Overweight Children

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Childhood obesity, like its adult counterpart, is becoming national epidemic. Overweight children are subject to the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. They are 53 times more likely than their non-obese peers to develop hyperlipidemia: high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood. They are also more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and insulin resistance. Other possible consequences include: orthopedic problems, especially in the back and in the knees; asthma and other respiratory complications; increased risk of developing heart disease as adults. Obesity has also devastating effect on children's emotional health.
The best solution for overweight children is to make certain that there's enough healthy physical activity in their day and that they are getting adequate nutrition for their age and biological needs. In fact, good food and vigorous, spontaneous activity is almost always the best way to go.
Now, think who is raising your little ones. Through everything from cable TV, movies, video games, children magazines, music CDs, Internet sites to sporting events - major corporations are playing ever-increasing role in what our kids see, read, listen to, and do. Every year companies spend about $2,5 billion advertising to children. At the same time, "foods" being advertised to kids are far less healthy than "foods" advertised to adults.

Facts for parents to consider:

Foods that are given early on often shape the taste and selection preferences our kids develop. If you start feeding your kids highly sweetened or fatty foods, you will set them up for wanting these foods all the time. If you do not add fresh vegetables or fruit to their meals, they will learn to ignore or even dislike plant food.

Schools became training grounds for a new generation of consumers. They allow vending machines selling unhealthy articles hardly to be qualified as foods. They expose students to "educational television" saturated with aggressive commercials. According to a report by the American School Food Service Association the top school lunch meals are: pizza, chicken nuggets, French fries and chocolate chip cookies. No comment necessary. Are you sure you know what's going on in your kids' school?

Yes, it is cheaper to feed your family at most fast food joints than at the more traditional sit-down restaurants. But wait a minute. You pay less for food of limited nutritional value. A slice of tomato, a leaf of salad or a little pickle cannot provide your children with sufficient amount of vitamins an minerals. If they do not acquire missing nutrients from another meal, their health will suffer. So, was that fast-food dinner really a bargain?

According to the Surgeon General's report, children's physical activity levels decrease as kids get older, and really drop off as young people enter adolescence. Nearly 55 percent of youngsters age 12 to 21 are not physically active. Only 12 percent of them report vigorous activity, while the rest is physically active only occasionally. Experts say that kids who were not vigorously active in their early childhood tend to become teen-age couch-potatoes and then overweight adults.

Advice for parents to consider:

Don't be fooled by advertisements recommending convenience foods for breakfast. For example: a toaster pastry and a glass of juice is basically a high-sugar, mainly carbohydrate meal. It will only keep a kid fueled for about an hour. On the other hand, a breakfast consisting of whole grain cereal, a banana, and milk, would keep them going for about 2 hours. For even more stamina, serve an egg with toast, a little butter and fruit spread plus a half of an apple. Your child will be fueled for 4-5 hours. Use your own combinations and remember: your kid's meal is at its best when it contains proteins, a small amount of fat, vegetables and fruits, and as little sugar as possible.

Avoid unwanted influence on your children's eating preferences. The main attack comes from the TV and other media. They will attempt to indoctrinate your kids at specific times, when parents are not likely to control, what their children are watching or listening to. Then you can encounter a surprise demand from your daughter or son concerning a "new food product". Kids are not sophisticated enough to cut through the hype. Watch the television with them and point out how advertisers try to trick them. Don't preach. Engage them in a real conversation, ask them what they think and they will quickly learn not to believe everything they see.

Encourage physical activity according to what your child likes and not according to some "system". If your 8 years old daughter likes walking, take her for walks and make them as much fun as possible. If your 7 years old son wants to become a firefighter, devise an activity, appropriate for his age, and convince him that he is doing firefighter's training. Never pressure your children to excel in sports and games. If he or she has a specific athletic talent, they will find their way. So, do not insist to make a soccer player from your little son or your little daughter, because he may be a future Olympic weight lifter, and she may be a future track and field star. First, push your kids to move around and watch, which movements they prefer. Then always support them in their favourite activities.

Never make an issue of your child's overweight problem - not even jokingly. Ideally, you should never discuss your kid's weight in front of her or him, unless they bring it up themselves. If that does happen, use it as an opportunity to talk openly and reassuringly on the subject. You can speak about healthful foods and about the importance of keeping active. Make sure they know you are there for them. Don't preach. Sound like you are sharing information and giving advice.

Identify what urges your children to eat when they are not hungry. Is it boredom or stress? Or when they are feeling sad? While watching TV? Work to eliminate those triggers and substitute other things for food. Lots of kids do not know how to tell difference between hunger and thirst. They feel an urge for something and immediately think of a snack, when they might actually just be thirsty. Offer a healthy drink, like mineral water flavored with natural juice or milk.

Buy real food. When your refrigerator and your kitchen cupboards are stocked with healthy choices, your children are less likely to eat fattening junk, even if they help themselves.

Do not concentrate on your child's overweight problem . Put it in a broader perspective of your family and your parental responsibilities. If you are confused or not sure what to do, the e-book Positive Parenting will help. It is about love and harmony in your home. It shows you how to build mutual respect and how to motivate your kids to be accountable for their own actions.

PACK LOVE AND FOOD

     Remember trying to trade the apple in your lunchbox for a Twinkie? Here's how to pack healthy fare so fun and tasty that your kids will want to eat it:
    * Make fruits and veggies enticing. Get your kids to grow their own, even if it's just in a windowsill planter. Or take them to the produce aisle to choose their favorites. Dice up kiwi, peaches and strawberries to make a colorful salad. Include baby carrots, perhaps with low-fat dip. (Consider using an ice pack.)
    * Opt for fresher, less-processed foods. Last month a USDA committee on the food pyramid recommended avoiding trans fats. They're found in many store-bought cookies and crackers and even peanut butter. Try making PB&J with natural peanut butter. (Smucker's makes a yummy variety.)
    * Switch to whole-wheat bread. Try calcium-rich string cheese in a whole-wheat tortilla wrap or a stuffed whole-wheat pita, advises the American Dietetic Association. But don't be a puritan. It's OK to throw in a chocolate kiss - with a love note.
      Karen Springen, Newsweek Magazine

Proven Results Weight Loss

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Fat Loss for Idiots: An idiotic title and a great book. It provides tons of versatile and scientifically valid information. A lot of it is free. They do not recognize any of the most advertised diets. Instead, they offer a convincing "in between" approach.

Fit over Forty: Personal but honest and knowledgeable. It shows how obesity, lack of confidence and constant struggle can be reversed; provides excellent inspiration for those, who are not so young any longer. Baby-boomers invited.

Shocking Proof: We usually forget that our body is a temporary dump and an enormous ZOO. Disgusting plaque and horrible little �critters� living in our guts are very much capable of creating our overweight problems. This approach is not pretty but very much scientific.

Turbulence Training: Although so called, this fat burning routine will introduce little turbulence into your existence, because it was designed to comply with all kind of lifestyles. Exercise haters may be surprised.

Fit Mummy: Ladies who cannot lose the remaining baby fat and are too busy to effectively control their weight will love this book. Holly Rigsby is a busy mom herself. She is also a friendly and warm professional, well prepared to help you.

Self-hypnosis: This site�s web master used self-hypnosis to successfully quit smoking. Call him prejudiced but he will still believe that hypnotic auto-suggestion can help you to shed all those excessive pounds and keep them away for the rest of your life.

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Speed Fat Loss: We usually reject programs promising a quick weight loss but this one makes sense. At least this is not just a diet; and the author is both sincere and convincing.

Losing by Believing: They say: the key to losing weight is - believing you can and thinking yourself thin. You only must believe frankly and think deeply. Well, there are a lot of famous (and thin) people out there, who attribute their successes to strong beliefs.

Lose Weight Classic Healthy Diet Obesity Facts
Counting Calories French Paradox Fitness Classic Articles