Children and Obesity

In our country today between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese. There are over 300,000 deaths a year due to unhealthy weight gain, poor diet and lack of exercise. Consuming fast food on a daily basis, not eating enough fruits and vegetables, and not drinking the proper amount of water effects each and everyone of us on a negative level. I know this is a sensitive topic for many, but it is heart breaking to see so many children and teens struggle with obesity at such young ages. It is a cruel world out there for an overweight child. All of us know that in grade school and high school those children will get teased at the expense of their weight. Last year while my daughter was attending Kindergarten, I saw a lot of little kids that were overweight. The children were all running around the grass in front of the school. They were waiting for the doors to open so they could go in and play on the playground. As I looked around at the little beautiful faces, I couldn't help but notice this one little girl. She was smiling and laughing while running with the other kids. After about the second lap around the lawn she had to stop and bend over to catch her breath. She was overweight and couldn't keep up with the other kids. My heart went out to her. Here she was only 5 years old and unable to keep pace with her piers. We as adults influence our children daily and their habits. Whether it be language, talents, health awareness, nutrition, eating habits, or confidence. There are many good and bad habits/qualities we teach our children repeatedly each day. They are like little sponges and will absorb all that is around them. If what they see is food from a window handed into a car all the time they are going to think that it is the healthy way of life. Families that sit down and eat a healthy dinner together at least 4 nights a week are more likely to have children who stay out of trouble, and respect what they have. Not to mention it shows them proper nutrition, how to cook fresh foods and encourages communication. Many children have not experienced fresh veggies from the farm, or produce section, where and how they grow, or the value of proper nutrition. It is up to us to teach our kids about healthy eating and a healthy life style. My kids participated in the community garden this summer and were given the opportunity to see where their carrots, lettuce, spices, and berries came from. It gave them a great respect for vegetables and eating healthy . Not to mention witnessing the hard work it was to keep up on the garden all summer long to produce the veggetables. There are many tools and a vast amount of knowledge for parents to prevent their children from becoming obese. It takes time and dedication for us to make sure that they are getting all they need on a daily basis. If we look at our own eating habits, are we eating 4 fruits and veggies a day? Is there color on your plates? Are you eating enough protien and healthy snacks? It is a simple change in our daily life to make sure we are giving our loved ones what their bodies need and are made for...fresh healthy foods, proper vitamins and supplements.

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