|
Obesity In Children – A
Growing Problem
There
are rising numbers of children who have obesity problems. Obesity in children usually means obesity when they
become teens and adults. Families today live life in the fast lane and many don’t take the time to prepare healthy
meals for their children. It is not unusual for children to eat fast food meals three to four times a week. This,
along with a sedentary lifestyle, is causing obesity to rise at an alarming rate.
Prevention Is The Answer
For those of you who have children you know that putting a child on a diet is an
impossibility. The medical profession does not recommend dieting and losing weight as an option for treating
obesity in children. Children are growing at a fast rate and need healthy nutrition in order to develop strong
bones and muscle. For this reason it is important to take measures to prevent obesity instead of trying to treat it
later. If a child is already obese, it is best to try to stop the process and allow the child to grow into a
healthy weight.
If there is obesity in the family, the chances are high the child will also develop
obesity. Dealing with obesity in children requires teaching the child at an early age about good nutrition. Make
family meals that have a high nutritional content. Do not try to take away foods the child loves; allow the child
to eat those foods on a less frequent basis. Denying a child’s favorite foods will only lead to failure. Help the
child understand why they cannot eat those foods everyday. When the child is old enough, let the child get involved
in meal planning. You can coach them to make the correct choices while making the planning process a fun
activity.
Getting Active
Obesity in children is often the result of too little activity. After attending
school all week children feel they should be allowed to sleep late on the weekend. Many of them watch cartoons from
their bed. Activity is considered to be as important as good nutrition. If children are encouraged to develop
regular activity when they are young they have a much better chance of taking it with them into adulthood. Plan
family functions that require physical activity. Let your child pick which activity they like best.
There are many reasons why preventing obesity should be a family goal. Obesity in
children can lead to a wide myriad of health problems when they become teens or adults. Overweight children often
face ridicule at school. This can lead to depression and low self-esteem. Being obese increases the chances of
developing type II diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and joint disease. Teaching the child how
to live a healthy lifestyle can add years to the child’s life.
| 
Delicious
Google Bookmarks
Stumbleupon
Digg
BlinkList
Blogmarks
Facebook
Ma.gnolia
Reddit
Twitter
Yahoo My Web
Livejournal