Huntingdon Pennsylvania Yoga Massage Health Wellness

Childhood Obesity

By Brandy Siegler

Wellness Specialist

In the past few years, the growing rate of childhood obesity has alarmed researchers in the U.S. Now, a recent study shows that the problem is not just an American one. The number of overweight children around the world is rising quickly.

The study, done by the International Obesity Task Force and published in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, says that by 2010, about half of the kids in North and South America will be overweight and that obesity rates of all children in the European Union will rise from the current rate of 25 percent to 38 percent. The rate of obesity is also expected to rise in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. So it looks like it’s a global problem.

Obesity doesn't just impact an individual's health. It can negatively affect entire nations' economies and healthcare systems as more and more people need medical assistance and treatment for obesity-related health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.

Childhood obesity is primarily due to kids eating too much and exercising too little. So creating new family habits around healthy eating and increased physical activity can help a child lose weight and improve the health of other members of the family. So what can we do for our children?

When it comes to teaching good nutrition, actions speak louder than words. Five common mistakes parents make are:

1. Obsessing about fat. This teaches kids that all fat is bad, when in fact, the right fats are an essential part of everyone's diet — especially a growing child's. Focus on unsaturated fats and healthy oils and stress moderation in saturated fats.

2. Skipping breakfast. You need to show the importance of a morning meal. Studies show that kids perform better in school if they eat breakfast. Wake up a few minutes earlier so you can eat with your child, or if you're on the run, mention the food you're taking with you.

3. Drinking soda while your child has milk. You're sending the message that nutritionally empty drinks are acceptable. Drink milk, water, or juice instead. You don’t need to make soda off-limits, but try not to have it at meals with your child.

4. Stocking the pantry with potato chips. You want to teach kids to choose healthy snacks.
Buy baked chips, popcorn, whole-wheat crackers, bread sticks, or low-fat snack mix. Also, keep fresh fruit, cheese, and yogurt on hand.

5. Telling kids what foods you hate. Your child is not likely to try something you don’t like. So if you're not a fan of, say, spinach or oatmeal, serve healthful alternatives you do like, such as broccoli or a cold healthy cereal. And encourage your toddler to try unfamiliar foods. If you introduce new tastes early on, they may be more likely to eat a varied diet as they get older.

When shopping for healthy food eat in advance, to ward off junk-food temptation. Also be aware that food labels are designed to sell food and may be more hype than reliable information. For example:

• "Real fruit beverage" doesn't mean the drink is 100 percent fruit juice. Even "100 percent of the RDA of vitamin C" doesn't mean that the vitamin C is coming from juice — it could be a fortified drink. "Punch" and "cocktail" hint that a product doesn't measure up.
• "Multigrain" doesn't mean that a cereal or bread contains whole-grain flour. It just means a mix of grains, some of which may be white flour with its lower content of nutrients and fiber. Look for whole grain, whole bran, or rolled oats.
• "Cholesterol-free" isn't necessarily low-calorie or low-fat. Cholesterol comes from animal products, and potato chips cooked in vegetable oil are high in calories and fat.
• "Reduced fat" isn't fat-free. According to the FDA, a "fat-free" product has less than one-half gram of fat per serving; "low-fat" foods have three grams of fat or less, and "reduced fat" simply means 25 percent less fat than the original food.
• "Lean ground beef" is only a general term. Look for labels that say, "contains no more than 5 percent fat" or "at least 95 percent fat-free."

Many behaviors contribute to childhood obesity, whether it's the time spent in front of the TV or computer or the types and amounts of food eaten. These behaviors or habits are hard to change, but small, progressive steps can make a big difference, so keep in mind the following helpful hints.

It's not a race. The first rule of change is not to make changes too quickly. It takes time and dedication to unlearn unhealthy behaviors and to develop new, healthy ones.

Think small. Small, gradual changes are easiest to follow and incorporate into our daily lives. Some suggestions include turning off the TV during dinner, switching from soda pop to milk or water, or taking a walk after dinner once a week.

Set specific individual and family goals that are achievable and measurable. For example, your child's goal might be to eat fresh fruits and vegetables for afternoon snacks, and the family's goal might be to eat out at a fast-food restaurant only once a month.

Evaluate your progress and adjust goals if necessary. It's better to create a new plan than to stick to one that isn't working.

Making changes can be challenging, especially when today's families juggle busy schedules, time and money constraints, and other stressors and demands on daily living. But if your family works together and supports each others' efforts, then success is more likely. And once healthy habits become routine, you're well on your way to maintaining a healthy weight and improving your overall health as a family.