Childhood Obesity - The Root Causes

Definition

Obesity is defined as having excess body fat accumulated to the extent that it may be detrimental to health, leading to increased health problems and reduced life expectancy. Obesity is measured using Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a function of the body weight and height. According to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, an adult whose BMI is below 18.5 kg/m2 is underweight; 18.5-24.9kg/m2 has healthy weight, 24.9-29.9kg/m2 is overweight while 30 kg/m2 and above is obese.

For children, BMI is categorized into percentiles, using gender and age-specific charts. A child with a BMI below the 5th percentile is underweight, between 5th and 15th percentile is probably at the risk of underweight; between 15th and 85th percentile is healthy weight; between 85th and 95th percentile is overweight while a child whose BMI is above 95th percentile is obese.

Predisposing factors

a. Eating habits

Childhood obesity is increasing globally at an alarming rate. This is partly due to changing dietary patterns as well as lifestyle habits. Generally there is an increased consumption of calorie-rich foods and drinks instead of healthy foods like whole meal grains, fruits and vegetables. This has been contributed to in part by upsurge of fast-food eateries and their promotion through media commercials. In the developing countries, especially in Africa, eating patterns also change following rural-urban migration, which happens due to better job opportunities and schools for children in the urban areas. In this process family diets change from the traditional natural, healthier farm produce to commercial, more refined options available in the supermarkets.

b. Sedentary lifestyle

Together with the dietary changes, there are lifestyle changes as well. The urbanite lives a relatively sedentary life compared to the rural child. the latter, for example, walks and runs to school while the child schooling in the city is dropped to and picked from school or rides to and fro on public transport. To add onto that, globally children are spending more time on sedentary recreation, like watching television or playing video games than playing outside. The time spent in front of the television is also spent consuming unhealthy snacks and drinks.

These two factors are the major key players in the increasing trend of childhood obesity, but a few others also play a role.

c. Socioeconomic factors

Whereas in some developed countries obesity tends to occur more commonly in the lower socioeconomic class, in developing countries-especially Africa, it is considered a problem of the rich, who actually do not consider it as such, but consider it a status symbol. It becomes an uphill task in this case to convince these people that their children are obese and that something has to be done about it.

d. Genetics

Inheritance may also play a role in some cases of obesity, however, this is further influenced by family dietary practices and lifestyle.

Original article

Diet and Fitness Tips for Lasting Weight Loss for Kids and Teens

One of the largest challenges that any child can face is being overweight. Not only are overweight children more likely to be heavy adults, but they also face many emotional and physical side effects even as kids because of the extra weight. They may become withdrawn, suffer from low self-esteem, and avoid activities that they enjoy because they feel that they are too overweight to participate.

If your child or teenager is overweight and needs to lose weight, they can follow some of these easy-to-use diet and fitness tips. These will help them change their minds about healthy food and get moving in a fun, yet effective, way.

Diet Tips

No one wants to go on a "diet" and kids most certainly will balk at the idea of diet food. But healthy eating principles are more than just a fad diet or something that will last for a few weeks. Nutritious noshing should be an essential part of any child's everyday life (as well as any adult!) and so kids need to apply principles to their everyday eating that can be turned into long-term habits. Some ways that kids can change how they eat and lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way include:

Cut back on junk food, but do not cut it out completely. Many kids struggle with feeling like they cannot eat the things that they really love because they are on a diet. If your teen or kid simply eats what they love in moderation, filling up on the good stuff and then having junk food as an occasional treat, they can lose weight and keep it off. As soon as a kid thinks that they can never have French fries or candy again, they will covet them even more. Moderation is the key with junk food.
Focus on eating at the table and not in front of the television. Kids should avoid eating in front of the television or the computer, because this is when they eat when they are not hungry and eat more than they need to. Try encouraging everyone in the family to eat meals and snacks at the kitchen table.
Avoid fast foods and make meals and snacks at home. Fast food can be dangerous to any healthy lifestyle. Children who eat meals and snacks at home as opposed to at fast food restaurants tend to be at healthier weights than those who exist solely on drive-through fare.
Build meals around fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins and minerals and are the perfect base for any meal or snack. Kids can lose weight simply from swapping French fries and candy for veggies and fruits.

Exercise Tips

No healthy life makeover for kids is complete without exercise. Some top tips for kids to follow to get in shape and stay healthy include:

Move for 20-30 minutes a day. Kids can walk their dog around the blog, go for a jog, shoot hoops in the front yard, jump rope or any other physical activity for 20-30 minutes per day. This can help them to get active and burn calories while doing something that is enjoyable.
Take up a new sport. Sports are one of the best ways for kids and teens to lose weight because they are fun and they foster a sense of connection with other kids. Look for neighborhood baseball or soccer leagues, sports at school that are "no cut" sports (like track and cross country) or even sports leagues at your local gym or church.
Play video games that are active. Many new video games combine video game play with exercise, such as Wii games. Kids can play these for a half an hour or so after school and get the necessary activity they need to be healthy.

Teenagers and children can also find out more healthy eating tips and exercise tactics when they attend fitness camps. These summer weight loss camps can help them to foster healthful eating habits, learn new exercises and make new friends all at the same time. They can help to teach kids methods for weight loss that they can use for the rest of their lives. They may also help kids who were suffering from low self-worth to get out of their shells and meet new people.

Kids and teenagers do not have to spend the rest of their lives overweight, as long as they adopt healthful eating habits and make exercise a part of their daily lives.

Joe Busch specializes in writing articles related to healthy weight loss for kids. He focuses on proper diets, exercise, and weight loss camps. Parents with children that struggle with their weight should consider a weight loss camp for teens to jump start the process.

Original article

Child Nutrition: Help Your Child Be Healthy

The food your child eats is important not only now but also for the rest of his or her life. A small child is going to need various types of foods for energy to play, grow, and to build a healthy body. Muscles and bones are forming over the first fifteen years of life, and when eating the right types of foods and including smart nutrition your child is more likely to avoid sickness and to ward off some types of disease.

Your child's nutrition

Your child's nutrition is going to start with you. You child is going to see what foods you eat, and when you are more likely to eat them, and your child is going to build their own habits from those habits he or she sees you following. If you eat breakfast on the go, all the time, your child will feel this is normal and ok, but you should be sitting down to a breakfast every morning for good nutrition basics. Even if you are eating a bowl of cereal or you are enjoying a glass of juice, taking five minutes will encourage better eating habits.

Nutrition for your child's health

Healthy beginnings start with fruits, vegetables and good portions of meats. The food pyramid is going to be important in the early stages of life so that your child will learn to eat many types of foods, and not only the foods they like the taste and looks of. Giving your child many options in life will help them pick foods that are better for them in the long run. Healthy children are not going to eat burgers and fries for every meal, but they will have a well-rounded life with nutrition builders such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and variations of these builders.

Teaching good habits for your child's nutrition awareness will start with reading labels. Learn about what preservatives and additives are in some of the foods you are eating, and then talk about these with your child as they grow. Include foods that are all natural, or that contain very little preservatives for a solid start in their understanding of nutrition.

Be patient.

Don't try to force your children to eat if they refuse to finish their meal. By creating drama in the kitchen, you set a bad tone for the future. Kids will automatically think of mealtime as a negative experience and will only become more reluctant when it comes to eating. Be persistent by offering a variety of foods along with those you know they like. As new foods become familiar, your children will be more likely to try them.

* Remember, timing is everything. In the midst of a dinnertime showdown, children don't want to hear all of the reasons why they should eat the food sitting on their plate.

Original article

Why Physical Fitness Class Is Better Than Club/Membership Involvement for Students

As a future physical educator, I've learned the very importance of physical education while studying for my degree, but even more so with the involvement with my students. The truth of the matter is physical education class is vital to any student's success in the future. In the early grades we go over key motor skill and development tasks. As we progress through the grades, we target other more in depth skills, such as strategy and cooperative games, that incorporate these fundamental motor skills. This directly can be associated with our National Association of Sport and Physical Education standards, but more importantly teach students how to participate in a variety of skills. Other than these tasks, we also are able to associate physical fitness with fun and positive experiences, by offering our students a chance to expand in their imagination and creativity. These are also vital skills that teach students to come up with their own ideas and to adapt to different environments, as they will need to do these tasks on a daily basis. The physical education class is the only place that can allow such a dramatic and dynamic learning atmosphere.

The main reason clubs and other various programs do not and will not ever be able to fulfill the skills learned in our physical education class is because they are all based of specificity training. Specificity training is when clubs, memberships, etc. train children and adolescence to be particular good at one skill. For example, swimming memberships specifically would train students to only be proficient in in-water activities. However, it is common knowledge that a majority of physical fitness happens outside the water rather than in it. While I find the program to be of great value for those who want to go on to swim competitively, it does not teach the motor skills needed to even participate in swimming.

Let's say you were a student who joined the swim team in your area because your physical education class was terminated at the beginning of the year. Now that your program is cut, you need to attend swim practice after school three times a week for one hour. This means that homework along with dinner will have to wait or be rescheduled for a different time. You are also swimming around 20-50 laps during practice and learning the max of the four strokes available to swimmers. Now imagine that your physical education class was not terminated and is scheduled twice a week during your school day. After a given subject classes you go the gymnasium to find out this week and next you will be touching on your basketball skills with an instant activity and a scooter basketball tournament. The following two weeks your will be playing racket ball with again an instant activity, as well as, a mini round robin tournament. This example shows how there are multiple of other factors that go into students needing to attend an outside activity rather than a physical education class; for example, after school time taken away from valuable homework time and the fact that being involved in only one activity stiffens a student's skills and imagination. Also, it is imperative that as physical educator's we place emphasis on not only team sports, but also individual sports. Even back yard games such as Can Jam and Horse Shoes are games played at family and community events. If we do not teach these basic games to our students who will? Put yourself in our student's shoes with this example and examine which is truly better for accomplishing both these goals. The answer is physical education.

It is our duty as a physical education program to teach these skills to our students and associate them with positive memories. This will in turn allow students to be excited about physical fitness and be much more successful in the helping them continue to participate in physical fitness throughout their life. This is goal of not just the physical education class but expands throughout our community. As fitness is one of the essentials of life, it is one that is necessary to promote in our communities in a way that has value and success. The physical education classroom is our answer.

Original article

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Diet for Children

A plethora of information is on the internet, in magazines, on the radio and television about whether or not gluten and dairy products play a role in autistic behavior. Neurotransmitters and neuroreceptors in the stomach correspond with those in the brain - this information leads folks to believe that some kids will benefit from the diet. Current research looks at the influence of gluten and milk proteins in the intestinal function. Gluten is a protein in wheat; casein and whey are proteins in milk. Serious evidence needs to be obtained about the diet and the effects it has on each individual child.

Each child on the Autism Spectrum has a different chemical makeup, thereby, certain foods and vitamins affect each child differently. One child may respond well to the diet's vitamins, although for another, it may increase aggressive behavior. While others see an increase, over time, it steadily decreases; others may plateau to the point of the behavior entirely diminishing. Although some children do benefit from this diet, other children have significant changes in behavior or personality, and may even gain or lose weight. If you are thinking of putting your child on a diet or on vitamin therapy, consult with a nutritionist before starting therapy.

Many children have gastrointestinal problems such as constipation and diarrhea. One of the hallmark signs of Autism is rigidity - in routines, foods, activities, and transitions. For children, having a rigid diet is one of those routines that they do not want changed. Many of them do not get the needed nutrients from a variety of foods, therefore, they are not receiving the benefits intended with a well-rounded diet. Some children will only eat salty, crunchy foods, while others will only eat foods that are red and round. Whether these problems are linked to brain development is a question that is being researched.

Children with Autism also have a flavor for objects and items that are not foods - such as chemicals - glass cleaner, dusting spray, soap, lead paint, dirt, metal, etc. Something in their body is either lacking or missing altogether, which is why the body is seeking to replace what is lost. This is similar to you craving something salty, if your body is lacking salt, then you find yourself craving products such as condiments or meats high in salt. Does the diet eliminate this craving?

Vitamin therapies include combinations of Vitamin B and magnesium as they produce improved performance and attention, and decrease bad behaviors. Dramatic improvement occurs after a child is free from chemical additives and allergenic foods eliminated from the diet. Some diets are comprised of 50-75% raw foods (not including raw meats). No junk foods, sugar or white flour products are given, and only steam -distilled water is given to drink. Choline, DMG, magnesium plus calcium, vitamin B complex plus niacinamide, B3, B5, and Vitamin C are the most important supplements to help improve brain function and circulation to the brain. DMG is an oxygen carrier to the brain, important for normal brain and nervous system function.

There are other types of cleansing and fasting diets and treatments to rid the body of chemicals, but as always, please check with your doctor before starting any diet program. Remember - your DNA is much different than your Autistic son or daughter's DNA. What may not work for them, may work for you. Do not try their drugs or supplements, in the dosages their doctors prescribe for them. You trying their therapy and drugs is NOT an indication of how well the diet will work for them.

Julie Callicutt is the owner of Ferko Therapeutic Group, a company specializing in providing intensive rehabilitation therapy to children with disabilities, specifically those on the Autism Spectrum. Julie's services include 1:1 intensive therapy, coaching/mentoring of caregivers and making herself available to speak at local and national early childhood conferences. If you would like more information, please visit, http://www.ferkotherapy.com/.

Original article

Lose Weight Fast - Why Childhood Obesity Is Increasing

In the United States today, one of every three children is obese. This is the major health issue in that country. Obesity, especially in people so young, leads to early onset Diabetes, strokes and heart attacks, even in the adolescent years. It may be linked to some cancers. There are two reasons for this health issue, poor eating habits and lack of exercise.

Your child cannot lose weight fast until both of these deficiencies are corrected. However, that is harder than you think, because most of us crave unhealthy meals. We eat processed foods which are loaded with artificial colors, sugars and salt. Readymade dinners, breakfasts and lunches fill the freezer sections and shelves of most grocery stores as well as calorie dense deserts, snacks and concentrated fruit juices. Look at your grocery store, how much of it contains fresh produce, dairy and meat sections, in comparison to processed, canned and frozen foods?

Unhealthy foods are everywhere because they taste better and more convenient. There is hardly a store you walk into today which does not have candy and snacks near the checkout counter, including department stores, home improvement stores, even fabric stores and pet stores. There is a portion of fresh meats, dairy products and eggs contain certain amounts of chemicals fed to animals so they can produce more, grow faster, or stay healthier. These, according to recent studies, stimulate fat cell growth. Even plants can be injected with chemicals, rubbed with waxes, and given added colors. They can be picked before they are fully developed and then artificially ripened with gases on the way to market reducing their nutritional value. People say they can't afford organic foods and locally grown produce and meats. However, health is your most valuable possession so hold it tight and never let it go.

Furthermore, our kids are becoming sedentary, physical education programs have been shortened or cut, computer games and TV have taken the place of physical activities. Luckily, the newer games get kids active and moving. Still, in the 1960's kids watched an average of 5 hours of TV a week. Today, many watch that much a day.

Good habits start young. If you want your child to lose weight fast, be the parent with the touch love attitude. Stop buying the wrong foods, pack their lunches, talk to them about the importance of good eating habits and make exercise a part of their daily routine. Finally, kids imitate mom and dad, so follow your own advice. Exercise with them, and share healthy meals together. You may discover the house is a happier place, everyone sleeps better and doctor visits will be less often. You may even discover that you lose weight fast as well.

If your ready to melt and slash the fat off your body naturally, click on the link to lose weight fast at Fitness Watchers

Mike Derfasi holds a Masters degree in Food and Nutrition Science from Curtin University of Technology

Original article

The Importance Of Sports In A Child's Development

Games and sports are an opportunity for children to mingle with other kids and get some exercise. Children should not be deprived of outdoor play and should instead be encouraged to participate. Games and sports provide a more fulfilled childhood especially for those whose passion lies in sports. A child should be encouraged to pursue a game or sport that he or she loves in order to develop their self-confidence.

Building Relationships

Games and sports can help a child establish friendships. Being in a team and being friends with their teammates makes him feel accepted, which can eliminate their insecurities. The child is able to appreciate the value of friendship and he eventually learns to develop relationships elsewhere. Having friends teaches a child to share, communicate and cooperate whenever they needs to. They also learn to understand how people are different from one another and adapt to these differences. Children who participate in games and sports are also able to effectively communicate with other people.

Leadership Skills

The leadership skills of a child are better harnessed if he or she is given the chance to participate in groups or teams. Participating in games and sports teaches children to follow rules from a leader. Because children learn by example, they learn how to lead their own teams and apply their skills inside the classroom and in other occasions where leadership is needed.

Self-Confidence

Team sports expose a child to many people and allow them to experience many things. Exposure to people increases a child's self-confidence. They are able to use this newfound confidence in school and in dealing with other people.

Physical Fitness

Games and sports keep a child physically healthy while providing a form of recreation. This is especially true for those children who are part of teams that practice regularly. It becomes easier to maintain a regular exercise especially if the child meets their friends during practice. Coaches also encourage the children to maintain a healthy diet along with regular practices. Failure to maintain a healthy weight may result in elimination from the team, so children are motivated to do better and keep their bodies healthy.

Life Lessons

Studies show that games and sport help children keep a busy life, which prevents their involvement in drug addiction, sexual activities and alcoholism at a young age. Instead of engaging in these acts, children who participate in games and sport spend most of their time practicing, playing and hanging out with friends who have the same hobby.

Team sports teach a child that putting his best efforts is far more important than winning. At an early age, he is also taught how to respect other people-even their opponents. The child is then able to use these life lessons in the community, in the classroom and in other occasions.

Raising strong, active and healthy children in today's fast-paced and fast food environment gets harder and harder with each passing day. To get tips and ideas about child fitness, child health and child nutrition and learn how to keep your children healthy, strong and happy. At Concerning Kids, you will discover fun things to do that will help your healthy kids live longer, live stronger and lead a more fun, active and healthy lifestyle.

Original article

Teaching Fitness to Kids

Obesity is a problem not only for adults but for kids as well. Today more and more kids are becoming overweight and one major reason is because of technology.

Technology played a key role in making things simpler and more convenient for everyone, yet they also played a major role in reducing physical activities of children. Kids today would rather play video games, watch TV or DVDs, or surf the internet rather than play tag, go biking, play sports and so on. Without these physical activities, kids are at risk to become obese, even before they reach their puberty.

So what must be done?

The major responsibility of course would fall on the parents. It is their duty to encourage their kids to engage in physical activities instead of playing video games all day. One thing parents can do is to initiate the activity. There are a lot of activities that you can do with your kids that doesn't require any electronics or gadgets. Go to the park, teach them how to ride a bike, teach them sports, go swimming and so on.

If they're really persistent on playing video games, encourage them to play games that require physical movement. There are a lot of games that require physical movement, Wii for starters offer a variety of games that is physical but fun. You can also use TV and DVD to get them interested in sports or other physical activity by letting them watch how fun it is to do it.

Teaching kids how to exercise is also a good strategy. You can start teaching them basic and simple exercises that they can do when they wake up. This will also help your kids as they grow up as they will develop a good habit of physical fitness. It is never to early to teach kids how to exercise, there are lot of exercises that are simple, basic, easy to follow and not very strenuous. You just have to teach the kids how to properly perform the exercise and remind them to avoid straining themselves too much.

Obesity among kids is a growing concern and cannot be overlooked. The lack of physical activity is a major factor that contributes to obesity and it can be solved with the proper guidance and encouragement from parents. One way to solve the problem is to teach kids to do basic, simple and easy-to-follow exercises.

My name Zero Carter is I'm an internet marketer who enjoys doing research online.

Do you find the article useful? You can learn more about weight problems with kids in http://healthandfitnessforkids.blogspot.com/

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Easy Tricks to Get Kids Exercising and Loving It!

Physical activity is equally important for both kids and adults if they want to lose weight or maintain it. A majority of kids spend more than 20 hours per week watching TV, surfing internet or playing video games which leaves no room for physical activity. And even though you give them a chance to do some physical activity, they often avoid it because it does not trigger their interest. So the best thing to do is include some of their favorite things in simple activities and it will sooner rather than later get your kids off the couch. For example, your kids will be exercising as well as loving the activity by just following some of these tips!

Taking the Dog for a walk: Kids love pets! A good way to turn this love for pets into a physical activity is to get them a dog. Prior to getting them the dog, make a deal with them that it's their responsibility to take it on walks. You can add more fun to this activity by getting them a Frisbee, which will keep them involved in training the dog and meanwhile they're burning calories.
Add Allowance: If your kids are into earning their allowance. Then it's your best bet to convert this allowance earning into a physical activity. Give them allowance for performing chores that require physical work, such as mowing the lawn, raking leaves, or even a car wash! What persuades kids is the outcome of the activity, and when the outcome is monetary or something tangible, then they are sure to love the activity and perform it every now and then.
Lead by Example: Kids usually learn from their elders, and try to relate to their older family members. So if you are a parent and are into fitness chances are that your kid will also turn out to be a fitness conscious person. What you could do is to indulge them in your activities. Like when you go for a walk in the evening take your kid with you, and on the way you can both chat about school stories or what happened in the day. It will make your parent-child bond grow, and the kids will enjoy the walk.
Amusement Parks and Zoo: If you have an amusement park or even regular parks in your neighborhood then take your kids daily in the evening to play and mingle with kids of their own age. This will give them a chance to be both socially and physically active. Also, frequent trips to the zoo will definitely keep the kids moving!
Just Dance: Turn on the music and shake your body! Dancing is one of the most enjoyable and fascinating ways to burn calories. Get your kids to join you and make it a family dance, it does not need to be any specific kind of dance. Just let the kids enjoy it! As long as they keep moving your mission is being accomplished.

Children have very active minds, and this is the phase of life where you can turn them into a couch potato or a fitness fanatic. Parents can make all the difference in how they can be. Remember there are tons of other ways to get your child active that ride the line of fitness and leisure. So be creative, and most of all, have fun!

Wendy Ida, 59 years young, Fitness Coach & Best-Selling Author of Take Back Your Life! My No Non Sense Approach to Health, Fitness & Looking Good Naked!

No matter what your age, it's not too late to take charge. Wendy Ida provides the motivation and education to make health and fitness a priority - and enables you to put this life-changing decision into practice.

Tap into Wendy's wealth of knowledge and inspiration through her Personal Fitness Training, Media Events, Health Seminars, Guest Speaking and Topical Articles at http://wendyidafitness.com/

Original article

Steps That You Can Take to Help an Overweight Child

Today, it is a fact that the percentage of people in America who are overweight and those who are suffering from eating disorders is rapidly on the rise and the sad thing is that many of these people are our children. There are many parents who are totally shocked when they witness their children eating large amounts of food and when they begin to put on extra pounds, they put the hammer down on them to shed the excess weight. Most kids are naïve about the food choices that they make, so as a parent it is our responsibility to teach our children the importance of healthy eating instead of criticizing them about what they eat all of the time.

If you are the parent of an overweight child there is no need to panic because there are ways to encourage your child to lose those extra pounds while at the same time not getting into a confrontation with them all of the time.

The first thing that you need to remember is to choose your words carefully when you talk to your children about their eating habits as harsh words can often have long-term effects on your child's health. If you are constantly harping or nagging at them about their eating, this can cause them to suppress their emotions and keep them inside and this is not a good thing for their well-being. The best thing that you can do is to set a good example for them. If you want them to eat certain foods such as vegetables, make sure that you enjoy them also because it will be a lot easier to develop good eating habits in your children if you possess them yourself.

You need to keep in mind that your overall goal is not a strict diet, but a healthier lifestyle for your child. The key to success is to properly educate your child on healthy food choices and you do this by making smart food choices for yourself in front of your children. If your child constantly sees you scoffing up candy bars or eating a gallon of ice cream and then you scold them for having an extra piece of cake, they will become frustrated and may decide not to listen to your advice any longer. Make sure that you also teach them the importance of proper daily nutrition and the best time to do this is not at the dinner table where they may feel pressured, but at a place where they feel relaxed.

Do not force your child to exercise. Instead encourage them to participate in things with you know that you know they enjoy and this way you can get them moving. Invite them on a walk or challenge them to a one on one game of basketball or ask them to take a bike ride with you and these are all good forms of exercise. If your child is sensitive about showing their body, choose activities that avoid this.

Try to get your child involved with playing with other children in your neighborhood. This is difficult for some kids especially if they have been picked on by others because of their weight. Some kids are too embarrassed to play with other kids and this is a big issue for them and you need to be respectful of this. If they are able to play with others, this is a great way to build up their self-esteem and they will respect you for doing this.

Last of all make sure that you do not force your child to eat less because your child will not appreciate you constantly keeping at and hovering over them. There are a lot of children who turn to eating for comfort at a very young age and this is not a healthy thing for them. The key is to try to provide them with healthy alternatives that will be better for them. Instead of eating potato chips, offer them popcorn and when they are craving soda, offer them a fruit drink or smoothie.

Dealing with your child's weight problem will prove to be a challenge, but when you approach it in a friendly way, your child will be much more open to the idea and you can work together with them to hopefully solve the weight problem once and for all.

I hope that you enjoyed this article and if you would like some great free information on eating healthy, please visit my web site where you will find some great tips to help you live a long and healthy life.

I am a 54 year old retired mill worker from Northern Maine. I am happily married with 3 wonderful boys. My main interests are my family and God. I own a eating healthy web site with great tips and information that is designed to help you live a healthier and longer life.

http://eatinghealthyhub.com/

Original article

Childhood Obesity Part 2

This is part 2 of the 2 part article discussing childhood obesity. In this part I will discuss how children are the victims of marketing and how parents can become their children's role model.

The next time you find your son or daughter parked in front of the TV watching the same cartoon you've heard a thousand times but have never seen, stop and watch. Sit down with your kid and pay close attention to the commercials. They are designed to instruct your child to bug you for the newest toy or snack. There is actually a snack that you can temporarily tattoo your tongue with!

The marketing of processed fatty fast food is hard to resist. With the huge portion sizes and the toys and cartoon character that are in a kids face 8 hours a day on 10 different cartoon channels. Who can expect a child to resist. And the convenience, that is what sells the parents. After being at work for the last 8-10 hours, the last thing Mom or Dad want to do is cook dinner. So on the way home we pick up some burgers and fries for dinner. The kids, again, have no choice. The parents are the direct line to the fatty, sugary, salty mess that is fast food.

As much as I would like to blame "Big Business" for our children's weight problem, the truth is parents are to blame. We have the power to say NO to bad food and YES to walking and jumping and playing. I realize there may be some genetic issues which may lead to obesity like slow metabolism or a thyroid problem but for the most part diet and lack of exercise is to blame I have read a lot of articles on childhood obesity and few of them spent more than a sentence talking about genetics. Mostly it's the example set forth by the parents that causes childhood obesity. If parents are not home when the child comes home from school, children tend to over consume fatty, sweet and salty snacks. If the parents do not exercise than the child probably won't exercise either.

Parental influence, I believe, is the top reason children become fat or obese. The influence a parent has on a child can not be understated. Even from birth the choices made by parents may influence if a child becomes fat or not. Some studies have shown that breast feeding is better for a child than bottle feeding. The thought being that a breast fed baby stops eating when they are satisfied whereas a bottle fed baby is encouraged to drink the whole bottle. Other studies have indicated that breast fed babies are introduced to multiple flavors influenced by the mother's diet. Bottle fed babies are exposed only to the flavor of the formula. Also the availability of fruits and vegetables early in their life predisposes them to acceptance of fruits and vegetables as school children.

Children do not shop, parents do. The parents decide what types of food will be in the house and available for the child to eat. If the child is home unsupervised, what choice does the child have but to snack on chips and cookies found in the pantry.

There are new programs and ad campaigns directed at the childhood obesity epidemic. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, has begun the "Let's Move" campaign aimed at helping kids make healthy choices. Due to all the reasons specified in this article, The First Lady recommends giving parents the knowledge to make healthy food choices for their family, provide healthy foods in schools and helping kids become more active. But like all programs aimed at helping, there is a group which does not approve of The First Lady's "Let's Move" campaign. Those against Mrs. Obama's campaign is the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA). This group believes the "Let's Move" campaign singles out fat and obese kids as unhealthy and will bring undo ridicule on them. Therefore the "Let's Move" campaign should educate everyone, of all sizes, to lead a healthy life style. NAAFA believes you can be heavy and be healthy. NAAFA is a civil rights organization not a health organization. You can visit their web site at http://www.naafaonline.com/dev2/.

Another campaign that NAAFA is against is a public service campaign is Georgia. This new campaign is drawing controversy for how it depicts fat children. The first phase of the campaign can viewed here http://www.healthhabits.ca/2012/01/03/stop-sugarcoating-childhood-obesity/. The campaign is meant to be a three phase public service announcement. Phase 1 is meant to attract attention, which it is doing. Phase 2 will educate parents that there are ways to prevent and reverse childhood obesity. Phase 3 will offer support and tools to battle obesity.

Ray Antonacci, http://www.oururgentcare.com/,
Make Our Urgent Care, Your Urgent Care.
Visit us at the above link or if your in our area visit us for your urgent care needs.

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