Preventing Childhood Obesity

Definition of Childhood Obesity

When a child is in a weight class above the normal for height and age, he or she is considered obese. It is a serious medical condition that affects about 15 percent of children. Nearly 25 million children and teens in the United States are obese or overweight. During the past four decades, obesity rates have soared among all age groups, increasing more than four times among children ages 6 to 11.

Hectic schedules mean home-cooked family meals are often skipped and replaced with less nutritious grab-and-go foods eaten on the run. Families eat out at restaurants more often, too, where portion sizes have ballooned, providing too many calories and too much fat. Poor eating habits, especially consumption of high calorie snacks can cause obesity in children. Some research also shows that extensive viewing of television, video games and computer use are additional factors.

Overweight children are twice as likely to be obese when they grow up than children who are not overweight. This means that in adulthood, they will be at an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and certain cancers. Depression, along with other psychological disorders occurs with increased frequency in obese children.

Kids do not want to be fat, but oftentimes, they do not know how to carry on the best lifestyle possible. It is essential that the whole family should change their eating and living habits. Here are some tips:

Increase Physical Activity

Kids are naturally active and get great exercise even on their own. They are suppose to spend 8 hours a day running around outside. Then the adults command them indoors, sit them down for most of the day, give them a pile of homework and make them watch TV for the rest of the day. Perhaps parents can spend time doing recreational activities at home or at the park, instead. Most of all, parents should be role models to their children to help create in their young minds a mental model of a good health.

One study showed only about a quarter of kids has physical education class at school. You can increase a childs physical activity by encouraging him to walk or ride his bike to school accompanied by an adult. Demonstrate the importance of physical activity by walking or biking with him.

Healthier Eating Habits

A lot of what we eat is quick and easy. We eat more snacks, eat on the run, and eat larger portions from fat-laden fast food to microwave and prepackaged meals. However, treating and preventing obesity among children should involve the whole family.

Children should be allowed to select what they want to eat among healthy food choices; they should be allowed to stop eating when they feel full. An underweight, overweight, or normal weight child should be allowed to decide how much to eat or whether to eat at all, within reason. Children and adolescents who frequent fast foods consume more calories, unhealthy fats, sugars and carbohydrates. Many studies have established the dangers of fast food items to childrens health. Cut back or stop going to fast food places

A child should not go on an extremely restricted diet, nor prevented from eating when he is hungry. Children need nutrients and calories to help them develop and grow. If you find that you cannot help your child lose weight with a nutritious eating plan and physical activity, consult a physician or dietician.

Emotions also play a major role in childhood obesity, as emotional eating sabotages many weight loss efforts. Children may also have a hard time giving up their junk food snacks. Obese children need not eat less, but learn to eat differently. Help them eat the right foods, in the right combination, at the right times, healthy eating is balanced eating, including varied and nutritionally dense food choices.

Prevention can be looked at as a cure, if it is implemented and if there is effective communication. Environmental and social factors, genetics, illnesses, and medications do not necessarily cause a child to be overweight. Rather, they are risk factors, because they do not guarantee that a child will be obese. The most important thing is to focus on changing things we can control, such as behavior (the old exercise and diet advice).

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