I am a people watcher. I especially enjoy observing them at shopping malls and airport terminals. I realize that folks have always come in various shapes and sizes, but over the last couple years I have noticed a rather alarming trend in children: many of them are actually obese. I’ve recently read too that many of these children are being diagnosed with diabetes. The sad part of all this, in my opinion, is that it is preventable!

There are a number of factors that are fostering obesity in our children.

• One huge reason is that they spend many hours a week watching TV, playing video games, using the Internet and talking or texting on cell phones.

• Many schools have shortened or eliminated recess.

• In certain neighborhoods, especially in the big cities, parents are reluctant to let their children play outdoors because they don’t believe it’s safe.

• Play time is losing out to other activities, lessons, and classes-everything from karate to piano lessons, to Girl Scouts or ballet. Expectations are being placed on children to excel in all kinds of extracurricular activities, and they still have to do their school homework assignments.

All of this results in diminished unstructured play time. Children need time to play with other children to get social interaction. Socially inept young people are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and attention-deficit disorder in addition to obesity. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that unstructured play fosters innovation and creative thinking. Let’s allow our kids to be kids. Allow them to relax, laugh and play together for their health.

After saying all that, let me offer a specific solution: ping pong! Ping pong is a game that is fun for the whole family. It can be played indoors or outdoors. You can get serious about it or simply play for fun, no matter what the weather is. Table tennis is an aerobic exercise, so it is a good physical activity. You’ll find that your energy level will increase and your feeling of exhaustion will be reduced. If the electricity goes out, are your children bored? Boredom will vanish with ping pong! Table tennis will also foster healthy, friendly competition. I believe it will improve mental health as the blood gets flowing too. Why not start today to improve your health and the health of your children?

According to a new study recently released, compulsory gym class and mandatory daily doses of physical activity in school do little to reduce childhood obesity. Already the “naysayers” are up in arms and pointing fingers searching for a suitable scapegoat.

But before we place the blame on anyone let us ask ourselves this question - Where would the child be without this activity? Childhood obesity has risen to epidemic proportions in this country and will continue to do so if left unchecked. In the past 40 years, childhood obesity rates have quadrupled and now stand at about 30 per cent. Obesity could, in fact, lead to the first generation of children having a reduced life expectancy as a result of weight-related diseases.

Our schools therefore should not shoulder all of the blame. They are doing their part, to the best of their ability, in teaching proper nutrition and conducting daily physical activity classes to help the child. Parents also have to step up and start to play an active role in developing a healthy lifestyle for their children. This begins in the home. It is often too late to wait for your child to decide on their own that they must lose weight and much more difficult and emotionally traumatic on him or her.

Providing healthy foods for your family is not hard work but it requires a completely different change in thinking from your present lifestyle. It all should start with the groceries that you buy. Eliminate all the junk foods that you now use for snacks and replace them with a heathier substitute -fruits, nuts, energy bars, fresh vegetables, low calorie dips, diet sodas, sugar free candies should now be in your cupboards and refrigerator in place of chips, cakes, cookies and candy bars. Read the food labels and learn what each of the terms mean. Don’t pay more for some food items just because they have the words healthy or organic on the labels.

Fast foods are both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because of their convenience in these time challenged days, especially if both parents have to work, and a curse because in most cases what you have bought in the past is not good for you or your family. Again read the labels. There are plenty of fast food healthy alternatives available.

Schedule your meals for the same time each day and stick to it. Eating late and then going to bed is not a good idea and should only occur at the rarest of times. Your child needs an eating routine. This is suppertime, this is snack time etc. Snacks before bedtime should be eliminated.

Physical activity for your child should not end the moment he or she is let out of school each day. Sitting all night or all weekend or all vacation in front of a TV or computer screen or playing video games should not be allowed. Encourage your child to go outside to play, search for an activity that all family members can share together (bowling night out ) or plan an outing where there is some kind of physical activity involved (going to the zoo, museum,or park) - bring your own non-fattening snacks with you though. My solution was starting a family garden with each family member getting their own special section and making a little contest out of it, to see who could grow the largest veggie (physical activity and healthy food all at the same time)

Exercise and proper diet should go hand in hand in providing a healthier lifestyle for your child. You and your school have to work together in order for it to be successful. The ancient Greeks were not wrong - A healthy mind in a healthy body.

Whoever you are it is vital that you take care of your body, and your health is no exception to this rule. From the way you eat, to taking the time to give yourself a break from it all; each of these factors can have a negative impact upon your body and lifestyle.

However much we say it, finding the time to actually eat properly is easier said than done, especially with increasingly busy lifestyles. If most of your time is spent on your career or your family, finding the time to eat right can be hard. Many of us choose convenience over health, eat on the go and then worry about it another day.

Nevertheless, if the Wellcome Trust is correct, making the time to concentrate on your health may be more important than many of us realise

In their current study which looks into the inheritance of genes in children, they believe the way you eat during pregnancy could have a direct effect upon the way your children develop when they are born. Obviously, this only applies to the soon-to-be mothers out there, but we can all take their findings on board.

From appearance, to the personality and traits they develop, the Wellcome Trust have theorised that even the foods you eat during pregnancy could have an influence over your child’s eating habits as an adult, which can include the speed of their metabolism, hence many may struggle to lose weight consistently.  

Taking statistics offered by the Heart Institute’s CCG Research Centre, they discovered that due to DNA methylamines, specific mechanisms that aid weight loss in muscles can be limited making it more difficult for the said person to lose weight.

And this capping is founded in the belief that external natural elements can affect the way genes are formed.

If we accept this hypothesis, it would imply from the instant you conceive you need to take care of your diet in order to ensure your children have the best possible start in life, primarily with a healthy lifestyle.

Recent statistics have shown that up to 90% of people will be obese by 2050, so why wait until then when you can act now?

By offering yourself a balanced and nutritious diet combined with short bouts of exercise, you can have a positive influence of the way your children will grow up.

When better to put this all in place than at Easter? We all over-indulge, but it doesn’t have to be that way

Taking command of your health doesn’t have to be a handled alone. You can get your whole family involved and can set a whole new lifestyle and culture for your children to follow and pass down the generations.

On top of all that, by changing your eating habits today, your body will be able to cope with everything your kids have got to throw at you: from frantic weekend activities in the park, to going for a bike ride… with a healthier, happier body you’ll always be able to keep up.

So don’t make this Easter one to regret… make it the day you took charge of your body, slimmed down and achieved that body you’ve always wanted.

In America today, many people including children and young adults are going out to eat more often, eating foods high in fat and calories. Also, many children and teens are staying inside more often paying video games and watching TV programs or chatting online or cell phones with friends rather than going outside and being physical active. These eating habits and lack of exercise have led to problems with obesity in children and teenagers. It is important for teenagers to know about this problem and to know about proper nutrition and exercise so that this problem can be treated and even prevented now as well as in the future.

According to kidsource.com, Obesity is defined as “an excessive accumulation of body fat”. Obesity can increase with age in both males and females. Childhood Obesity can lead to problems with hypertension, Type II Diabetes and heart disease. It can be stressful on the joints and can lead to lower self-esteem or problems with relationships with the children’s friends.  Some children or teenagers with obesity may have social and psychological problems due to being obese.

 

Some causes of Obesity in Children can include: the family, for example the risk can be higher if the children has one or two obese parents. Children who watch a lot of television may also be at a higher risk for obesity because watching television does not require that much energy and snacking on high calorie foods can happen while children are watching television. Heredity can also play a part in child obesity.

 

Children and Teenagers can help prevent and treat obesity by developing an exercise program or becoming more active because this will help them to burn fat, increase energy and maintain their weight. Children and Teenagers should also eat a balanced diet and moderate their television watching and calorie intake.  Teaching children and young adults about nutrition in school as well as at home can help prevent this problem as well.

 

Learning more about nutrition and how to eat healthier and exercise properly may decrease childhood obesity and help prevent it in young and even older adults. This is why focusing on nutrition as a child and young adult is so important. It can help to prevent these problems or concerns later in life and help children and young adults to feel good about themselves and their relationships with others as well.

Well, it is no secret that epidemics such as childhood obesity and youth onset diabetes are a problem this day and age with today’s youth. Kids spend more time in front of the X Box, the Playstation, and the Wii than doing anything constructive that will benefit them.

To me this is a major problem. I would blame a lot of parents for not taking a more proactive approach in trying to discipline their children to workout and be more active individuals. Now most people say I am being a little over the top when I mention the words discipline, kids, and workout all in the same sentence. Well, lets look at this logically. For one, when I was growing up me and my friends never had to be told to go out and play. As a matter of fact, we frequently asked permission to do so. Also, with many kids taking the TIME and LIBERTY to play their favorite video games the numbers show that they are certainly not doing anything positive with their health when you compare numbers on kids from about 10 years ago.

The bottom line is that there has been a change in lifestyle. As a professional I would strongly suggest that you enroll your child in a highly effective strength training program. Now when I say strength training don’t assume I mean weightlifting. There is a difference. Kids can gain tremendous fitness and strength through properly manipulating and utilizing their own body-weight. With an effective strength training program a child promotes stronger muscles, stronger bones, promotes fat-loss, and lays the foundation for being a healthy and fit adult later on in life.

If you do decide to take this approach I would highly recommend hiring a professional. There are many things you can do as a parent to ensure that your child stays healthy. Aside from implementing and getting them involved in a strength and conditioning program you can enroll them into some sort of recreational sport or activity. Many of these sports include some level of strength training that is more beneficial for your child than the X Box!

The Obesity Epidemic

Of all the factors endangering children’s health, obesity is the one that jumps to the front of the line. It is the one issue that is most out of control. Look around any school yard and you’ll see that the physical appearance of kids as a group has changed since you were in school. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has found that the obesity rate among children ages 6 to 11 has more than doubled in the past 25 years, going from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 17 percent in 2006. Among adolescents ages 12 to 19, that rate has more than tripled, from 5 percent to 17.6 percent. These numbers say nothing about those children who are not yet obese, but are clearly overweight. No other health concern is exploding at such mind-numbing rates.

Why Rising Obesity Rates Are Such a Big Deal

The media has done a good job of making us aware of the health risks associated with obesity. To quickly recap: The Journal of Pediatrics recently found that an estimated 61 percent of obese young people have at least one additional risk factor for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. The U.S. Surgeon General adds that children who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem. These children are more likely than children of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and are therefore more at risk for associated adult health problems, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancers and osteoarthritis.

Yes, childhood obesity is a big deal.

How Did Our Kids Get So Overweight?

There’s no doubt that diets loaded with non-nutritious, high-calorie foods are at the root of kids weight problems. Yet the amount of daily calories consumed by our children has not increased so dramatically over the last 20 years to cause these double and triple rates. What has changed is the amount of daily activity. This has dropped significantly over the last 20 years and may be the true culprit in this explosive health concern.

The National Institutes of Health just released the results of a long-term study of more than 800 children. At age 9, the researchers tracked the participants daily activity levels with an accelerometer (a device that records movement, which the children wore on a belt). They evaluated their movements to see if the children achieved the minimum 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity recommended for children by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services. They then conducted follow-up tracking with these same children at ages 11, 12 and 15.

How would your kids fare on such a test? Do they get a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity over the course of a day? If their daily habits mirror those of the kids in this study, they probably do — if they are between the ages of 9 to 11 — when 90 percent of the participating children met the recommended level. But by age 15, only 31 percent met the recommended level on weekdays, and a shockingly low 17 percent met the recommended level on weekends. This drop in activity means that teens are taking in more calories each day than they are expending through physical activity. That’s a recipe for excessive weight gain.

This drop in activity by our teens is largely due to the new electronic age in which we live. Unlike kids of past generations, our kids can socialize, play, and explore their world without even getting out of bed. While munching on high-calorie snacks, many spend their free time enjoying computerized social networks, video games, DVDs and iPods. It’s a whole new world.

The Government’s Role in this National Health Problem

Those government agencies charged with the welfare of our children are aware of and deeply involved in this crisis. The CDC, for example, has guidelines, resources, programs and websites for school and community leaders to help them address the rising obesity problem. You can visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity for links to articles such as Role of Schools in Addressing Childhood Obesity and Physical Activity: School and Community Guidelines.

As a person who has dedicated his life to helping kids get fit and healthy, I’m all for any help the government can offer. I’d love to see local governments fund more bike and pedestrian paths so families can get around without a car. I’m happy when schools offer our kids healthy lunch choices. And I certainly want all schools to provide more physical education and recreation time. These solutions will require money, as well as changes in policy and philosophy-obstacles that will take time to overcome. We can’t afford to wait for the government to implement programs to help control our kids’ weight. My hope for stopping the childhood obesity epidemic lies in the home-your home.

What Parents Can Do in the Home

You don’t need to hire a personal trainer, pay for a gym membership or wait for your child’s school to “do something” to fight back against the obesity epidemic. You simply have to make the effort to get your kids out and moving. Why not start today by choosing one of the following activity starters and, as Nike says, just do it!

Household jobs: Give your kids daily exercise and get those chores done at the same time. Every kid can help vacuum, sweep, mow, and scrub around the house, and can also help wash the car, walk the dog and set the table.

Gifts: Looking for a holiday or birthday gift that keeps on giving? Head to the sporting goods section of your favorite store and look for fun ways to get physical. Think: Pogo stick, stilts, indoor or outdoor croquet, hula hoop, Frisbee, Twister, hopscotch, badminton set, and fishing pole. And of course, pick up the staples such as a basketball, soccer ball, and/or football; bicycle, skates, tennis racquet, and lacrosse or field hockey stick.

Family outings: Family time is dwindling in American homes today as parents spend more time at work and kids spend much of their free time plugged into electronic entertainment systems. Get the gang together and fight obesity with family outings that get everybody moving on the weekends (the time, remember, when kids’ activity levels tend to drop). What are your plans for this coming weekend? Why not include something active such as visiting a zoo or a public park, walking around a nearby tourist attraction, or exploring nature trails (the National Wildlife Federation has a site at www.greenhour.org to help you find a nature spot within 15 minutes of your home).

Vacations: When you plan your next family vacation, think about making it an active one. Look for places where your kids can swim at the beach or bike on a scenic trail. Maybe they’d like to hike or camp in the mountains or raft down a river. You might also explore state and national parks or take a walking tour of a major city. There are many ways you can use your vacation time to get your kids up and moving.

Community service: Many parents have found that being involved in service activities is the perfect way to keep the family together and active while working toward a common goal. Look for opportunities where you might plant flowers and shrubs around public buildings or parks, do litter patrol on a nearby road or in local streams, help elderly neighbors mow or rake their yards, or clean up a town park. The possibilities for service to others are endless, and many involve physical activity.

Plug in: In the ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’ category, there are ways to use electronic recreation to help kids stay active. Give your kids a video camera and encourage them to make their own music videos, their own reality show, their own “dancing with my friends” TV special, or their own nature trail travelogue - anything that gets them up and moving! Nintendo’s Wii Sports lets kids “play” tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing while mimicking the physical actions of swinging a racket, bat or club, rolling a ball down an alley; or pulling up the left jab. The video sensation Guitar Hero also gets kids up and moving as they “perform.” At the very least, try to rent DVDs or video games from a store within in a mile of your home. Get your kids in the habit of walking, skating, or biking there and back (with you at their side if they’re too young to go it alone).

Taking it to the Next Step

These activities can keep a child active and fit, but if your child is already struggling with weight gain, it may be time for more proactive measures. Many children need peer support, structured programs and professional guidance to change the habits that sabotage their weight-loss efforts. When that’s the case, you may want to consider a weight-loss camp. Many camps (like my own) offer state-of-the-art facilities to get kids up and moving, a multitude of fun activities, and opportunities for new friendships and renewed self-esteem. These camps teach kids to understand why they are heavier and how they can change. Even in the most difficult cases, when kids get away from the comforts of home and learn about nutrition, exercise and behavioral habits and combine that knowledge with a mandatory healthy diet and active lifestyle, they will succeed. They will lose the weight and they will keep it off.

You have the ability and the responsibility to keep your kids healthy and fit. Let’s all stand up and do it!

Getting your children involved in all of the stages of food and healthy eating is a must. When people get actively involved with something, they more often than not come to appreciate it more and are more receptive to it. The same can be said for our children. So the more you get them involved with all aspects of food the better. They can help with things like growing, preparation and cooking.

If you have an allotment great or if you have an area set aside in your garden for planting then you will have a good place to start. Just getting them involved in planting, nurturing or picking will hopefully increase their interest and that is all that is needed for healthy eating. Even if they do the minimum like watering a part of your produce it is worth it. To see them realise the crop growing from a seed to food for the table will be priceless.

Once the crop is ready to be picked then helping with this process should again keep their interest in the process. I must state that you should try and give them something they can see as quickly as possible. And then try and make sure that they have something to pick on a regular basis so use as many different crops as possible.

After the crops are picked and you begin to prepare them for use in your kitchen you should get your kids involved in preparing a meal and eating it once it has been complete, I will give you some ideas on this later. It will definitely taste a lot better than any processed food.

It will not take much to do a small area for your personal crops and it will save you money. If you go a step further and decide to video the process it will be something you can show family and friends to give the kids added satisfaction and recognition of their achievement.

Why not hide the food you want your children to eat with in their normal food. Here is an example you can add half a shredded onion to a coleslaw whether you buy it or make it yourself. Another example is shedding carrots to add to mashed potatoes. Why not try a soup and packing it with lots of other goodies. You can do this kind of thing for all sorts of food and the kids will not realise and just ask for more.

The younger you do this idea of getting them involved with all the stages of food and using some of the ways to hide foods they think they do not like then you are well on your way to healthy eating practices.

They will be further ideas available soon.