Child Obesity - Is Your Child Overweight?The story's the same in the USA, where levels of obesity in children - and adults - are rising fast. The main causes of this weight gain explosion, is the amount of junk food kids eat, coupled with their lack of exercise. It's a deadly combination, because an overweight kid easily becomes an obese teenager. And obese teens are very likely to hang on to their unhealthy habits, and take their weight problems on into adulthood. The health risks associated with child obesity are serious. Children who weigh too much are more likely to develop heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, joint problems...the list of physical ailments is long. There's also a psychological impact of obesity for kids who don't feel good about their size.
What Causes Child Obesity?With 9 out of 10 toddlers eating junk food every day, the problem starts young. Foods like crisps, chips, chicken nuggets, sweets, chocolate, biscuits as well as fizzy soft drinks are big favourites with children, but they're really bad news for their longterm health, and are the root cause of obesity in children.And the problem gets worse as kids grow older, and have the money to buy junk food for themselves. In the UK, kids aged 8-16 part with more than £500 MILLION of their pocket money every year, buying unhealthy snacks and drinks on their way to and from school. Parents are ConfusedMums and dads often find it really hard to know whether or not their child is overweight or obese. People are confused. Kids today are bigger and taller than they were a generation ago. And because there are so many children who are overweight, it's harder to get an accurate idea of what a healthy child should look like.Eating patterns have changed as well, so that it's normal for kids to eat lots of snacks and ready meals. Many families seldom or never sit down together to a meal, so it's harder for parents to keep track of exactly what their kids are eating. At the same time, serving sizes have grown, so that many people are eating way too much without realising that there's a problem. Portion control is a really important tool in preventing child obesity. Parents are also influenced by advertising, and by what others do. If fast food ads are all around, and all your kids' friends seem to live on burgers and cola, then you'll tend to assume that it's okay for your children to do the same. What's more, parents of overweight children often struggle to keep a check on their own weight - and that makes it doubly hard to face up to the fact that the whole family needs to change. How to Prevent Childhood ObesityThere are lots of simple steps you can take to help your child have a healthier lifestyle, and prevent them from gaining weight. You'll find lots of suggestions here on how to Prevent Childhood Obesity. |
