Child ObesityThe problem of childhood obesity in the United States has grown considerably in recent years. Between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese. Obesity is among the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat. Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year. The annual cost to society for obesity is estimated at nearly $100 billion. Overweight children are much more likely to become overweight adults unless they adopt and maintain healthier patterns of eating and exercise.
I feel very strongly about childhood obesity and that is why I decided to write about it. What exactly is obesity? A few extra pounds are not considered obesity. However they may indicate a tendency to gain weight easily and a need for changes in diet and/or exercise. Generally, a child is not considered obese until the weight is at least 10 percent higher than what is recommended for the height and body type. Obesity most commonly begins in childhood between the ages of 5 and 6, and during adolescence. Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult.
The causes of obesity are complex and include genetic, biological, behavioral and cultural factors. Basically, obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body burns up. If one parent is obese, there is a 50 percent chance that the children will also be obese. One reason for this is because you mostly learn from what you see. If a child sees their parents living an unhealthy lifestyle, the child will automatically believe that is ok to live like this. However, when both parents are obese, the children have an 80 percent chance of being obese. Although certain medical disorders can cause obesity, less than 1 percent of all obesity is caused by physical problems. Obesity in childhood and adolescence can be related to poor eating habits, overeating, lack of exercise, family history of obesity, medical illness, medication, stressful life events, depression, family and peer problems, and even low self-esteem.
1. Diet. You might think that if you were a child, you would never be eating a lot and that they would never starve. That’s not how things are supposed to be. You need to maintain your body weight and get better nutrition. There are three main things you can do to change your diet, according to experts:
1. Choose food with low fat content and low sugars. Eating a balanced diet is a big change as there is more fat in the food. This gives your body, as well as the nutrients the body needs. However, just because you are not eating lots of low fat doesn’t mean you are low in energy. In fact, it can lead to a lower quality of you energy. That’s why when you get sick, you will have more energy. You can get worse after a given period. Not only do you get sick, you also lose your weight. Not only do you lose the body mass you need to lose, you lose some of that time when you need it, too.
2. Limit salt. Salt, even in moderation, can change your diet from day to day. It helps to break down all the salt that is present and makes the food more digestible.
3. Avoid foods high in glycemic index and high in protein in your diet.
There is nothing really healthy in eating too much of one type or the other.
The key to avoiding these foods are:
1. Eat fats. You need to limit fat intake all the while you are eating fats. A good rule of thumb for avoiding foods high in fat is the following:
1. Don’t eat butter or sugar.
2. Be careful on the amount of sugar left in your mouth.
3. Stop any alcohol or even crackers.
4. Stop chewing meat because the taste is so bad.
5. Eat a balanced diet.
6. Enjoy a healthy relationship with your animal companion.
7. Don’t eat meat.
8. Consider a vegetarian diet.
9. It’s great at reducing the amount of fat.
10. Never consume high-fiber foods such as wheat and olive oils.
11. Avoid processed foods like fruit.
12. Don’t feed your pets processed foods.
13. Don’t eat processed meat.
14. Don’t consume processed meat with artificial sweeteners (<1 per day). 15. Eat only low-fat foods and high-fiber foods such as whole grains, legumes, pulses, beans, nuts, and dairy. In the end, getting the right nutrient mix doesn't have to be hard. It's quite easy, especially when you are only eating one or two high-fiber foods because you have been fed the right types of nutrients. Image of an Asian food menu from The Great Panda Diet References: Diana, P. R., B. P., C. A., G. N. M. & E. J. J. (2004). Effects of dietary monounsaturated fatty acids on body composition and serum lipids in young children . American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71(4), 807-816.