Tackling childhood obesity

Over the past 30 to 40 years there have been dramatic changes in the diet and lifestyle patterns of people in Western nations. Such modifiable factors are the biggest culprits in the alarming rise of childhood obesity. The three major causes are:

• Poor diet. Highly-processed, high-calorie meals and fast foods have become staples of the typical Western diet. Poor nutrition spells weight gain. More than 60% of American youth eat too many fatty foods, and less than 20% eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Eating habits have also changed drastically: family meals have often been replaced by munching continuously throughout the day. Cookies, chips and other high-calorie snack foods are readily available for children to fill up on. Take a good look at what is consumed in your children's day and see how you can encourage healthier eating.
• Lack of exercise. Our children's leisure time has become increasingly sedentary. Television, video games and computers occupy vast amounts their free time, at the expense of physical activity. According to the National Institutes of Health, kids who watch the most hours of television have the highest incidence of obesity. The fact that kids usually munch on snack foods while watching t.v. only adds to the problem. If your child is not involved in organized sports or after-school playtime that involves cardiovascular exercise, you may want to add fitness to your family routine. The ratio of calories taken in to calories expended as energy needs to be favorable to counter any genetic tendencies towards overweight. Motivating girls to exercise is a bigger challenge, as they may be less prone to engage in physical play.
• Genetics. Family history plays a significant part in whether your child will develop a serious weight problem. From 25-40 percent of children inherit the tendency towards overweight. If you come from a family of heavy people, and high-calorie food is readily available yet exercise is not, your children are likely to become overweight

Risks to my child's health from being overweight or obese

The negative health consequences to your seriously overweight child are both physical and emotional. Physical risk indicators that were previously not seen until adulthood are beginning to show up in childhood. The primary effect of obesity is a much greater risk of developing heart disease later on in life. , the arteries of overweight children act like those of middle-aged smokers, increasing their risk of an early heart attack or stroke. Carrying extra weight can lead to other severe physical problems as well, including:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Sleep apnea
• Orthopedic problems
• Liver disease
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Osteoarthritis

More damaging to your child in the short run are the psychological and social effects of obesity.Low self-esteem and bullying. Children often tease or bully their overweight peers, who suffer a loss of self-esteem and an increased risk of depression as a result. If you suspect that your child is getting picked on, contact the school to alert teachers and administrators about the problem and have it addressed.

• Behavior and learning problems. Overweight children tend to have more anxiety and poorer social skills than normal weight children. At one extreme, these problems may lead to acting out and disrupting the classroom. At the other, they may cause social withdrawal. Stress and anxiety also interfere with learning. School-related anxiety can create a vicious cycle in which ever-growing worry fuels ever-declining academic performance.

• Depression. Social isolation and low self-esteem create overwhelming feelings of hopelessness in some overweight children. When children lose hope that their lives will improve, they are well on the way to depression. A depressed child may lose interest in normal activities, sleep more than usual or cry a lot. Some depressed children hide their sadness and appear emotionally flat instead. Either way, depression is as serious in children as in adults. If you think your child is depressed, talk with him or her and share your concerns with his or her doctor and teacher.

Childhood obesity treatement

Rarely does treatment for childhood obesity focus on weight loss. Instead, the aim is to slow or stop weight gain so that a child can grow into his or her ideal weight. The main goal is to work on the energy balance-a healthy ratio of calories consumed (diet) to calories burned (exercise). Take heart! There is much you can do to influence your child's eating habits and level of physical activity, and therefore directly contribute to his or her health.

How can I help my child eat a more healthy diet?

Begin eating healthy as a family. Changing the way your entire family eats is crucial, and it cannot become mere lip service. The emphasis here should be on what we can do as a family to improve our health, versus making it a problem that only affects your child. The fact is that your overweight child is going to need your support in many areas to achieve a healthy weight. He or she needs your encouragement, gentle discipline, and enthusiastic participation.

Start by getting a healthy food plan.

Reduce unhealthy foods. Eat foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

• Cut back on fat. Keep total fat intake between 30-35 percent of calories for children 2 to 3 years of age and between 25-35 percent of calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age. Most fats should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.
• Choose a variety of foods to get enough carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients.
• Eat only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight for your height and build.
• Serve whole-grain breads and cereals rather than refined grain products. Look for "whole grain" as the first ingredient on the food label and make at least half your grain servings whole grain.
• Serve a variety of fruits and vegetables daily, while limiting juice intake. Each meal should contain at least 1 fruit or vegetable. Children's recommended fruit intake ranges from 1 cup/day, between ages 1 and 3, to 2 cups for a 14-18-year-old boy. Recommended vegetable intake ranges from 3/4 cup a day at age one to 3 cups for a 14-18-year-old boy.
• Serve nonfat and low-fat dairy foods.
• Estimated calories needed by children range from 900/day for a 1-year-old to 1,800 for a 14-18-year-old girl and 2,200 for a 14-18-year-old boy.