Get a Grip on Childhood Obesity - Before It's Too Late...

If statistics are anything to go by, it's evident that there's been an alarming increase in the rate at which children of all ages are becoming obese. Taking the 1970s as a yardstick, there are now twice as many obese children between 2 and 5 years of age, and three times as many for the age group of 6 to 11 years. Approximately a third of children, generally speaking, are in danger of gaining excess weight, and 16% have already done so.

Are there any clues to the incidence of obesity between the sexes? Not really - the picture is more or less the same for both boys and girls. There's been an increase on both fronts in comparison with the 1960s. The proportion of boys to girls in this context stood at 29% and 27% respectively, towards the end of the last century.

Ethnic characteristics appear to play a part in determining a pattern, as it has been observed that more than 42% of Mexican American boys are inclined to be obese, while girls of African origin are a susceptible group from this standpoint.

Obesity among children must be recognized as a serious problem, because it will have a detrimental effect on their physical and psychological well being. Did you know that according to an assessment reached in 2000, roughly one third of children in the United States are likely to wind up with high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes? It's bad enough that these children are faced with the potential of developing such major problems at such an early stage in their lives.

Worse still is the likelihood that they will also develop heart disease, as well as other conditions resulting from their obesity. These children also become the butt of jokes and are picked on by bullies, all of which are demoralizing and may result in feelings of dejection and despair.

Unfortunately, it's becoming more and more difficult for youngsters to find opportunities to be physical active. At school, there are constraints on space, time and the availability of suitable equipment. Time is restricted to thirty minutes in the weekly schedule for children between 6 and 8 years of age, which is far from satisfactory. In addition, teachers with suitable training are hard to come by.

Along with the scarcity of playgrounds which are often sold or written off, parents frequently dissuade their children from playing outdoors as a result of worries about their security. This is further compounded by the easy availability of fast food at numerous restaurants on practically every street corner - a lethal combination, given that fast food is loaded with sugar and saturated fat.

There may also be genetic factors at play here - when parents are obese, it's highly probable that children will go the same way. It's also a question of poor eating habits being handed down to children from parents.

Obesity in children can best be addressed on an individual level, taking into account the factors that apply for a particular child's circumstances, state of health etc. At the same time, the child can be helped to cope with the physical and psychological consequences of his or her condition.

Tackling the problem of obesity in children must include an exercise routine to go hand in hand with a diet plan. When self esteem has taken a knock, often a child will need counseling for a period of time to overcome his trauma.

Parents must do their bit as role models for their children and lead by example. It is for them to encourage their children to take up activities that will give them the opportunity to be physically active. They could have a wide range of activities to choose from such as walking, cycling, dancing, sports or swimming - activities that can give children the chance to see that they can have fun in the process.

With regard to food and eating habits, once again, it is parents who must lead the way by providing nutritious food, packed with whole grains, fruit and vegetables. Parents can also contribute by making mealtime's enjoyable occasions for the family to come together.

Fast food should take a back seat and could be permitted as a treat once in a way. In addition, food should never be treated as a reward, which does seem to happen rather frequently. With a little originality, you can put the brakes on obesity in children.

Among other choices, you can reward your children with treats in the form of special outings. Rewards of this kind will go a long way to making them feel good about themselves - more importantly; the benefits will stay with them for years to come...