Fighting Childhood Obesity
What you can do to help
The statistics are staggering: 12,500,000 American children are overweight. In the last 30 years this number has tripled. By 2010, an estimated 20% of our country's children will be obese. But you can do something about it!
The first step is to get to know the facts
Today, kids are eating more and
participating in less physical activity
than the healthy amounts experts
recommend.
Kids' Food Trends
Don’t bet that just because a food is targeted towards kids — and marketed as nutritious
— it’s healthy. One study (that excluded confectionery, soft drinks and bakery
items) found that of 367 food products targeted specifically towards children:
70% had higher than recommended sugar levels
23% had high fat levels
17% had high sodium content
Of these 367 products, 63% had a nutritional claim on
the package, such as that the product contained whole
grains, was a source of iron or was low in fat.
Kids and Inactivity
Children are less physically active than ever before.
While they should be getting an hour of moderate
to vigorous exercise most days of the week, kids
are now spending this time (and more!) on
sedentary activities.
Obesity Risks
Children who are inactive are at risk for future
health problems, whereas children who play
s ports and eat healthy are less susceptible to
these risks.
Did You Know?
-Obese children are more susceptible to many types of cancer and stroke as an adult.
-1/3 of obese children already show signs of diabetes.
-An estimated 2 to 5% of American children over 5 years old have fatty liver disease. Nearly all of them are obese or overweight.
-Teenage obesity will raise the U.S. heart disease rate by an estimated 16% by 2035 — that's 100,000 more cases.
The next step, check out these healthy lifestyle tips to help you and your family get and stay on the right track to fighting obesity!
Find out more about childhood obesity and what you can do to help fight at It's Up to You!
Enter the It's Up 2 You! Chiquita Fruit and Veggie Bites Contest NOW!!
Comments 3
There is a special study on obese children at Washington Univ. St Louis. If you are interested in being part of this study, go to www.kidsinstl.com and click on the spotlight parent article. All the information is there.
I just did a post on high fructose corn syrup. It has been linked to obesity and high levels of mercury. Read more here:
The more common practice now is reaching out for comfort food which usually tends to be rich in cardohydrates and fats, to enhance satiety and satisfaction.
Obesity is indeed a major problem in the US. Obesity is on the rise among kids too. and it is also associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney problems, psychological disorders, and strokes.
Proper nutrition and healthy eating habits can increase resistance to stress as well as disease and also promote wellness.
