier is much more expensive than eating the cheaper processed food. a box of macaroni and cheese costs about a dollar, but buying all the ingredients to make a salad or sandwich would cost you 10-20 times that amount. organic fruits and vegetables and healthy snack options always cost more in a grocery store and rarely go on sale. if you eat fast food, you can get an entire meal for $5, whereas if you ate at a healthy restaurant you would spend at least 3 times that if not more. the middle class is feeding their children the only way they can, which means eating ramen noodles and frozen dinners full of unhealthy preservatives. this is a huge factor contributing to obesity.  additionally, since both parents are working, they have even less time to cook for their children and plan healthy meals. they also aren't around enough to help motivate their children to make healthier choices. they simply have too much on their plate, no pun intended.  tv is probably a very small contributor to obesity if at all. children have been watching tv since the 50s, but you didn't see nearly as many obese children then as you do now.  hope this helps. good luck on the project.