We, my friends, are in the midst of an epidemic. An obesity
epidemic.
This column will address the childhood obesity problem facing
this country. The number of overweight children has doubled over
the last 20 to 30 years. Now, one in five children is
overweight.
We, my friends, are in the midst of an epidemic. An obesity epidemic.
This column will address the childhood obesity problem facing this country. The number of overweight children has doubled over the last 20 to 30 years. Now, one in five children is overweight.
Things have changed over the years. If you open your window and listen to the sounds outside, chances are you won’t hear a sound you would have heard years ago: the voices and laughter of children playing.
This problem poses many of the health issues for our children that we would have previously seen primarily in adults: Type II diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease. Low self-esteem and a lack of confidence also frequently ensue.
So, how can we address the many circumstances that we can control: moving around more, eating healthier and eating less. Studies show that almost half of all children, ages 8-16 years old, watch three to five hours of television a day. Not to mention the time they spend on the computer, video games etc.
We have also become a society of convenience-oriented, super-sized, fast-food eaters. I was watching an episode of “The Biggest Loser” a few months ago. The producers and trainers went into several middle schools around the country. They looked into their physical education programs and their cafeterias. One instance that sticks out in my mind is in one of the cafeterias, the “vegetable” of the day was tater tots. Since when are fried potatoes considered a nutritionally sound vegetable?
So now, the logical question is, what can we do about it? The answer, in a word, lots.
For starters, educate children about proper nutrition. Eating healthy, balanced meals takes a little more planning and a little more work, but it is very possible to create kid-friendly, nourishing meals. Save the fast-food as an occasional treat. The good news about many of the fast-food chains, however, is that now a number of them are offering healthier choices with kids meals, such as fruit and milk, rather than French fries and soda.
Now, let’s talk exercise.
The best way to motivate an overweight child is to make the physical activity fun. Turn the exercise into a game and involve other family members or friends. Exercising should not be considered a “chore” or used as punishment.
Start with a flexibility program which incorporates full body stretching. Not only does it feel good, but stretching keeps the muscles from tightening up. Short, tight muscles can potentially lead to pain. All movements should be slow and steady, not ballistic (bouncy).
The next step is to add in cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise. Overweight children should partake in in non- or low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling or walking.
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness recommends setting a goal of 10,000 steps per day. You can get a pedometer at any sporting goods store and this will count steps taken.
Start with a baseline number and see how many steps your child takes in a given day. Then set up a challenge of increasing the number of steps a day until your child reaches a defined goal. Then set new goals.
There are different types of exercises that overweight children can participate in that are non-threatening and non-competitive. Activities such as yoga and martial arts push them to go to their maximum ability and are completely individual. As these exercises improve their cardiovascular and muscular strength, energy levels go up too.
Thus, because they have more energy, they are apt to do more physical activities. At the same time, their confidence and self-esteem are boosted. Remember, the better the child feels, both physically and emotionally, the more he or she will do.
Make things fun and the children will forget that they are exercising. Children learn by example. No child (or adult, for that matter) should live a sedentary life. Get out there and get moving.
