Why Are Our Kids Fat? Children and Obesity

Published Wednesday, February 25, 2009 by silikarqztvrds | E-mail this post

Did you know that in the United States...
- 30 billion dollars a year is spent on dieting

- 1/3 of children under the age of 17 (~25 million) are overweight or obese

- 24% of the total US population (~72 million men, women and children) are considered obese

- 46.1% have high cholesterol

- 8.8% have diabetes

- 58.3% are not physically active

- Because of these trends, and if habits don't change, this children's generation will be the first that becomes sicker and dies younger than their parents

- 14 billion dollars a year is currently spent in medical care to treat overweight children (Thanks to Jayson Hunter for these stats)

A good question to ask would be "Why are we seeing these trends in the younger generations, and what can we do about it?"

The truth of the matter is most kids have little control over their diet. They pretty much eat what mom and dad put in front of them (except maybe lima beans). "Food in a Box" is generally much easier to prepare. It doesn't take much effort to pour milk into cereal, and with today's busy lifestyles frozen dinners and the drive-thru is more common than not. But at what price?

It does not take long for kids to develop a taste for high-carbohydrate foods. Face it, sugar tastes good! I realize Arizona Home In Phoenix is unrealistic for most people to never allow junior a cookie, but do we really have to feed them "Frosted Crunchies" for breakfast, hot dogs and chips for lunch and pizza for dinner?

I can hear the protests now - "But that's all he will eat!". That may be the case, but I would submit that tastes can be changed over time. If we try to change everything at once in our kids diets we are fighting a losing battle. Most will find the constant struggle too much to take. Small changes made over time is probably a better strategy.

What might some of these changes look like?

- Add a hard boiled egg into the mix at breakfast. Most people (including kids) eat no protein until much later in the day; not good.
- A piece of fruit in the lunchbox. Ask your kids what kind of fruit they like and start there.
- Same thing with veggies. Most kids I know will eat carrot sticks if they have an option. My kids love salads at dinner as well.

Realize these are just a few ideas to start. The truth is minor modifications such as these will not make a long term impact if the rest of the diet consists of garbage. Soda, twinkies and anything other than the occasional sweet treat should be eliminated. As unrealistic as it may be for many, the general rule in my house is if it comes in a box, it ain't good for you! I have six kids, and I can attest to the fact that kids will eat good food; the earlier you start the better. My kids will eat just about any vegetable (even mashed rutabega) you throw at them without complaint. Chicken and fish are A-OK! They absolutely love fruit, even the economical frozen stuff.

The other factor in the equation is movement. We as a society just don't do it enough! Long gone are the days when kids ran out the door after breakfast, came back for lunch and were out the door again until dinner. I realize for many reasons this isn't possible or even wise anymore, but do we really have to let our kids plop in front of the TV or play video games all day? The human body must move or it will degenerate and lose function. Who would have thought 30 years ago that so many kids would need an exercise class? Is there something you can do to get the children in your care more active?

We are at a crossroads in this country when it comes to our health and the health of our kids. Waiting for the government to "do something about it" is not going to solve the problem. If there are children in your life, what action can you take to change these trends? If you are a fitness professional, what are you doing to get the word out to make a difference?

If not now, when? If not you, who?

About Dean: Fed up with the way he looked and felt, Dean Carlson decided enough was enough. After wading through the conflicting diet and fitness information, and through much trial and error, he found himself 80 pounds lighter and with a new outlook on life. His desire to help other people get healthy and fit without going it alone led him to start Cr8 Health & Fitness, where he shares his knowledge and passion for fitness with others looking to get off the diet roller coaster.

Dean is a Certified Professional Fitness Trainer with the National Exercise and Sports Trainer Association.

Why Are Our Kids Fat? Children and Obesity

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