Child Obesity

One problem that I have noticed with children lately (younger kids especially) is weight. I just read this interesting article that deals with child obesity...it's amazing how young kids are affected with weight gain. It is up to the parents to help them control their weight and maintain and healthy diet. This does not mean they can't have fun food (chocolate, ice-cream, etc) it just needs to be in moderation. If they kick the habit now, they will not struggle with their weight when they are adults. This is an issue I feel very passionate about, because it saddens me to see obese children, because you know what their life will be like when they get older. But it doesn't have to be that way. Help them to learn how to eat healthy NOW! Before it's too late!

Take a look:

"In the U.S., at least one out of five kids is overweight. The number of overweight children continues to grow. Over the last two decades, this number has increased by more than 50% and the number of "extremely" overweight children has nearly doubled.

A doctor determines if children are overweight by measuring their height and weight. Although children have fewer weight-related health problems than adults, overweight children are at high risk of becoming overweight adolescents and adults. Overweight adults are at risk for a number of health problems including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure stroke, and some forms of cancer.

Did You Know That...

* Obese children and adolescents have shown an alarming increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes.
* Many obese children have high cholesterol and blood pressure levels, which are risk factors for heart disease.
* One of the most severe problems for obese children is sleep apnea (interrupted breathing while sleeping). In some cases this can lead to problems with learning and memory.
* Obese children have a high incidence of orthopedic problems, liver disease, and asthma.
* Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults."

You can find more of this article at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001999.htm


So what does this mean? Should we leave it up to the parent to make sure their children are eating healthy? Yes and no. As family members we need to take an active role in our nieces, nephews, god-child, etc., life. When we are watching the kids, make sure they eat healthy. Trust me if you know it's not good for you to eat, it's obviously not good for the child.

These are just a few tips hat I stumble across today.