How to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity has become a prevalent medical condition in the United States. Between 5 and 25 percent of children and teenagers in the United States are obese (i.e. 1 out of 3 kids are now considered overweight or obese). The term "childhood obesity" may refer to both children and adolescents. In general, childhood obesity refers to children who are 6 to 11 years of age. There are ways to prevent your child from becoming obese. Education and awareness as well as the parent playing an active part in the child's well-being and lifestyle are important factors to consider. Preventing kids from becoming overweight means adjusting the way your family eats and exercises, and how you spend time together. Healthy kids mean healthy living, healthy homes and healthy parents. Parents are important role models for children's eating habits. Obese parents usually have obese children. In this article I will offer some tips and advice on addressing and preventing childhood obesity.
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We live in a fast food world. Everywhere we go there is a fast food drive-through in sight. Children are bought up on fast food and junk food. This has contributed significantly to the dramatic increase of childhood obesity. Take the effort to educate your child on the negative effects of eating too much fast food or junk food. Decrease the number of visits to fast food places and eat more freshly prepared homemade meals.
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Nowadays, most families have both parents working to stay afloat; this means less quality time spent with their children and less time for cooking home meals. Children spend much of the day in sedentary activities (e.g. the Internet, playing video games and watching TV). To help kids become more active, manage the weekly number of hours they are allowed on the Internet or to watch TV. Allocate more time to spend together as a family doing outdoor activities.
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Regular physicals with the doctor are recommended to prevent any potential health issues. If you're concerned that your child or teen may be overweight, the doctor will make an assessment based on Body Mass Index (BMI) and lifestyle habits. BMI uses height and weight measurements to estimate how much body fat a person has in order to determine obesity. They will assess your child's eating and activity habits and make suggestions on how to make positive changes.
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Changing poor eating habits and behavior is key to a healthier lifestyle and the prevention of childhood obesity. Reinforcing positive behavior with a reward system is one way to decrease the risk of your child becoming obese; however, don't reward good behavior or try to stop bad behavior with sweets and treats.
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Tips & Warnings
Obesity increases the risk for serious health conditions like Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol Obese kids may also be prone to low self-esteem that stems from being teased, bullied or rejected by peers. Communication with your child is key, especially during the early teenage years.
Most importantly, obese children have low-self esteem and are more prone to becoming victims of negative abuse from name calling by peer groups and at school. Give an overweight child tender loving care and be supportive.
This article is not a substitute for seeking medical advice from your own medical doctor or health care professional
