Reduce Childhood Obesity The percentage of children and teens who are overweight has doubled in the past 30 years. A total of 17 percent of American children ages 2 to 19 are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. Like adults, overweight children and adolescents are at risk for a variety of health consequences, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and asthma. Those facts are changing the way that researchers are approaching obesity itself, as well as its causes and treatment. Obesity is a complex problem with many drivers, including our behaviour, environment, genetics and culture. However, at its root obesity is caused by an energy imbalance: taking in more energy through food than we use through activity. Physical activity is associated with numerous health benefits for children, such as muscle and bone strength, health and fitness, improved quality of sleep and maintenance of a healthy weight. There is also evidence that physical activity and participating in organized sports and after school clubs is linked to improved academic performance. Long-term, sustainable change will only be achieved through the active engagement of schools, communities, families and individuals. Here is what parents can do. 1. Remove calorie-rich temptations Treats are OK in moderation, but limiting high-fat and high-sugar or salty snacks can also help children develop healthy eating habits. Here are examples of easy-to-prepare, low-fat and lowsugar treats that are 100 calories or less: ●A medium-size apple ●A medium-size banana ●1 cup blueberries ●1 cup grapes ●1 cup carrots, broccoli, or bell peppers with 2 tbsp. hummus
2. Encourage healthy eating habits ●Small changes can lead to a recipe for success ●Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole-grain products. ●Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils and beans for protein. ●Serve reasonably sized portions. ●Limit sugar-sweetened beverages, sugar, sodium and saturated fat. Help your kids understand the benefits of being physically active. Teach them that physical activity has great health benefits like: ●Strengthening bone ●Decreasing blood pressure ●Increasing self-esteem ●Helping with weight management 2. Taking out 20% of sugar in products Evidence shows that slowly changing the balance of ingredients in everyday products, or making changes to product size, is a successful way of improving diets. This is because the changes are universal and do not rely on individual behavior change. All sectors of the food and drinks industry will be challenged to reduce overall sugar across a range of products that contribute to children’s sugar intakes by at least 20% by 2020, including a 5% reduction in year one. This can be achieved through reduction of sugar levels in products, reducing portion size or shifting purchasing towards lower sugar alternatives. 3. Help kids stay active Children and teens should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week, and every day if possible. Start adding physical activity to your
own daily routine and encourage your child to join you. Some examples of moderate-intensity physical activity include: ●Brisk walking ●Playing tag ●Jumping rope ●Playing soccer ●Swimming ●Dancing If we want to turn the obesity trend aroundwe'll need to address some of these more issues involving our way of life, our policies, our society. And to accomplish that, we'll need to address these issues as a society, on all possible levels.