Introduction to Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is, "a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height"(Mayo Clinic, 2008). It is an epidemic that is growing. This issue has not always been a noted problem in the United States until the late 1900's. According to theNational Institutes of Health, "The number of children who are overweight has doubled in the last two to three decades; currently one child in five is overweight." The increase in percentages over time will become a problem for the future of our children. For the first time in history, American children could have a shorter life span than their parents.

One in three children in the U.S. is considered overweight or obese. Childhood obesity affects all population groups; both male and female. It leads to many health and social consequences that can continue on into later life. Prevention is the key, but unfortunately there isn't a magic formula for each individaul. Unfortuanately, there are many challenges that prevent a solution to childhood obesity. Three areas of intervention include the following:

- Physical Activity
- Healthy Diet
- Behavior Modification

Friday, November 28, 2008

Family Meals - A Lost Art?


What is something you can do as a family (that's not too hard) that can help your children have better eating habits? Eat meals together! A great book (pictured above) talks about the "power" that family meals can have. Studies have also shown that kids who eat family meals together eat more fruits, vegetables, dairy, and have better overall nutrition. There are many other benefits including better grades and less risk of alcohol or drug use. It doesn't have to be a fancy meal - it's just the fact of being together. Once you have that accomplished, you can work on improving the nutrition of your meals. Of course, you wouldn't want to go out to eat or bring fast-food home each night in order to eat together as a family.

Many families have both parents working and children are able to eat whatever and whenever they want or graze. Also, families have so many activities going on that it is hard to all sit down together and eat. Often times individuals are eating on the go . In both of these situations, junk food is usually eaten. Just taking a few minutes here to come together and sit down and talk with each other will provide better nutrition and time to communicate. The following websites provide healthy and easy recipes as well as meal plans that you may like to try:
You may not be able to eat together as a family everyday, but even aiming for a few times a week can be beneficial. Weekends may be a great time to get together for a family brunch or maybe eating breakfast together in the morning works better for your schedule. Research has shown that eating family meals together during adolescence is associated with better diets during adulthood. This simple activity will provide so many benefits long after the meals are over and your children are grown. Don't let family meals become a lost art! Check out this website for more benefits of family meals and ideas on how to get together.
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1 comment:

Anastasia Bertola said...

I think it is a great idea to emphasize how important it is to eat dinner together not only for the benefit of the family but also for healthy children

December 2, 2008 at 1:43 PM

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