“Childhood Obesity - What Are The Risks?”
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Let’s look at these risks in detail:
Type II Diabetes – Diabetes is a serious condition thatrequires dietary restrictions, and oral or injectible insulin.
Even with appropriate treatment, diabetes has long-term healthrisks that include circulatory disease, an inability to healfrom wounds and injuries, stress on the heart and pulmonarysystem, and even blindness, stroke and coma.
Diabetes in children is nearly always due to obesity and lackof proper diet and exercise.
Heart Disease – If your child is not getting enough of theright nutrients and enough exercise, they are at risk for earlyheart disease.
These conditions can require medication and careful monitoringand may lead to long-term heart disease.
Joint and Weight Bearing – Short term growth issues, legbowing, hip displacement and long term deterioration anddisfigurement of the lower joints and bones.
Self Esteem and Confidence Issues – Children who are overweightor obese are self-conscious and typically have low self-esteemand confidence as compared to other children. They are less likely to TRY to meet challenges and thereforeare often unaware of their own competence and skill in mostareas of life.
Children will often tease or bully overweight friends andclassmates. If you think this is happening to your child,involve the school administration and be sure that your childgets the support they need.
High Blood Pressure – Hypertension is a serious issue,especially in children. High blood pressure puts a significantstrain on your child’s growing body. It can cause headaches,dizziness, and in some cases can cause stroke and other serioushealth risks.
High Cholesterol – Can be difficult to control with diet alone,and may require medication. Among the risks of elevated ‘bad’cholesterol: Heart attack and stroke.
Depression – Obese children often suffer from depressionbecause of their feelings of self-loathing and/or because ofthe way they are treated by others.
Depression can also result from lack of exercise andinappropriate stimulation of brain chemicals that balance mood.
If your child is isolated by his obesity and has lowself-esteem he may experience feelings of hopelessness andbegin to lose interest in normal activities. He may sleep moreor less than he used to and he may be more emotional thannormal.
Some children go in the opposite direction and demonstrate anemotionally ‘flat’ demeanor instead of being extremelyemotional.
If you believe your child is depressed, you should talk withhim and with your child’s teacher and doctor to agree on a teamapproach to the problem.
In severe cases, doctors may prescribe medication to get yourchild through these temporarily trying times until you can gettheir physical and emotional health back on track.
Sleep Disruption – Lack of exercise can impede production andstimulation of the brain chemicals that control sleep andappetite patterns.
If it is difficult for your child to breathe in certainpositions, your child may also suffer from sleep disruption dueto conditions like apnea.
If your child is not getting enough sleep to help them grow andto give them mental clarity during the day, you will find thatthese abnormal sleep patterns will disrupt healthy growth andmental clarity.
Pulmonary ProblemsM – Asthma, wheezing, and shortness of breathare just some of the complications seen in obese children.
Skin Disorders – Overweight and obese children have a tendencytoward skin conditions and inflammation, especially if thechild has deep skin folds on their body on the abdomen, legs orarms.
Disorders include heat rash, dermatitis and acanthosisnigricans, which may indicate the onset of Type II Diabetes.
Increased Chance of Adult Obesity – An obese child is much morelikely to become an obese adult, with lifelong health andemotional problems to match!
There is certainly more to the story but if what we have toldyou already doesn’t frighten you into action, you are probablynot paying attention!
Numbers don’t lie:
25% of obese children have high blood pressure.
85% of children diagnosed with Type II diabetes are obese
Among grade 9-12 students surveyed in 1999
16% were in the 85th percentile (17% male, 14% female)
10% were in the 95th percentile (12% male, 8% female, )
30% thought of themselves as overweight (36% female, 25% male)
37% of Hispanic students considered themselves overweight
29% of White students considered themselves overweight
25% of Black students considered themselves overweight
43% said they were trying to lose weight (59% female, 26% male)
51% of Hispanic students were trying to lose weight
43% of White students were trying to lose weight
36% of Black students were trying to lose weight
58% used exercise within the past 30 days to lose weight orcontrol weight
67% of girls reported using exercise to lose weight or controlweight
49% of boys reported using exercise to lose weight or controlweight
40% said they ate less food, consumed fewer calories, or atefoods low in fat to lose weight or control weigh
56% of girls reported eating less food, consuming fewercalories, or eating foods low in fat to lose weight or controlweight
25% of boys reporting eating less food, consuming fewercalories, or eating foods low in fat to lose weight or controlweight
13% reported fasting (going without eating for 24 hrs or more)to lose weight or control weight
19% of girls reported fasting
6% of boys reported fasting
o8% reporting taking diet pills, liquids or powders WITHOUTconsulting a doctor to lose or control weight
11% of girls reported taking diet pills, liquids or powders
4% of boys reported taking diet pills, liquids or powders
5% reported vomiting or taking laxatives to lose or controlweight
7% of girls reported using these techniques
2% of boys reported using these techniques
We hope you now understand the risks of your child beingoverweight or obese.
And you can see from the results of the high-school studentsurvey that adolescents employ many ways (both healthy andunhealthy) to try to cope with their weight.
If your child is younger, you can’t wait that long to get themback on track.
If your child is already an adolescent, give them the tools,information and support to get healthy and to lose weight theRIGHT WAY!
About The Author: Janet Hart is the owner ofhttp://www.freefamilyhelp.com A free family resource siteoffering free tips, books, and more. Sign up today for a freenewsletter to receive even more parenting tips!http://www.freefamilyhelp.com
This child obesity and free toddlers activity and toddlers discipline guide site has articles about child obesity with positive parenting tips, free kids games, recipes, arts & crafts, child discipline articles about potty training, temper tantrums, kids sleep problems, parent tips for fussy eaters, including free child development toddlers activity and toddlers discipline parenting resources.
“ How To Teach Good Eating Habits”
Free toddlers activity & child discipline guide parenting article about child obesity
Obesity is the number one problem in the United States today. Blame it on hectic schedules and the propensity for eating junk foods and fast food fares. The problem with obesity is not just the psycho- socio effects but it is also the leading cause of diabetes all over the world today.
There is a growing concern for obese children who are in danger of getting diabetes and other weight-related diseases. A child can already start having weight problems even before he is born. Have you not figured out yet why obstetricians advice moms-to-be to eat healthy food and to keep within their ideal weight?
Majority of pregnant women still believe that the more weight they gain during pregnancy, the better for the baby. This is a misconception because studies show that the mother eat from the wrong foods groups and who do not observe proper diet when pregnant tend to gain more weight during pregnancy and in turn they give birth to overweight children.
Old fashioned folks still believe that fat babies are cute and healthy. Cute they maybe, but definitely not healthy!
An overweight kid is more prove to weight-related illnesses like diabetes. I am not saying that you should put your kids on a diet as early as one year old but come to think of it; putting kids on a healthy diet may just he the best solution to keeping them within their ideal weights.
Keeping kids on a healthy diet does not mean depriving them of their childhood. Well if childhood means ice cream and chocolates then go ahead, let them get their sweet yearnings. However, kids should be trained to identify the good food from the bad food.
I have noticed how parents allow their kids to drink sodas even before they turn a year old. The problem is that soda has become a staple family drink so kids grow up seeing soda on the table. And since they see their parents and housemates drink soda then they think it is good for them too.
Did you know that a can of soda contains seven and a half tablespoon of sugar? Can you imagine your child drinking water with this much sugar? Of course not! But see the number of parents allowing their kids to drink soda and you will get a heart attack.
Soda or carbonated drinks are generally unhealthy and kids have to be taught not to drink them. Of course, if you drink soda in the house or in restaurants you can never expect your child to believe you when you tell him that it is unhealthy.
Parents should lead by examples so if you want your child off carbonated drinks then you must start staying away from carbonated drinks too.
Children are born with a blank slate which means they develop a taste for the kind of food and drinks that parents give them at home while they were growing up.
Some parents find it so hard to let their children eat green leafy vegetables. It will be difficult to coax children into eating green and leafy vegetables especially if they grew up without tasting such food.
To get your child interested in vegetables of any kind, they have to experience the food while they are growing up and still developing their taste buds.
Every parent should be guided by the pyramid food classification when feeding their children. Parents should start feeding their babies the right food even before they can demand what they want to eat. The pyramid food guide shows that food that has plenty of fats, oil and sweets should be eaten sparingly.
Thus, parents can feed their babies chocolates and ice creams but only sparingly. On the other hand, babies should be fed two to three servings of milk and cheese as well as food with protein content like fish and poultry.
Vegetables and fruits should be the main fare of babies who should eat food from this group in three to five servings. Babies do not really have a choice what you feed them so it is easy to just mash some potatoes or squash or carrots and feed your baby. He will be able to develop a taste for these vegetables and will find them normal fare when they grow up.
The most important food group which babies should be given more of are breads, cereals, and other carbohydrate- containing food.
Another past time for the new generation is junk food. I always fight this impulse to deliver a sermon whenever I see a mom feeding her baby junk food. Oh, I see them everywhere, babies not even a year old being fed chips just because the mother is so tired to cook good food for her baby.
The problem of obesity starts early on in life and if babies are not shown the right food to consume then they will grow up junk food addicts and soda gurglers like their moms and dads.
It is also unwise to give candies to babies just to make them stop crying. Doing such will only make the candy a comfort zone for your baby who would develop this habit of eating candy whenever he is stressed. Sad to say, your baby will carry this habit even when he grows older and becomes an adult himself.
To encourage kids to snack on healthy food, why not julienne carrots, cucumber and guava and place them on attractive cups and serve them with an attractive dip? Why not let babies munch on raw carrots? It will not only be good for his health but on his teeth as well.
Teaching babies to eat right is not expensive but it takes a lot of love, patience and creativity. Training them to eat right will pay off in the future when you see them grow up to become healthy eaters.
If you want to encourage your kids to eat right then train them to eat right. But first, you also have to train yourself to eat right so you can be a good example to them.
The "Daycare Diva", Christine G. Groth, is the creator of "The Guide to Instant Daycare Profits". To learn more about this step-by-step program and to sign-up for her FREE "How to Start a Daycare" tips and articles, visit http://www.ExpertsA tDaycare. com
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