Parenting Tips: Combating Obesity In ChildrenYour Health Journal ...

From The Eastern Arizona Courier?..

Did you know that one out of every five children in the United States is overweight or obese? Sadly, this number has tripled since 1963. With good reason, childhood obesity is now the number one health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking.

Causes of obesity

Children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes include: lack of physical activity, excessive time spent watching television and playing video games, increases in child poverty, greater availability of fast foods, aggressive marketing of junk food, larger portion sizes or any combination of these factors. There are some cases where being overweight is caused by a medical condition such as a hormonal problem. A complete physical and some blood tests can rule out the possibility of a medical condition as the cause.

Although weight problems run in families, not all children with a family history of obesity will be overweight. Children whose parents or siblings are overweight may be at an increased risk of becoming overweight themselves, but this can be linked to shared family behaviors such as poor activity habits.

A child?s total diet and activity level play an important role in determining a child?s weight. Today children spend a lot of time being inactive. For example, the average child spends approximately two and half hours each day watching television. As computers and video games become increasingly popular, the amount of hours of inactivity may increase.

Young children and obesity

Childhood obesity can lead to delayed development, which can lead to increased school absences and poor school performance. Our growing understanding of the brain reminds us that between birth and 5 years old, a child?s brain is developing at a high rate; so are attitudes about nutrition, activity and weight. This window of opportunity is a perfect time for parents and other adults to do their part to help put an end to early childhood obesity.

What diseases are obese children at risk for?

Among children today, obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously weren?t seen until adulthood. The list includes:

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Source: http://www.lensaunders.com/wp/?p=5736

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