Give Your Child the Tools He Needs to Enjoy Exercising and Eating Healthy

We are our biggest health threat. This country is at its all time high in obesity. Our children are facing a low life expecting rate. Weight -related conditions are killing people more than cancer, accidents, and the AIDS virus. An estimated 1/3 of all children are overweight says the Robert Wood Foundation. This is including 24% of 2 to 4 yrs olds.

Pediatrics reported that 34% of children with weight problems have not been diagnosed by their physician. We have become accustomed to thinking that they are just chubby and thats not a big deal. It's a slow epidemic that is quite different from 20 years ago. Today, the vegetable most commonly eaten by kids is a french fry. This is a time bomb that's ticking to create a lifetime of heart diseases and diabetes as well as some other conditions. Physical education is not what it used to be in schools. Restaurants are giving too large portions. We as parents need to become a bigger influence in what our family eats. It is a good thing that there are ways to help us help our kids.

There was once no worries about children being overweight by age 2. A study found that babies who gained weight significantly before 6 months of age, were likely to be obese at age 3. There is a growth chart by the World Health Organization that can help you in determining the standards for your child. Go to parents.com/fight fat.

Breast feed your child for long as possible. Breastfed babies tend to weigh less than bottle fed babies due to increased calories in formula. Babies will let you know when they are full with breast feeding . With bottles, moms tend to force babies into finishing their bottles even if they're full. Try not to start solid foods too soon. Wait until at least 6 months. Know your child height to height to weight ratio, or (BMI). This is based on their age and sex at age 2 and older. If your child falls between the 85^th to 95^th percentile, he's overweight. If he is above the 95th percentile, he is considered obese. Forty percent of parents classified their kids as being about the right weight even though they were obese, according to a study by the University of Michigan . The journal of American Medical Association found out that Pediatrician didn't even access BMI's for more than 28 percent of their patients.

Incorporate meal changes for the whole family. That way, the child won't feel singled out. Research shows that if parents don't change their habits neither will the kids. Children should be active at least an hour a day. Most of that time should be spent outdoors. That way they can run, jump rope, play hopscotch, etc. Try to find ways to put a workout into simple areas in life. For example, park in the back of a parking lot when you shop so you can walk further from the entrance. If you have a lot of bags just push the basket to your car. Walk up the stairs instead of the elevator.

Add lots of fruits and vegetables to your diet. Kids are picky at first. Keep trying different vegetables and fruits until you find what they like the most. Also, add whole grain to your meal. Whole wheat pasta and cereal are good too. They have what is called a low glycolic index. They have more fiber than other carbohydrates, and metabolize at a slower rate. They keep children full longer.

Source: www.parents.com