Childhood Obesity: Make Good Eating and Exercise Fun

Childhood obesity is rampant in America. About 17.1% of American children are obese, and another 17% are at danger of becoming obese. That's 34%!

And it's no wonder..with our emphasis on fast food and the classic American fantasy meal of hamburger, fries, and a coke or a shake. Kids are surrounded by temptation everyday. And many schools have snack machines offering candy bars and soft drinks these days, which are often far more tempting than the nutritious but not particularly tasty meals in the school cafeteria.

But obesity is a seriously dangerous matter. Children who are obese are far more likely to develop heart problems, diabetes, self-esteem issues, bone problems, and more. A new study from the University of Virginia even shows that obese adolescent girls have from 2 to 9 times as much testoterone as girls of average size. This can lead to problems with fertility, among other things.

What can a parent do?

First of all, don't nag! Criticism only causes a vicious cycle. The child feels depressed and inferior; this causes the child to want to eat comfort foods such as candy or ice cream even more and weight spirals upward.

Don't put your child on a diet unless it's absolutely medically necessary. Don't even mention "diet."

Don't forbid all candy or comfort treats: Forbidding food will only make your child sneak and eat them behind your back.

Instead, keep healthy snacks handy. Have fresh fruit, yogurt, flavored bottled waters, milk, and other easy, fun treats on hand. Provide healthier alternatives for sugar-filled candy and ice cream with sugar-free chocolate and low fat and low sugar ice creams and frozen yogurt. Your child will not be able to tell the difference. Save the other stuff for the occasional treat, on a birthday or special occasion, for instance.

Watch the carbohydrates at the dinner table. Use whole grain bread instead of white bread. Serve sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, brown rice and whole grain pasta instead of white rice and regular pasta.

Let the kids help you cook; preparing healthy food together will be fun, educational, and make them much more likely to be willing to eat more nutritiously. Buy a good kids' cookbook and be prepared to let them get messy!

Encourage active family activities, such as nature walks, hiking, bike riding, and sports. Go out and play tag or toss a ball around with your kids. Jump rope! It's good for you, too! Even if your child is not athletic, there are bound to be activities he or she will enjoy.

Don't force your child to participate in sports if they don't want to, though. There is no faster way to embed a lifelong hatred of baseball or soccer than to force a child without athletic ability or interest to participate. For these children, concentrate on non-competitve activies like hiking or biking or exploring parks and woodland areas.

Do talk to your kids about nutrition and fitness, and let them see you setting a good example by exercising and eating sensibly yourself. Educate yourself and your kids so that you can make sensible choices eating out. Discourage "super-sizing," and never do it yourself! The occasional small soda or small order of fries will not ruin an otherwise healthy lifestyle.

Keeping fit doesn't have to be a chore, especially if you start your kids off early and make good nutrition and exercise a habit.

Get going! No matter how young or how old your children are, it's never to late to start on a lifetime of health and fitness!