Showing posts with label healthier habits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthier habits. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Taking Control of Childhood Obesity



Obesity is an epidemic, not only affecting adults but children as well. This is an alarming issue, and many parents are concerned and wondering what they can do about it. If you have a child that seems to be overweight, your first step is to consult with his or her pediatrician. Aside from this, however, there are many steps you can take to encourage healthier habits in your kids. We're going to discuss a couple of these steps so keep reading.

More often than not, you simply need to find the right activity for your child to get him or her to be more active. Children can socialize and get a good workout from participating in sports like basketball, soccer, or football, but sports isn't really every child's cup of tea.

For instance, overweight children may have a hard time with traditional sports because they may lack coordination or not be athletic enough. But sports isn't the only activity that can help your child be more active. It's a good idea to take a look at the after-school activities your child's school offers or see if there are any activities offered locally. Your child may be interested in activities like swimming. Perhaps there's a martial arts school or a girl or boy scouts organization close to where you live. It's a good thing to encourage your child if he or she displays some interest in anything that will get him or her moving.

It's crucial that you educate yourself on nutrition if your goal is to help your child get to a healthy weight. You can help yourself as well as your entire family by becoming better informed on this topic. However, you should know that nutrition doesn't just involve counting calories. It has to do with learning about nutritional requirements and which foods are healthy and which are not. You can apply this knowledge when you shop. Rather than simply grabbing whatever food item appeals to you, you'll be more responsible and read the labels first. Many foods that are packaged as healthy may actually be high in fat or calories and that's why it's important to read labels. You'll also be able to make sure that you don't feed your child too much fast food since you'll be able to estimate how fattening they are.

Among the top causes of child obesity are passive activities like watching TV or playing games on the computer. More and more children tend to spend time sitting on a couch doing these things than out playing and burning calories. Many parents find it challenging to set a limit to their children's use of such devices since they've become essential to modern life. Today, computers are very much needed in doing schoolwork. Still, you shouldn't simply let your child spend most of his or her time sitting in front of the television or the computer. For instance, if you've let your child eat in front of the TV or computer before, it's time that you break the habit. Meals should be eaten on the dining table and preferably with the rest of the family. Make sure kids get outside and play and don't spend all their leisure time playing video games. Admittedly, we probably won't be able to do without electronic devices anymore, but that doesn't mean you should let your child spend of of his or her time with those.

Childhood obesity is a serious problem, and parents should be aware of what causes it and how to deal with it. If you've got an overweight or obese child, talk to your child's doctor and work with the doctor in designing a plan that will get your child to a healthy weight. Use the tips we've mentioned to get your child to the weight that's right for him or her.

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