“Poor eating habits are learned in childhood” 

 

By Hollie W. Best

 

Obesity is one of the most significant health problems in the United States today.  Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions, accelerating rapidly over the last 10 years.  More children are more overweight than ever before in history.

 

About 14 percent of U.S. children over the age of 6, and 12 percent of adolescents are obese, more than double the rate of 30 years ago.

 

As childhood obesity increases, the health and well-being of obese children is becoming a national concern.  Findings from the Bogalusa Heart Study (at Tulane University) show that higher childhood body weight is associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as increased blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and insulin resistance.

 

Atherosclerotic lesions, or damage to the lining on artery walls that can lead to cardiovascular disease, are found more often in obese children.  Obesity in childhood puts them at risk of becoming obese adults.

 

What is the cause of childhood obesity?  Experts believe that children are becoming lazier.  Children are becoming heavier due to a decrease in physical activity combined with the increasing availability of higher-calorie foods such as fast foods, higher-fat convenience foods and snacks.

 

Strong clues to whether a child’s weight needs to be addressed:  Your child has been in the 95^th percentile in weight and height for several years and one or both parents are overweight or obese.

 

You can help fight childhood obesity through healthy eating and exercise habits.  Effective methods for helping your child achieve a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle are:

 

• Follow an eating schedule.  Children need to fuel their bodies regularly for energy.  When they are too hungry from missing a meal, they are more likely to overeat.

 

• Help your child distinguish hunger from craving.  Hunger is a physical necessity of your body.  When you eat because of a craving, and not from hunger, you may eat excess calories that your body stores as fat and you can gain weight.

 

• Remember that it takes the brain 15 minutes to tell your stomach that it is full.  By being a positive role model to your child, your child will likely model your behaviors.

 

• Encourage healthy snacking.  Between-meal snacking can become part of a healthy diet as long as wise food choices are made.  Offering snacks at specific times can help your child focus on activities other than eating.  Offer snacks that are low in fat and rich in vitamins and minerals.  Prepare a vegetable tray with fat-free ranch dressing.

 

• Set a good example, by practicing healthy habits.  The emphasis should be on teaching children to eat healthy and to exercise regularly.  Avoid promoting an ideal body image of thinness.

 

• Encourage physical activity.  The most successful weight programs for adults and children are those that involve physical activity.  Look for an exercise program that is safe, effective and realistic for overweight individuals.

 

• Avoid weight-loss programs that restrict calories.  Children require sufficient calories to support continued growth and development even when they are overweight.  Weight loss programs should be designed to control the child’s weight as he or she continues to grow.

 

Gannett News Service

Chicago Sun-Times, August 8, 2001