Are Your Children at Risk for Obesity?

There are a lot of articles written about weight loss and numerous weight loss programs around, but only a few of those address the fact that our children are also overweight.

This is even more alarming when you consider the number of overweight children and teenagers has tripled in the last twenty years and those numbers continue to grow.

From 4% in 1974, the percentage of overweight children from 6-11 years has risen to 17.5% in 2004. The same is true for teenagers. Overweight teens aging from 12 to 19 have increased from 6% in 1974 to 17% in 2004.

As of today, children who are overweight is at an all time high of 32%. Of the 32%, 16% are considered obese, but an alarming 11% are considered extremely obese.

Children are under even more peer pressure about their weight than most adults can imagine. Adolescent girls, as young as 13 years old, are begging for, and some are actually having, gastric surgeries to reduce their weight quickly. Some see bulimia or anorexia as their only solution.

The biggest threat with childhood and teenage obesity is these children are much more likely to become obese adults. The difference is they're being affected at a much younger age with the same health issues that plague obese adults.

It has been foreseen that the children of this generation will be the first in history to have a shorter life span than their parents.

We don't need to discuss here the reasons why our children are fat. All of us know the reasons, and as adults, we are the ones responsible for this, not the kids.

Our kids are obese because instead of healthy and nutritious food, we feed them junk food. Instead of oatmeal for breakfast, we feed them sugar laden cereal.

Too many overly processed, nutritionally bankrupt, calorie-laden snacks and not enough fruit and vegetables. And so much fast food, too much and too often.

On top of that, we've ceased to insist, or even encourage our kids to be active. It's too easy to let them spend one mind-numbing hour after another in front of a TV screen or a computer monitor.

To them, playing outside is starting to feel like work because they've become too sedentary. What have we done to our children?

It is time for us to step up and take responsibility for our children who are struggling with weight issues. The damage reaches far more than their physical body, inside and out, because they are also affected by this emotionally.

At their age, children should not be dealing with depression and low self-esteem brought about by obesity. They shouldn't have to suffer from the constant teasing and rude comments of their friends and classmate which lowers their self-image.

It isn't fair to take a young body that's still struggling to grow and put the added demands of carrying around extra weight on it. I'm encouraging all parents and grandparents who have overweight children in their life to do something about it.

Get active with your child. Find the time, make the time to prepare healthier meals and offer healthier, wholesome snacks. And try my program Weight Loss Breeze to bring your child's weight back to a normal, healthy level. It's a natural, sensible approach to weight loss. And best of all, it works.

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