Child Obesity and Kid Fitness

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Child obesity rates have doubled over the last decade, and with these numbers rising, health problems continue to rise, as well. Overweight children are at high risk for becoming overweight adults, placing them at risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease later in life. According to many doctors, overweight children are also more prone to develop stress, sadness, and low self-esteem.

We can blame the increase of overweight children on the rise in junk food being available. We can blame it on school lunches being unhealthy. We can blame it on the lack of physical activity that children are required to get at school. There is even some validity in the rise of childhood obesity being tied to a more sedentary lifestyle, with the rise of technologies that place kids in front of the television, the computer, the video game monitor, than in decades past when kids ran outside and played. Regardless of what factors are to blame for the increasing numbers of children becoming obese at a young age, one thing is certain: the solution doesn’t lie within the blame. The solution lies within teaching good habits, preaching good habits, and practicing good habits – not just with nutrition, but also with fitness.

If you are the parent or relative of a child who is at risk of obesity and want to offer help, here are some things to consider:

• To ensure that the child does not feel singled-out, participate in the healthy lifestyle change as family or a team
• Make sure to communicate to the child that the changes are not a punishment – the changes might be difficult, but discuss the health problems that could arise from continuing to be inactive or without a healthy diet
• Give the child choices about their new lifestyle. Ex., let them compile the grocery list, and discuss their healthy choices. If they are lacking healthy choices, use it as a learning experience and teach them why their choices aren’t ideal. Ex., give the child a choice with the physical activities that interest them. They might not want to go for a bike ride, but they might like laser tag.
• Choose a goal or reward to help your family celebrate its progress. If you find success with the changes in nutrition and adoption of healthier eating habits, treat yourselves to a family dinner and movie night. If you’ve found success in a fitness plan, find a family vacation that works for all of you as a reward.

Some tips to adopting a fit lifestyle for the entire family:

• Make it fun. If a child feels like they are in boot camp and running laps around the track, they aren’t likely to want to do this activity in their leisure as an adult. Find activities that will enthuse them while having fun with the entire family.
• Make it a habit. Instead of watching television right after dinner, take a half-hour walk each night as a family. Choose different destinations, such as playgrounds or other neighborhood locations.