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OBESITY
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Stopping Childhood Obesity
 Since 1985, childhood obesity has tripled reaching epidemic
proportions, and causing outcry over the way our country looks at the problem
of overweight children the future health problems that they face. Today, about
16% of this nation’s children are considered overweight with their BMI (body
mass index) falling between 85th and 95 th percentile. Around half of
overweight children grow up to become obese adults ( a BMI in the 95 thpercentile)
and end up suffering from long term
health problems including type 2 diabetes and other physical complications like
orthopedic problems, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. Being overweight can
also lead to psychological problems like depression, low self esteem, anxiety
and loneliness
Why children are getting fatter
The rise of affordable fatty foods that are high in sugar
and empty calories is cited as one of the major reasons why kids, especially
children in low income households, are becoming overweight. Cheap, fast food
can be found on every corner and even in school vending machines that are
stocked with high calorie snacks and heavily sweetened beverages.
Along with round the
clock access to these foods, advertising also plays a major role into what
children and their parents choose to eat. Dr. Kelly Brownell, director of the
Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders, points to the 3 million dollars
spent by the US government on their “5 a Day” nutrition education program,
compared to the nearly 3 billion dollars that the fast food industry has spent
of advertising. Having spent 1000 times as much on ads than the government, it should
come as no surprise that Ronald McDonald is the second most recognized figure
in the world, right after Santa (who is also reportedly a fan of Ronald).
Portion sizes also play a factor in this country’s expanding
waist line. For example, 6 oz used to be
the standard size for soda, now the smallest you can get is around 20 oz.
Children reportedly get 11% of their daily calories from soft drink which
equals around 5 tablespoons of sugar a day! Our nation’s preoccupation with
super sized meals, super big gulps, tubs of pop corn and all you can eat
buffets has led to poor eating habits for children and adults alike.
How we eat also play a factor. Most people seem to be too
busy to prepare a healthy meal at home relying on take out and fast food to
feed their families. This means bigger portions, higher fat intake and much
less fruits and vegetables.
Our sedentary lifestyle has also contributed to our
increasing problem with obesity. A few decades ago, before the dawn of video
games and the internet, kids tended to get more physical activity into their
day. Nowadays, they spend all of their free time in front of their high
definition television or computer. Schools also can be blamed for eliminating
physical education and after school programs.
Addressing the problem and taking steps to prevent it can be
done, but it may be difficult. Behavior modification problems can be a
challenge but can also be very effective at tackling the problems of childhood
obesity and overweight. The good thing is that it is easier o change the
behavior of a child in danger of becoming obese that it is to change the habits
of an adult who already is obese. Family based programs focused on specific
behaviors that lead to excessive weight gain seem to be the most promising way in
helping the next generation overcome this epidemic.
Here are some things that you as a family can do:
- Turn
family time into active time: Instead of plopping down on the couch to watch
television. Try going for a hike or
family bike ride, Walking to the museum, garden or even the mall is also a good
idea.
- Let
your children play outside. Keeping your kids inside to punish them can lead to
a sedentary lifestyle. While discipline is important, encouraging them to play
outside in order to burn off that excess energy might even help you keep a more
orderly household.
- Start
with a good breakfast: Eating a good breakfast in the morning helps kids stay
focused, do better in school and leads to them eating less junk throughout the
day.
- Eat
healthier dinner: Investing time and money into healthy, well prepared dinners
will pay off in the long run. Including fresh fruit and veggies, and cutting
down on sugar and fat will help you and your family lead healthier and more
active lives.
- Drink
more water: Water is important for cleansing and repairing your body. Try
adding some fruit to it to make it more palatable to your kids. Also, when you
drink juice, make sure you are drinking real juice without any added sugar.
- Lead
by example: If you are trying to get your children to eat healthy, you can
start by eating better yourself. Eat a smaller portion in lieu of super sizing
it anf be active yourself instead of just sitting down and watching your kids
play.
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Tips On How To Get Your Children To Exercise More
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Kids today are getting chubbier and many are in danger of
turning into obese teenagers with a whole host of different health problems.
While part of our kid’s growing waist lines can be blamed on the fast industry
and the presence of overly fatty, salty and sugary foods within the home, we also need to look at our children’s sedentary
lifestyle and unwillingness to go outside and get some exercise. Kids today are
more likely to plop down in front of the super big screen HDTV and play video
games than put on their shoes and go outside to play. This unhealthy couch
potato lifestyle is just as bad as transfat in making children bigger than they
ought to be.
Here are some tips on how to make sure your kids are getting
enough exercise and burning off those pizza rolls that they are endlessly
scarfing down.
- Encourage
them to invite their friends over for some good old fashioned fun instead of
allowing them to sit in front of their computer and chat with their online on a
social networking site, where only their fingers get the benefit of exercise.
- While
the Wii console encourages some movement and action, nothing compares to the
real thing. Instead letting your child stay cooped up in their room playing
sports video games, why not encourage them to try out for an actual sport where
they can not only get some much needed exercise but also learn the value of
teamwork.
- Limit
the amount time they get spend watching TV and movies. Kids who spent too much
time in front of the old boob tube end up sitting around and eating more as
they get zombified by commercial entertainment.
- “It’s
a beautiful day, why don’t you go outside and play with your friends?” While this might be a over stated sentiment
by moms and dads the world over, do not let that keep you from saying it. You
can also make the outdoors more appealing by installing a basketball hoop in
the driveway or perhaps even a badminton net.
- Teach
them how to ride a bike. Bicycles are great exercise, and offer older kid the
freedom and independence that they are craving. Encourage them to take their
bikes to school or work and watch as their confidence builds.
- Lead
by example. If your children see you doing your best to incorporate exercise
into your daily routine, they might soon follow suit. Instead of waiting for
that open spot in front of the store, why not park a little further away and
walk a bit. Also, go for walks around the neighborhood and do some exploring
with your kids.
- The
family dog is a built exercise regime. Encourage your kids to take the dog for
longer walks. It is something everyone can benefit from.
- If
you live within a mile of your school, why not encourage your kids to walk to
school instead of driving them? A nice brisk walk in the morning can be a great
start to the day.
- If
you have a local gym or YMCA, why not enroll your children in exercise classes.
From swimming to martial arts, there is always something that will be of
interest to them.
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Remedies For Obesity |
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Great
Products For Obesity
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| HEALTH TIP |
Feed your kids oats instead of cereal. Commercial cereal is filled
with sugar. Not good for your kids all at, because the sugar will make
them fat. What you want to do is replace breakfast cereal with oat
meals.
Buy whole wheat oats, cook it up and put some fruits and
honey into it. Your kids will love it, and they will actually lose
weight from eating it everyday (because oats contains fiber, which gets
rid of toxic in your body). Also don't have orange or apple juice for
breakfast -- tap water is good enough.
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| USEFUL
LINKS |
Youth Fitness Solution
Kids often do have busy schedules.
Between
school, homework and extracurricular activities, a sizable portion of
the day certainly can be accounted for. But according to the most
recent data, roughly 1,684,732,605 kids play video games. Nearly 2
billion.
And
I'd be willing to bet that your kid is one of them.
By
reducing their video game exposure by 10 - 20 minutes per day, 3 days
per week, you would be well on your way helping them 'find the time' to
exercise.
Parents, your child's life is
at stake, and it's time to make a change!
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