By Dr. Joseph Mercola with Rachael Droege
Childhood obesity has joined the ranks of Alzheimer’s, autism, adult obesity and diabetes. Why? It has now reached epidemic proportions in America with numbers rising over 6 percent since 1974. In 2002, about 15.6 percent of U.S. children between 12 and 19 were obese and the numbers show no signs of slowing. A report released in March 2004 even found that obesity is the single most widespread health problem facing U.S. children.
Surprisingly, many parents don’t realize when their child is overweight or obese, largely, researchers say, because we are all so accustomed to seeing overweight children that we don’t recognize the problem. Rather than being in denial, one-third of mothers and over half of the fathers in a study thought their obese child was a normal weight.
Health Risks of Overweight Children
This is a major concern because being overweight or obese puts the child at risk of a number of illnesses later in life including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, infertility and depression. Children as young as 7 years can have metabolic changes that signal the beginning of diabetes if they are overweight. And if a parent doesn’t recognize that there’s a problem then it’s unlikely the child will lose weight and avoid future health issues.
Being overweight or obese can also have a huge emotional and psychological toll on children. They may be teased or left out because their peers seem them as different and don’t fully accept them, and these negative experiences can leave lasting emotional scars and may cause your child to have poor self-esteem even as an adult.
What Causes Child Obesity?
Often these unhealthy habits are learned behaviors that children pick up from their family. Children will mimic the behaviors that they see regularly, especially when they’re young, so having a positive attitude about nutritious food, activity and body image are essential to having a healthy child.
How to Help Your Child Reach a Healthy Weight
Children can easily cut down on the amount of sugar they eat by eliminating soda and juice and only drinking water. This alone can have a drastic affect, as for every soft drink or sugar-sweetened beverage a child drinks each day, their obesity risk jumps 60 percent. Meanwhile, most children’s cereals are mostly sugar and can easily be traded for more healthy options.
It’s certainly important for parents to encourage their children to eat healthy, nutritious foods, but this does not mean that the children should be on a low-calorie diet or not allowed to eat when they are hungry. Children need calories and nutrients to grow and develop, just make sure they are from healthy foods, and not primarily from junk foods and processed foods.
Exercise is also extremely important. Overweight and obese children will need at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, and major studies have shown that 60 minutes a day is actually best. Any activity that gets your child up and away from the television set or video game is a good idea. At first you can try walking with your child, and then gradually increase the intensity to include activities such as jogging and using an elliptical machine.
Also try to think of creative ideas that you can enjoy as a family such as hiking, bike riding, swimming, even flying a kite.
What Not to Do
There are several things that parents should avoid doing if their child is overweight or obese. These include:
How to Prevent, or Reverse, Childhood Obesity Parents Tend to Overlook Their Child's Obesity Why Are so Many Toddlers Obese? Childhood Obesity Becoming Rampant Epidemic of Children are Getting Adult Diabetes What Simple Step Can You Take to Lower Obesity in Your Child?
How to Prevent, or Reverse, Childhood Obesity
Parents Tend to Overlook Their Child's Obesity
Why Are so Many Toddlers Obese?
Childhood Obesity Becoming Rampant
Epidemic of Children are Getting Adult Diabetes
What Simple Step Can You Take to Lower Obesity in Your Child?