| You may have heard there is an "obesity epidemic" in | | | | If left untreated, childhood obesity can lead to a |
| America that is afflicting our children. Perhaps you're | | | | number of problems, both physical and psychosocial. |
| wondering if your own child is average, overweight or | | | | Physically, 70% of obese 5 to 17-year-olds have at |
| obese. One way to determine childhood obesity is to | | | | least one cardiovascular disease risk factor already, |
| measure your child's BMI (body mass index), which | | | | whether it is high blood pressure, high cholesterol or |
| looks at their weight in relation to their height. The BMI | | | | abnormal glucose tolerance, and 25% have at least |
| index is a non-invasive screening tool that can be | | | | two risk factors. Obesity is also the leading cause of |
| performed simply by taking some measurements and | | | | type 2 diabetes, as 60% of diabetics are also |
| looking up the average at Dnpabmi. | | | | overweight. More immediate health problems include |
| Some say the alarming childhood obesity rate has | | | | sleep apnea, hepatic steatosis (fatty degeneration of |
| been caused by a shift in our culture from an active | | | | the liver), kidney failure and asthma. Psychologically, |
| society to a more sedentary society. Compared to the | | | | obese adolescents become the targets of social |
| children of the seventies, today's children are more | | | | stigmatization, which can leave lasting emotional scars |
| sedentary, spending three hours per day watching TV, | | | | that may never fully heal. |
| movies or playing video games, which has decreased | | | | There are many ways to prevent childhood obesity in |
| the amount of time children and teens spend actively | | | | your home. While you certainly don't want to place |
| outdoors. Television also encourages increased food | | | | your child on a restrictive diet that may interfere with |
| consumption and tempts children to make unhealthy | | | | normal growth and development, planning meals with |
| food choices through exposure to advertisements. | | | | balanced calories can help ensure your child gets an |
| Since 1991, the percentage of students' participation in | | | | appropriate amount of nutrition. Be sure to encourage |
| daily physical education during school has decreased | | | | your child's healthy eating habits by providing |
| from 42% to 28%. The importance of a healthy diet | | | | vegetables, fruits, whole-grain foods, low-fat and |
| for children cannot be overstated, nor can the need | | | | fat-free dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, |
| for daily physical activity, since studies show the | | | | proper portion sizes and plenty of water. Limit |
| patterns a child develops early in life tend to remain | | | | sugar-sweetened beverages, sugar and fatty foods in |
| with him or her for life. | | | | the house as much as possible. |