Childhood Obesity - What Can I do to Help my Child?

In just two decades, the prevalence of overweight doubled for U.S. children ages 6 to 11 and tripled for American teenagers. The annual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that about one-third of U.S. children are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. In total, about 25 million U.S. children and adolescents are overweight or nearly overweight.Mayo Clinic June 4, 2007 Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start kids on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as Mayo Clinic June 4, 2007
Diabetes Type 2
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Cancer! __________
Parents, you truly are the key component to controlling your childs obesity.
________
Give your child a great example.
Children automatically have a fine tuned hypocrite meter, so if you are not doing as you say, they wont do as you say.

Adopt the Eating Behavior Yourself
Encourage Your Child
Support Their new Eating Habits

Part II Childhood Obesity: What Can I do to Help my Child?

Three Changes is all it takes to a healthier child and a healthier you! 1.REDUCE Sugar! Eliminate: Soft Drinks, Juice Drinks & Bread - Consider this statistic for every soft drink or sugar-sweetened beverage a child drinks each day, their obesity risk jumps 60 percent. Healthier options: Fizzy mineral waters & fresh fruit, or chilled tea! Replace bread with cooked carrots & yams! A healthy sugar alternative can be stevia (found in health food stores). 2.REDUCE fast food & EAT Balanced Meals with more whole grains (such as oats & brown rice). Fast food can take on a new meaning with balanced food bars, granola, & trek mixes.

3.EXERCISE - A recent study of almost 800 children, ages 9 and 10, measured their activity levels over four days. Those children who engaged in vigorous physical activity for over 40 minutes each day had less body fat and better cardiovascular fitness than those who were only vigorously active for 10 to 18 minutes a day. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Aug. 2006

Note: Its certainly important for parents to encourage their children to eat healthy, nutritious foods, but this does not mean that children should be on a low-calorie or low-carbohydrate 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.

____________
Seven Early Signs of Childhood Obesity British Medical Journal May 20, 2005
Early size

Early body fat

High birth weight

Having obese parents

Quick growth from ages 1-2

Watching more than eight hours of TV a week

Getting less than 10.5 hours of sleep at night
_____________
Good luck & good health to you!

Lisa La Barre La Barre Nutrition Beverly Hills Nutritionist

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