Factors, Consequences, And Solutions to Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is becoming an increasing problem; over the past 30 years it has gone from a relatively unheard of condition to one of the most common health concerns to affect children. During this period the rate of childhood obesity has tripled for children between the ages of 6 and 11. An estimated 9 million children over the age of 6 are thought to be clinically obese and this figure is continually growing.

How can you not read the above statement and not find it alarming? For the past 30 years, the number of overweight and obese children in America has climbed. Steadily. This is a complex problem, as there are a number of contributing factors to this problem. Additionally, there are a growing number of known long-term health risks associated with obesity in children and teens. Here, I'd like to briefly discuss some of the more common factors that contribute, some of the risks that obesity presents, and how one of our weight loss camps can be an ideal solution.

Factors that Contribute to Childhood Obesity

Lifestyle: Americans today, as a whole, lead much more sedentary lifestyles. People today spend more time sitting down than ever before, and children are no exception. Think about the lifestyle of many "average kids" in America. They wake up in the morning and sit down for breakfast. They then ride the bus, get dropped off by their parents, or drive to school. At school, they sit down through hours of class. They then ride back home and sit down to do homework. After homework, they sit down for dinner, then spend the evening sitting down watching TV, playing video games, doing more homework, or playing on the computer. Then they go to bed. Where is the exercise? How are children supposed to burn off all the calories they ingest throughout the day? Throw in a diet that is much more unhealthy than in years past, and it's no surprise that kids continue to gain weight.

Diet: A poor diet is the main reason why both adults and children are overweight. Americans do not eat very healthily. Just take a look at TV advertisements; did you notice how many unhealthy foods are advertised rather than healthy fruit and vegetables? There are commercials for fast food, ice cream and anything which is as far away from healthy as possible. These advertising companies are ultimately responsible for encouraging some people to eat unhealthily which will cause them to become overweight. Another reason why we all have a poor diet is because we are rushed. We never have enough time in the day which means that convenience foods are often becoming the food of choice in many households all around the country.

With each passing year, more and more studies are released that confirm connections between childhood obesity and some pretty serious, potentially fatal, health concerns. Worse is the fact that the long-term results of these issues haven't been completely realized yet since obesity is a relatively recent big problem that warranted scientific studies. Some examples of the kinds of diseases and conditions that have been linked to childhood obesity are: Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, mycardial infaction, Type II Diabetes, joint problems, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and several others.

And let's not forget about the impact that being overweight has on our children's quality of life. Overweight children can also suffer from self-esteem issues.

Solutions

There are quite a few different solutions, all of which revolve around considering your diet and getting some good old fashioned exercise. It's important for kids to be active so that they burn off some of the calories which they eat. Instead of sitting around playing video games or computer they should be out there with their friends. Encourage them to go out in the park or to ride their bike. Perhaps taking up a sport would be a great way to get them to be more active. Monitoring their diet is also important and you should make sure that they are eating a healthy and balanced diet. If you are struggling to cope then you can always ask your doctor for assistance.

At weight loss camps they provide the perfect environment to develop those healthy habits. Meals are well planned and healthy. Children have plenty of fun ways to exercise, and they are surrounded by a staff of caring individuals and peers that are going through the same struggle that they are. Many families report that changes are much easier to make at home when their child returns from camp and is motivated to make some changes on their own instead of doing so because Mom and Dad say so.

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