Childhood obesity - A growing problem

Last month I mentioned that one-third of the children in the U.S. are obese and that this epidemic of childhood obesity is placing the health of an entire generation at risk.

The basic causes are a lack of physical activity and consumption of too much fast food, soda and high-calorie snacks. So how do we reverse this trend and restore the health and well-being of our youth?

Physical activity is crucial in maintaining a healthy weight and it may overcome some dietary indiscretions (The exact speed you need to run on the treadmill while eating Cheetos to remain weight neutral is 4.2 mph at a 4 percent incline).

Kids don't need a structured exercise routine, they just need vigorous play for at least one hour a day. The biggest detractor from physical play is screen time – TV, video games, smartphones, tablets, etc.

The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends no screen time for children under 18 months of age, no more than one hour/day for kids under 5, and no more than two hours for kids under 12. As technology improves, it gets harder and harder to pry kids (and adults for that matter) away from their screen time.

The most disturbing trend I see are preschool age kids with an iPad watching YouTube videos of other kids playing. No one has ever burned a calorie that way. Excessive screen time not only contributes to obesity, it also is linked to irregular sleep patterns, loss of social skills, behavior problems and violence.

We, as parents, have the ability to control the amount of time our children spend staring mindlessly at these devices and, currently, we are failing them.

Parents also need to take responsibility for what, and how much, their kids are eating. It starts at the grocery store by buying more fruits and vegetables and less chips, crackers and cookies. Avoid fast food and prepare more meals at home.

Discourage eating in front of the TV or tablet, as that leads to faster eating and less awareness of the amount of food eaten. Eliminate soda altogether and greatly decrease juice consumption as they are both very high in calories. Serve kid-size portions at mealtime and never force them to eat beyond the point where they feel full.

Interventions to prevent childhood obesity start early. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy increases your child's risk of obesity. Breastfeeding may lower the risk (as well as it's countless other benefits).

Be a role model. If you need to lose weight, doing so will motivate your child to do the same. Involve the entire family. Eating healthy and staying active is important for everyone and will avoid singling out the overweight child.

Don't focus on weight talk, focus on healthy eating and exercise habits. Be patient and praise success. One to 2 pounds a month, or even just the absence of weight gain, are reasonable goals in most situations. Weight control isn't easy. If it was, everyone would be skinny.

Source: Childhood obesity - A growing problem