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The Childhood Obesity Epidemic “Parents Take Charge”
A new American Demographics analysis of World Health Organization records indicates that the United States leads the world with a population that is 74.1% overweight or obese, as compared to a 34.5% global average. Very soon, obesity will surpass smoking as the number one cause of preventable death in America. This epidemic is no longer just a problem for adults, childhood obesity is steadily on the rise.

According to recent research, about 20% of American children are now overweight. If not treated, childhood obesity can lead to coronary heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and triglycerides, hypertension, diabetes, respiratory problems, osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal disorders, cancer, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, body image disorders, eating disorders and possibly Alzheimer’s disease. If your child leads a sedentary lifestyle or is overweight, it is time to take action now. As parents, you must take charge of your children’s health like you would their safety. The alternative may be grave.

Although genetics, metabolism, culture and behavior play a role in determining body size, obesity is primarily a direct result of consuming more calories than you burn over time. Therefore, the focus with sedentary or overweight children should be to encourage more calories burned through physical activity, and less calories consumed through food. Remember that your child’s eating and activity patterns have developed slowly, over the course of years. Consequently, it will take time for your child to adapt to the new lifestyle changes that are necessary to prevent weight gain or lose weight. The changes you make and encourage in your child’s lifestyle should be consistent, yet gradual enough to reduce physical and emotional discomfort. Most likely, your child does not understand the looming health hazards of being inactive and overweight in the same way that you do. Take charge, educate yourself and then educate your children through action.

There are three factors to consider when encouraging change in your child’s lifestyle: activity, diet and lifelong wellness. The first part of Parents Take Charge is about increasing activity level. The second part tackles the subject of diet. The third will give you tools that will help you and your family to continue a life of wellness. Let’s begin!

Part 1: Start activity now.
Exercise is the surest way to burn calories and keep off unwanted weight. It increases metabolic rate by increasing lean muscle mass, thereby setting your child up for success in the long term. Exercise is also proven to enhance many of our bodily functions, both physiologically and psychologically. It strengthens bones, muscles and joints as well as the heart and lungs. It reduces depression, enhances self esteem and builds confidence. Through proper goal setting, activity selection and rewards your child can start enjoying the benefits from an active lifestyle immediately.

1. Goal Setting
Setting goals and tracking progress helps everyone, including children, stick to a healthy program. As a parent, you need to set goals realistically, and with enthusiasm. Make increasing activity a family priority and be a role model for your children. Children should be getting at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day. This may sound challenging but remember that most children’s play is a vigorous form of activity itself. Encouraging outdoor play several times per week will help your children part way to their goal. Limit television, computer time and video games to 1-2 hours a day, or have them exercise during a program.

One way to set goals with your children is for the two of you together to write down specifically what they want to achieve for the week or month in terms of increasing activity. For example: take the dog for a 10 minute walk everyday, dance for 20 minutes 3 times each week, ride a bike to school, start a paper route, play basketball 2 times this week, do 5 minutes of jumping jacks everyday, jump off the diving board 50 times in a row, or jog in place during commercials or do yoga.

The goals you choose together should be realistic for their age, interests and fitness level. Start small to ensure success immediately, and build bigger goals as your child gets fitter and more excited about exercise. You may want to have your child journal progress in order to help them stay on track, recognize successes and see how far they have come. You can do this on paper and post it somewhere visible in the home, or track it on-line. Visit www.justmove.org for a fun on-line tracking system.

2. Find activities that your child enjoys.
Keep in mind that children do not generally have the tolerance for the same type of exercise that adults participate in, such as personal training, cardiovascular machines or long bouts of weight training. They respond and stay interested in activities that are social, interactive and entertaining. Enjoying their exercise will increase adherence.

The options for increasing activity for your child are endless. As a family, you could join a wellness center, YMCA or commercial fitness center. Buy a treadmill, indoor trampoline or exercise videos. Do yoga, hike, walk, bike, swim, dance, play. Get them involved in any type of physical sport such as tennis, soccer, racquetball, softball or golf. You can encourage them to lift weights, which has been proved to be safe for all ages, given proper instruction. Introduce them to martial arts, yoga or Pilates through classes or videos. You could even consider getting them involved in learning something out of the ordinary and entertaining, such as mastering a unicycle or pogo stick. Physical work around the house is great exercise, too. Have your child help with vigorous chores inside the house or do yard work outside.

The bottom line with exercise is to find activities your child enjoys (or at least can tolerate) and make sure they stay active. Consider making activity a family priority. Mix it up and make it fun.

3. Rewards
When your child first starts increasing physical activity, rewards are a great way to encourage them to keep up the healthy habits, and make them feel good about themselves. Make a point to reward and recognize all accomplishments, big or small. Consistent verbal praise is important throughout the process of change. Remember to tell them frequently how proud you are of the changes they are making.

In addition, physical rewards can provide extra incentive. The best way to determine a reward system is to have your kids participate in the decision making process about what the rewards will be (within reason). Encourage healthy rewards, such as going to see a movie, having a sleep over, or allowing them to participate in their favorite non active hobby more often. You could give small, inexpensive prizes or buy something they want after longer term goals are met.

The following links are full of information that you may find helpful as you and your child embark upon the road to a happier, healthier future.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Youth Media Campaign. Visit www.cdc.gov/youthcampaign/.

Also, The American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal is a great monthly journal to help you expand your own knowledge on health and fitness so you can better educate your children. For more information on this journal, visit www.acsm.org.

Part 2: Teaching Your Children Healthy Eating
We’re bombarded daily with new fad diets, supplements and weight loss methods. There are no quick fixes or fad diets that work! When it comes to healthy eating, get educated about the facts and take an active role in helping your child make positive changes. The aim of part 2 is to show you that the key for eating healthy, wellbeing and weight management is to get back to the basics. Keep it simple.

Teach your children healthy eating habits the same way you would teach them about any other important issue. Have conversations about food choices, reinforce healthy eating habits and be a positive role-model. The earlier children are exposed to healthy foods, the more likely they are to eat them throughout their life. Include them in menu planning and food preparation as they will be more likely to eat the meal if they have participated in it. Teach your children to recognize and respond to hunger and fullness. Be cautious not to pressure them to finish a snack or meal if they say they are no longer hungry.

If your children are set in their ways don’t initiate too much change at once. Changes to the way they eat should be gradual yet consistent. Help your children wean out low quality food and beverages that are high in sugar and calories and that have little nutritional value. Each week you go to the grocery store, eliminate one or two junk food items and add healthy alternatives.

In most cases, weight control is simply about calories. The majority of adults and children who become overweight or obese do so because they consume more calories than their bodies use. If your child is overweight or at risk, there are two ways to reduce the amount of calories in their diet.
1) Encourage portion control. Your child can gain weight with healthy foods if they eat too much.
2) Emphasize foods that are lower in calories. If you don’t know what is in certain foods, buy a calorie and fat counter. You can purchase one at any bookstore. The reference will break down the amount of calories, fat, type of fat, protein and nutrients for you. A favorite is NutriBase Complete Book of Food Counts, which can be ordered at www.penguin.com.

For a general estimate of your child’s daily caloric needs visit: http://www.calorie-counter.com/. It is important to emphasize eating for total health and wellbeing rather than focusing primarily on weight loss so as not to promote eating or body image disorders. For a complete review of recommended guidelines and portion servings visit the Food Pyramid at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.
To simplify use these guidelines:
- Eat all varieties of vegetables and fruits. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, nutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory substances and fiber. They also tend to be low in calories with the exception of dried fruits which are higher in calories.
- Consume non fat and low fat dairy or soy products, which are a great source of calcium and protein.
- Reduce refined, processed carbohydrates such as white flour, bread and white rice. These items are low in nutritional value.
- Increase nutritionally valuable carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, cereals, pastas and brown rice. These are higher in fiber and other nutrients that may satisfy you longer.
- Reduce your intake of red meat to one to two times per week.
- Choose leaner meats and low fat proteins such as poultry, seafood, fish (rich in omega 3 fatty acids) and soy products.
- Include legumes and beans for protein and fiber.
- Nuts and seeds are also an excellent source of protein but should be consumed in moderation because of their high fat and calorie content.
- Minimize saturated fat, trans-fats and items that have partially hydrogenated oil or shortening in them.
- Use poly and mono unsaturated fats such as olive, canola, safflower or flax.
- Reduce foods that are high in sugar and empty calories such as soda, candy, cakes, cookies and pastries.

With little effort most foods can be healthy and tasty. The key is to find things that are practical and that fit into your life. For example, find a brand of baked chips your children enjoy instead of fried ones. Try low sugar, high fiber breads. When baking or cooking consider substituting healthier ingredients for less healthy ones. Replace sugar with Stevia, Splenda or use half the amount that the recipe requires; substitute applesauce or yogurt for oil or butter or use less. Utilize healthier oils when cooking or making salad dressings. Use egg whites instead of the whole egg for recipes or omelets.

To increase fruit in your diet, freeze bananas, berries, peaches or any type of fruit you like and make smoothies with skim milk, low fat soy or low sugar juice. You are what you eat. The more alive (i.e. fruits, vegetables and grains) and healthy the food is the more vital and healthy you will be. The options for healthy eating are endless. Be creative.

One of the biggest myths today is that carbohydrates are the culprit in weight gain. This is not true. Carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains provide great nutritional value and have a low to moderate number of calories. We should however cut back on low quality carbohydrates that are mainly found in prepackaged and processed foods such as cookies, baked goods, cakes, chips and some crackers because these items lack nutritional value and often contain more calories. In addition, many of these products contain trans fatty acids and partially hydrogenated oils which have been found to increase total cholesterol and decrease HDL (the good cholesterol). They also have high salt and sugar content, both of which are added to increase the shelf life.

If we continue to believe the anti-carbohydrate craze, we will find it has done exactly what the fat free craze of the 90’s did – contribute to the increase in our waistlines and those of our children! Remember that, when it comes to long term weight control, it is the total calories that count. You can lose weight on a chocolate diet if you eat few enough calories, but it doesn’t mean it is healthy.

If your child is overweight or at risk, it is crucial that you take action now. Your child will decrease their life expectancy by 13 years if they stay overweight. They will have an increase risk for heart disease, the number one killer of Americans. They will be at greater risk for adult onset Type 2 Diabetes, a disease which used to affect mostly adults but is now being diagnosed frequently in children. They may be negatively affected by the psychological and emotional consequences of being overweight, such as lower self-esteem, greater chances of depression and less success in the workplace.

There is so much conflicting information about how to eat for health and weight management. It is hard to know what to believe. If you get overwhelmed, keep in mind you can never go wrong with getting back to the basics. Keep it simple!

Part 3: Educate Yourself and Your Family For Lifelong Wellness
In this last installment of Parents Take Charge the goal is to offer additional resources to help educate you and your family to maintain a life of wellness. We are constantly bombarded with new diets, exercise regimens, foods and supplements. It is difficult but imperative to sort out the truths from myths and fads motivated by our marketing-driven world.

Parents, you are in control and responsible for your children’s well being. Take charge and educate them on healthy living. As adults we take responsibility for our actions and choices; children however, rely on their parents for proper actions and choices. Take responsibility now and help your children make the proper choices to develop lifelong healthy habits. You would not allow your children to smoke, so why would you allow them to eat foods on a consistent basis that could make them overweight or obese which can lead to most major illnesses Obesity is a preventable killer.

When helping your children lose weight or prevent weight gain, it is important to encourage them to do it healthfully by maintaining a way of eating and activity they can enjoy most of the time. Research shows that maintaining a healthy weight can often be more difficult than losing weight. Finding a balanced diet and regular exercise is what keeps the weight off.
We live in a society that likes to think everything in moderation is the way towards a life of wellness. The reality is that not everything is good in moderation. Today the quote everything in moderation is often used to justify poor choices we continue to make over and over again. Striving for balance may be more appropriate when it comes to wellness and wholeness.

Our bodies are in a constant state of equanimity and will do what is necessary to find a state of balance. For example if you were to starve yourself through an extremely low calorie diet, your body will recognize it is in a state of emergency. It will slow down all bodily functions, including metabolism, to conserve energy and save reserves. When you go off the diet your body is not as efficient at burning calories because it has been in a starvation-survival mode. You have slowed down your metabolism as well as cannibalized your muscles (which are metabolically active and increase the amount of calories you burn) for fuel and daily functioning. This is why you will gain back the weight plus some, if you lose it too fast by restricting your caloric consumption too drastically (yo-yo effect).

Because our body strives for balance and health it will do whatever is necessary to function and serve us the way it was designed to for as long as it possibly can. If we continually subject ourselves to harsh conditions through poor health habits our bodies will eventually break down, and that is when disease takes hold.

Although change can be very difficult it is necessary for well-being. If we don’t change, we don’t grow! If not now then when? It is a good thing to be aware and be in the know. A sannyasin is a seeker of truth. Baron Baptise” changes to “If not now, then when? It is a good thing to be aware and be in the know. A sannyasin is a seeker of truth. Baron Baptiste.  Baron Baptise, an enlightened Yogi Master, said in his book 40 Days to Personal Revolution we change by being and doing with a pure intent, real health means wholeness on all levels. He also said “Once we accept responsibility for ourselves, we can become our own teachers, healers and motivators.” We all know deep down what we need to be doing to live a life full of wellness and wholeness so take right and true action. With patience and thoughtfulness you can make a difference in your and your child’s life.

There is conflicting information on health and wellness everywhere. It is imperative that you get your information from trustworthy sources. Unfortunately, you can’t believe every newspaper headline or broadcast announcement. Researchers from Dartmouth Medical School who study media reporting stated in the Medical Journal of Australia “Work presented at scientific meetings is generally not ready for public consumption: results change, fatal problems emerge and the hypotheses fail to pan out.” (For the complete report visit www.mja.com.au/public/issues/184_11_050606/wol10024_fm.pdf)

Journalists seek out headlines everywhere and scientific conferences are no different. Much of the research presented in the media is preliminary, has not undergone peer review and may never be published in leading medical journals. Many headlines are lacking in scientific conclusion, are misleading, sometimes dangerous and simply not true. Nevertheless they sell newspapers. Observe headlines with skepticism.

Since staying healthy is a life long process it is important to keep abreast of all the factual information that you can. Listed below are highly recognized and trust worthy newsletters, journals and websites on current health issues. All are informative and easy to read.
- Nutrition Action Monthly Newsletter (202) 332-9110 http://www.cspinet.org/nah/
- University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter (800) 829-9170 http://www.wellnessletter.com/
- Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter (800) 274-7581 http://healthletter.tufts.edu/
- Dr. Andrew Weil’s Self Healing (800) 523-3296 http://www.drweilselfhealing.com/
- Mayo Clinic Health Letter
www.mayoclinic.com
- Harvard Health Letter (or to choose one of the 5 monthly publications) http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/

About the Author:
The author of this article is Kiersten K. Mooney. Kiersten has a degree in Sociology, Exercise Sports Science and Sports Medicine from the University of Miami. She also attended many graduate courses in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition. As a graduate she has done extensive research in the field of sports specific training and has been published. She is a certified personal trainer, aerobics instructor and yoga instructor. Currently, she is studying eating disorders and the growing epidemic of obesity in the United States, with a focus on childhood obesity.