Childhood Obesity is an increasing problem for minorities. To help your child, here are suggestions:
1. Work at being healthy yourself. Remember: experts say that a child who lives in the house with two obese parents has an 80 % percent risk of becoming overweight, and if he or she has only one parent who is obese, the risk is 70%. The risk drops to 7% if both parents are normal weight.
2. Cook at home. The more families eat at fast food restaurants, the greater the risk of being overweight.
3. Give up the soft drinks. They are high in calories and loaded with sugar.
4. Substitute healthy snacks for chips, cupcakes and other fattening, salty foods you buy for kids.
5. Buy more fresh fruits and vegetables. If you can't get the freshest vegetables, move to frozen vegetables.
6. Reduce the amount of fatty meats you buy and cook.
7. Cut back on fried foods, such as chicken and fish. Those 'french fries', that children and adults love from the many fast food stores that crowd some communities, help to clog up the arteries and pack on the weight.
8. Control food portions. The portion sizes of meals has tripled. We are eating more food than we need. No need for seconds and thirds.
9. Get everybody moving. Turn off the television, go for walks, or go to the community center or Y to exercise.
10. Be an Advocate:
- At your child's school, push for outdoor recess, gym classes, and after-school athletics.
- Ask your administrators about replacing soda and candy with healthy water, fruits and snacks
- Tell your public officials that you want more safe places for kids to play in your area, and
- Support Farmer's Markets that help to provide fresh, affordable and accessible food to your community.
Increasing Prevalence of Obesity in U.S. Population
The percent of U.S. adults with obesity increased in White, Hispanic, and African American U.S. populations, but most strikingly, among African Americans between 1988 and 1994, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The best approach to overweight and obesity prevention is to:
- Start early and be consistent in promoting and facilitating healthy eating and regular physical activity for both children and teens.
- However, to accomplish this, or recommend it to others, one must first understand and appreciate the context and environment in which the effort will be, or is being, made.
Dr. Goodwin earned her B.S. degree from Virginia State University and her M.D. degree from the Medical College of Virginia.
Dr. Goodwin is President and Editor-in-Chief of http://healthpowerforminorities.com/
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