Childhood Wellness- Childhood Obesity
Obesity is a
growing epidemic it affects not only adults but the nation’s youth as well, “today,
about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese…”6
Generally, the most common causes for obesity for children is a sedentary
lifestyle and unhealthy eating. Genetic diseases or disorders are a less common
cause of obesity.3 As children age they adopt characteristics and
habits from the examples demonstrated to them. They are constantly learning and
processing information in their everyday life on how they themselves should
live. Children mimic their examples from; home, school, church, family and
friends. If children have a healthy lifestyle set forth as an example such as
“healthy eating and physical activity [this] can lower the risk of becoming
obese and developing related diseases.”4 A child however, does not
have to be overweight to be physically unhealthy. There are skinny children
that are not eating the proper nutrition or getting the recommended physical
activity. To have a healthy generation of children it is important to focus not
only on the children that my look unhealthy, but it is necessary to pay
attention on all children.
It
may seem that obesity runs in the family and that it must be a genetic link,
this could be a small reason, however, the shared behaviors among the family is
most likely the root cause of being overweight or obese or just plan unhealthy.1
Children that are obese are more likely to develop diseases that are
usually seen in adults, such as, “high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and
elevated blood cholesterol levels.”6
Overweight or
obese children are more likely to become overweight or obese adults, carrying
their bad habits of poor nutrition and lack of physical activity into their
adult life. “Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming
overweight or obese adults, which increases to 80 percent if one or more parent
is overweight or obese.”5 Just as children that eat unhealthy and
don’t exercise are likely to become adults with those same behaviors, skinny
unhealthy children will become unhealthy adults. The CDC states that “children
and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are
therefore more at risk for adult health problems.”4 Children with a
lack of overall physical wellness are at a higher risk of developing diseases
in their early life.
The solution to
ending unhealthy lifestyles and creating healthier generations is not a quick
and easy solution. The solution is physical activity and health nutritious
foods, which may seem boring and in this generation we are all about fast
fixes, however, this really is that best option. Nutritional and physical
behaviors of children are heavily influenced by the adults that surround them
in everyday life. If the adults that are around them eat healthy and get the
recommended 60 minutes of physical activity the child’s behavior is likely to
reflect what is being shown.
“On December 2,
2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids
Act, a reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. This bipartisan legislation
will give more children access to nutritious meals and remove junk food and
sugary beverages from vending machines in schools.”6 Schools are
moving toward having more of a nutritious option in school lunches and snacks
so as a parent or garden of children it falls to you to provide the example of
what the family eats. In the age of fast food restaurants and the option to
super-size the super unhealthy food may make it seem like a chore to find and
cook healthier options. There are a plethora of ideas, ranging from many
ingredients to few and prep time from hours down to just minutes, on the
internet when it comes to recipes for healthy and nutritious food. It may seem
like there aren’t many different options when it comes to healthy food compared
to several different fast food restaurants and the many different options on
each of the menus. However, just looking up different recipes online allows you
to expand your food vocabulary and try new foods that you have never heard of. “Only
21 percent of young people eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits
and vegetables each day,” according to the U. S. Department of Health and Human
Services.5 So as you can see the youth in this country is severely
lacking in eating the correct amount of nutritious foods. The youth are filling
the lack of vegetables and fruit with processed foods and sugar creating a gap
in their health.
It isn’t enough to
just provide healthier options; it needs to be taught that the healthier
options are what they should want to eat. It is an important life skill to be
able to decipher between different options and to choose the healthier one.
Children have to be come self-sufficient otherwise when they become adults the
other options will cloud their judgment and will be the option chosen.
Physical activity
is a big part of being and staying healthy. Playing at school and at home are
vital parts of getting enough physical activity. Children ages 8-10 spend
nearly 6 hours a day in front of a screen for entertainment, this is only the
time spent for fun, it does not include time spent on homework with a computer.7
By limiting TV and computer time this allows for more of a structured time for
playing and activity.2 “The American Academy of Pediatrics
discourages media use by children younger than age 2 and recommends limiting
older children’s screen time to no more than one or two hours a day.”3 A
great way to reduce screen time would to remove the TV and computers from your
child’s bedroom and place them in a more centralized location. Encourage your
children to join sports teams and to go play outside.
It
is important to see the child as a whole entity. Not every “skinny” child is
healthy and not every overweight child is unhealthy. Getting the right amount
of nutrition and physical activity are very important parts of a child’s over all
wellness.
References
1.
M. D. Benaroch, R. (July 11, 2012). Obesity in
Children. Children’s Health.
Retrieved
September 9, 2013 from http://children.webmd.com/guide/obesity-children
2.
M.D. Iannelli, V. (2013). Too Little Too Late for Too
Many Overweight Kids?
Preventing
Childhood Obesity Recommendations. Retrieved September 9, 2013 from http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/childhd_obesity.htm
3.
Mayo Clinic staff (May 4, 2012). Childhood Obesity. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved September
4. (July
10, 2013). Adolescent and School Health. Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Retrieved September 9, 3013 from
5.
(2013). Childhood Obesity. Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Retrieved
September 9, 2013 from http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity/
6.
(August 30,2013 ) Childhood Obesity Resources. American Heart Association. Retrieved
September 9, 2013 from
7.
(2013). Screen Time vs. Lean Time. Making Health Easier. Retrieved September 9, 2013 from http://makinghealtheasier.org/getmoving
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