Childhood Obesity

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, children should get 60 minutes of physical activity a day. The alarming reality is children are rarely meeting these standards. Only 13% of Canadian children and youth get their recommended 60 minutes, and in the United States, 1 in 3 children are either overweight or obese. Childhood obesity is not just a North American problem; these trends are being seen all over the world.

The reasons for the rising rates of obesity are numerous. Studies suggest a variety of causes such as:

• Less physical activity
• Greater reliance on cars
• More eating out
• Sedentary entertainment i.e. TV, video and computer games
• More high calorie food choices
• Bigger food portions
• Safety concerns related to outside free play

While the causes of childhood obesity may be up for debate, most of the medical world agrees that combating childhood obesity starts with prevention.

Research has shown that a well-designed and well-implemented school program can effectively promote physical activity, healthy eating and reductions in television viewing time.

According to Joe MacDonald, professor at St. Francis Xavier University, today’s children are “physically illiterate”. Similar to how children learn to read and write, they also need to learn the “language of movement”. Consequently, schools should create a learning environment that teaches children to be active.

To combat the childhood obesity epidemic, programs like At My Best in Canada, Let’s Move! in the USA and Obesity Prevention Australia have been created to provide parents, teachers and kids with the necessary resources to live a healthy life.

While these programs are an important stepping stone on the way to a healthier future, it is important to remember “childhood obesity isn’t some simple, discrete issue. There’s no one cause we can pinpoint. There’s no one program we can fund to make it go away. Rather, it’s an issue that touches on every aspect of how we live and how we work”.

Public Health Agency of Canada: Tips To Get Active
Health Kids Canada 2009 Report Card
Solving Childhood Obesity through Supportive Parenting
Childhood Obesity

According to a study by Deakin University, Children aged 10 to 12 years old spend half the amount of time doing moderate physical activity they did when they were five to six and watch an “excessive” three hours of television a day. My first thought… they all need a Springfree™ Trampoline

“Television viewing has been linked to increased risk of overweight and obesity,” said Professor David Crawford, director of the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research.

He presented the findings of the study, ‘Children Living in Active Neighbourhoods’, at a conference in Sydney called ‘Tackling Childhood Obesity in Australia’.

He said children aged 10 to 12 spent two hours and five minutes a day doing moderate physical activity, half that of five to six-year-olds.

The recommendation for children’s viewing is no more than two hours a day, he said.

If we don’t deal with (childhood) obesity now, they will end up in hospital and it will be a problem for them and a problem for the community. How do you encourage physical activity and discourage TV time?

‘Run child run’… it worked for Forest Gump… but it seems modern kids aren’t only sedentary, but not getting the right nutrition either.

Considered an epidemic, child obesity is a world-wide issue and will continue to be at the forefront of medical and psychological research. That’s why 300 schoolchildren and their families in the UK took part in the ‘EarlyBird Diabetes Study’ – to find out what happens in childhood that can lead to the development of diabetes in later life.

In summary the EarlyBird Diabetes Study conducted by UK’s leading obesity charity found that:

• Kids generally aren’t doing enough exercise or eating the right food
• There is Evidence of a link between overweight parents and children with a weight problem
• Obese mothers are 10 times more likely to have obese daughters
• Obese fathers are 6 times more likely to have obese sons

After reading the findings, I wonder if you too will have the same reaction as me…. DUH!!!!!

Of course there are genetic factors to consider but one would assume these findings are a no brainer – you are a product of your parents. You eat what they serve; you pick up habits (good and bad) from your parents and of course if they represent an unhealthy attitude or routine towards food, you are more than likely to share this!

But what is causing real controversy in Britain is the idea to introduce educational sessions in pre-natal classes to those who are overweight on how to avoid over-feeding your children. Midwives are worried that this type of action will jeopardise the health of pregnant women and their babies.

What do you think? Do you think these classes could be successful in combating obesity or cause more trouble to the state of health?

Not to plug ourselves too much, but let them get a Springfree^TM Trampoline – I mean you won’t have to bribe the kids to use them, and they’ll be outside exercising!

Research:

http://www.earlybirddiabetes.org/findings.php

Blogger: Erin, Communications Coordinator.