Obesity in America
Childhood Obesity
Tips to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Aug 21st
There are many things you can do to prevent childhood obesity and make sure your child will lead a healthy life.
The first thing you can do is to monitor everything your child eats. You can do that by writing down all the meals and snacks your child eats every day. Keep the journal for a week or two weeks to have a thorough understanding of every intake. This will help you understand the amount of food your child eats, the habits the child has developed and also it will help you change things. This means that when it is time to educate your child on healthy eating, you can take examples from the journal. For instance, tell the child that instead of picking up a bag of potato chips for snack, he could have made a fruit salad or some dried fruit instead. These alternatives are tasty and very healthy. Your child might not like snacks so much, but eat them because he doesn’t know the alternatives.
Another thing you can do is not to buy junk food. Junk food has many drawbacks. It is expensive and unhealthy and it will teach your child to seek ready made food and develop a liking for it more than cooked food. This will cause you a big problem in the future if you allow it to happen. So if you are one of those parents that likes to give junk food to children, you should reconsider. Another thing you should know is that many juices that are available in the market are not that healthy either. They are concentrated, contain a very limited amount of fruit pulp if any and they are full of sugar. Added sugar can be hidden everywhere, even in salty foods. If you don’t have enough time to prepare fresh juices, you can buy a juice machine. They are very easy to use and some models don’t require any action from you. You just add the fruit without even peeling it and you get fresh juice.
If your child has an increased appetite, you shouldn’t make the child feel bad. You can do simple tricks that will help this phase. Serve the meals and allow enough time for the child to eat. Always eat in the dining table or in your kitchen and never in the living room in front of the television. You should also not serve colas and sodas with the meal. If your child is still hungry after consuming the proper serving you have given, allow a second serving from vegetables. For example, if you have cooked steaks with vegetables, allow the child to have more vegetables until he is full. Make sure you have enough and always use two or three vegetables to make the dish tastier and full of colors. For example you can serve corn with carrots.
Lastly, you should keep a stable program and plan ahead for meals. Eating healthy food at a regular time can play a more important role than you think in keeping your child healthy.
Doing Your Part to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Aug 21st
Childhood obesity is being considered an epidemic. Do your part to prevent obesity from being an issue in your home. Protect your child by taking steps now to help your child make simple changes in his/her life so they do not fall victim to obesity.
You do not have to make drastic changes at one time. The point is to make the changes, small or big. Doing nothing today will do nothing to prevent your child from being a statistic. Sadly, being overweight is the leading cause for many serious health issues, such as:
? Hypertension
? Type 2 Diabetes
? Orthopedic issues
? Sleep apnea
? Depression
? Asthma
Ideas for Making Changes
Help your child live a long and healthy life by ensuring he/she has a healthy diet and active lifestyle. These changes should not only be introduced to your child, but they should be a part of the entire family’s lives.
? Eat at home – While many fast food restaurants are creating menus with healthier menu choices, kids tend to go for the high calorie, high fat foods. If you can limit the amount of times you eat out, this will go a long way in keeping your child healthy. Make eating at home fun. There are many home prepared meals that are healthier, but can still give the feeling of “fast food.” However, the way you cook them is what makes a huge difference. Natural food supplements are great for filling in the gaps for nutrition.
? Watch the drinks – Many times, parents do not pay attention to what their kids are drinking. While they may be making an effort on what they are giving their children to eat, they may not realize that those drinks have a huge impact on the calories they are consuming, as well as the sugar they are taking in. In fact, drinks can be a dangerous trap. While most parents realize soda is simply not good for their kids, they may not realize that fruit drinks are not always the answer for healthy drinking. Fruit drinks, including 100% juices contain a lot of sugar. The drinks your child consumes could mean the difference between having a normal weight and being overweight.
? Get them up and moving – Make it fun. Getting active does not have to mean boring. The key is to get them up and moving doing anything they love. If they are into sports, sign them up for a team sport. If they do not like sports, find out what they do like. Unorganized play can be just as good as a team sport, if not better, because they are likely continually moving. Try playing a game of tag or go on a hike or bike ride with your kids. They will not only enjoy the activity, but they will enjoy the time they get to spend with you.
? Weight management supplements – These can come in the form of shakes and bars. Instead of giving them a candy bar, try giving them a protein bar. Instead of giving them sugary cereal for breakfast, try giving them a banana shake with an egg and some toast. Weight management supplements come in all forms and varieties. They are generally packed full of vitamins and minerals to not only prevent them from gaining unhealthy weight, but will give them energy to help burn off those useless calories they consume.
You cannot always control what your child eats. However, you can control what you buy for your home. Your child spends a lot of time at home. If you do not buy the sugary drinks and candy, then when they get hungry, they will go for the healthier snacks you do have available. It’s that simple! Try bringing in some weight management supplements, such as vanilla or chocolate shakes or one of the many delicious bars that are available. Don’t forget natural food supplements to help fill in those gaps.
