Obese children now have diseases like type 2 diabetes that used to only occur in adults. And overweight kids tend to become overweight adults, continuing to put them at greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
But perhaps more devastating to an overweight child than the health problems is the social discrimination. Children who are teased a lot can develop low self-esteem and depression.
There are many causes of obesity.
While there's no doubt genetics plays a role, genes alone can't account for the huge increase in rates over the past few decades. The main culprits are the same as those for adult obesity: eating too much and moving around too little.
Almost half of children aged 8-16 years watch three to five hours of television a day. Kids who watch the most hours of television have the highest incidence of obesity.
If you're concerned your child may be overweight, talk with their doctor. Obese children and heart disease is an issue that should be addressed as soon as possible.
A health care professional can measure your child's height and weight and calculate a ratio known as body mass index (BMI). This number is compared to a growth chart for children of your kid's age and gender to determine whether his or her weight is in a healthy range.
The following video clip on obese children and heart disease highlights the extent of this problem and what we can do to help our kids.
Click on the link in the center of the screen to begin viewing.
Tips For Helping Your Children Maintain A Healthy Body Weight
* Be supportive. Children know if they are overweight and don't need to be reminded or singled out. They need acceptance, encouragement and love.
* Set guidelines for the amount of time your children can spend watching television or playing video games.
* Plan family activities that involve exercise. Instead of watching TV, go hiking or biking, wash the car, or walk around a mall. Offer choices and let your children decide.
* Be sensitive. Find activities your children will enjoy that aren't difficult or could cause embarrassment.
* Eat meals together as a family and eat at the table, not in front of a television. Eat slowly and enjoy the food.
* Don't use food as a reward or punishment. Children should not be placed on restrictive diets, unless done so by a doctor (for medical reasons). Children need food for growth, development and energy.
* Involve your children in meal planning and grocery shopping. This helps them learn and gives them a role in the decision making.
* Keep healthy snacks on hand. Good options include fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables; low-fat cheese, yogurt or ice cream; frozen fruit juice bars; and cookies such as fig bars, graham crackers, gingersnaps or vanilla wafers.
* Focus on small, gradual changes in eating and activity patterns. This helps form habits that can last a lifetime.
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