Children's Health: Childhood Obesity An Epidemic

About Us

Careers

Site Map Go

Health Care Services

Hospitals & Facilities

Health Information

Find a Doctor

Why Choose Baptist

Childhood Obesity An Epidemic

Daily Bread

The LORD...will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
Psalm 91:9-11

Parent involvement is key to getting kids in shape

Exhausted parents everywhere marvel at the energy of exuberant toddlers and young children. Adults have to keep in shape just to keep up with the youthful bundles of energy.

We often think of childhood as time spent riding bicycles through the neighborhood with friends and impromptu games of softball or kickball in someone’s backyard.

But that’s not the case these days. Childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. Children are literally eating — and not exercising — their way into a host of health problems. They are eating too many of the wrong foods, not enough of the right ones, and they are not exercising enough.

The percentage of children and adolescents who are defined as overweight has more than doubled since the early 1970s, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). About 15 percent of children and adolescents are now overweight.

Overweight children are more likely to later develop health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer (such as colon cancer, endometrial cancer and postmenopausal breast cancer), gallbladder disease, sleep apnea (interrupted breathing during sleep) and osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints). The more overweight you are, the more likely you are to have health problems.

Regular exercise should become a part of every person’s life whether the person is 5 years old or 95.

Weight loss and regular exercise can help improve the harmful effects of being overweight. The American Heart Association recommends: All children age 2 and older should participate in at least 30 minutes of enjoyable, moderate-intensity activities every day. They should also perform at least 30 minutes of vigorous physical activities at least 3-4 days each week to achieve and maintain a good level of cardiorespiratory (heart and lung) fitness. If your child or children don't have a full 30-minute activity break each day, try to provide at least two 15-minute periods or three 10-minute periods in which they can engage in vigorous activities appropriate to their age, gender and stage of physical and emotional development.

What if my child isn’t good at sports?
Being physically active doesn’t mean children have to play team sports, although that is one option. It just means children should find at least one activity that is fun for them and they should participate regularly. Parents should encourage and support their efforts.

Parents are important
Parents can find organized activities for children at many different places — churches, schools, community centers and gyms. It is also a good idea for families to go on outings together — a walk in the park, biking, roller skating, even going to the bowling alley. Families have to schedule. They have to make time for these things.

Parent involvement is crucial to children adopting more nutritional eating habits and good exercise habits. Children ultimately want to make their parents proud of them.

Also, parents should also reduce the time children spend in front of the television and computer.

So how did childhood obesity become such a problem?
A combination of factors has led to the development of the childhood obesity epidemic. Most households in the United States are either headed by two working parents or a single mother who works outside the home. Families are pressed for time and parents often turn to fast food or other quick, but often unhealthy, meal choices. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says 69 percent of two-parent households with school-aged children have two working parents, and 78 percent of single mothers with school-aged children work.

Also, parents in general are not eating as healthy as they should. Children naturally will model their parents’ behavior. Parents are responsible for the food that is brought into the household. “Parents are very influential over what their children eat,” Tims said.

Other positives to family involvement
Families getting involved in sports and other physical activities will have other lasting benefits. These pursuits provide opportunities for parents and children to have uninterrupted time together, to grow closer and establish deeper bonds. That’s hard to do in front of a blaring television set or a noisy video game.

Family outings are time well spent.

Published: April 13, 2006
Source: Centers for Disease Control; American Heart Association
Writer: Elizabeth Todd Bartholomew, MA, APR

Top of Page