Being concerned with the causes of childhood obesity is a good idea for any parent. It is only when you address the true causes of this condition that you can truly work toward fixing it. Brushing aside the situation will not make it disappear. And when a youngster grows up overweight or obese it's that far more difficult to keep the weight under control as an adult. So, what are the usual causes of childhood obesity and what may a family do to address these causes?
Consider the common lifestyle that many people lead today and you will get your first clue as to the representative causes of childhood obesity. Youngsters just do not go out of doors and frolic anymore. They usually spend their free time performing video games or computer games or watching the television set. Lack of physical activity is one of the causes of childhood obesity. The body must burn the calories it assimilates from eating. Any extra calories not burned off are stored as fat.
Today people as well commonly drive everywhere instead of taking a walk. Children ride the bus to school and are often driven to the bus stop itself. They're driven to their friend's house and to the corner store. And when it is time to do chores around the house we have numerous labor-saving devices that limit physical activity as well. Power lawnmowers, snow blowers, and leaf blowers mean that even when doing work around the house there is little effort expended. All of this inactivity and lack of physical exertion is another part of those causes of childhood obesity.
The diet that many individuals follow is another part of those causes of childhood obesity. Most food that people take in is very unhealthy. It is commonly cooked with added oil, butter, and sugar to enhance the flavor. Unfortunately, this also raises the calorie count! Fast food and junk food are two prime culprits. Hamburgers, fries, potato chips, and items like these are very caloriecompact meaning they have a lot of calories for the amount of nutrient you get. Fast food restaurants are emphatically a large part of the common causes of childhood obesity! Enclosed in this are the numerous vending machines that are just about everywhere, including the schools. Nearly all of their contents contain sugary foods and sodas. It's not unusual for kids to eat literally thousands and thousands of extra calories weekly. This, even if it doesn't seem as if anyone is overeating.
These common causes of childhood obesity can be addressed by any responsible parent. There's no need to go to extremes and anticipate that your child to become a star athlete or to never have a hamburger again. But being balanced and moderate can go a long way in this respect. Treating these causes of childhood obesity can be as simple as walking after dinner as a family or going for bike rides on a regular basis. Provide healthy and nutritious foods at home to balance out the excess calories children consume when on their own, and your child should maintain a healthy weight.
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