So we all have heard that OBESITY has reached epidemic proportions in our country.  In fact, the number of overweight, obese children between the ages of 2 and 17 has more than doubled in less than 2 decades!  OBESITY is defined as a person who is over 30% of their ideal body weight.  So a child who should weigh no more than 100 lbs. would be considered severely overweight, or obese, if they weighed in at 130 lbs. 
That may not seem like much, but if you were to look at it the opposite way in that if that same 100 pound child were to loose 30% of their body weight and weigh in at only 70 lbs., we would become very alarmed. 
Let’s talk about the affects of obesity and how we got there.

Today, with 1 in 4 children either severely overweight or obese, sedentary habits and high calorie diets are turning this country into a production line for heart disease, stroke, Type II Diabetes, Arthritis, breathing problems, other illnesses and psychological disorders, such as depression.

Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults.  This percentage increases if one or more parent is overweight or obese.

The most immediate consequence of being overweight, as perceived by the children themselves, is social discrimination.  This often leads to poor self-esteem and depression.  Studies have shown that when children have a choice, they have a tendency to choose to play with a child with a disability, over a child who is obese.

Overweight in children and adolescents is generally caused by lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of the two, with genetics and lifestyle both playing important roles in determining a child’s weight.  Our society has become very sedentary.  Television, computer and video games contribute to children’s inactive lifestyles.  42% of adolescents watch more than 2 hours of television each day.  Children, especially girls, become less active as they move through adolescence.

Doctors and other health care professionals are the best people to determine whether your child or adolescent’s weight is healthy, and they can help rule out rare medical problems as the cause of unhealthy weight. 

What can you do if your child is overweight?

• Realize that an appropriate goal for many overweight children is to maintain their current weight while growing normally in height.
• Let your child know that he or she is loved & appreciated whatever his or her weight.
• Focus on your child’s health & positive qualities; not your child’s weight.
• Don’t make your child feel different but rather focus on gradually changing your family’s physical activity and eating habits.
• Be a good role model for your child; if you are seen enjoying healthy foods and physical activity, your child is more likely to do the same now and for the rest of his or her life.
• Don’t ever let your child out the door without breakfast.  Breakfast get your metabolism functioning to give you energy.  It’s the brain food that helps your child concentrate.  Studies show that the ability to concentrate diminishes when a meal (particularly breakfast) is skipped because a well balanced diet stabilizes the blood sugar level.

Healthy Eating Suggestions

• Make sure that your child maintains a well balanced diet that includes appropriate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins & minerals.
• Eat meals together as a family as often as possible and eat slowly.
• Avoid the use of food as a reward or withholding food as punishment.
• Children should drink more water and avoid drinking soft drinks and too much fruit juice and sports drinks.  *Kids are often fed fruit juice as a “healthy snack” and also drink sport drinks sometimes as often as before, during and after participating in a sport event.  Fruit drinks are high in sugar whether it is loaded with fructose (sugar) from the pure juice or sucrose (sugar) from a concentrated amount of fruit juice that has been sweetened for taste.  Sport drinks can actually be more detrimental to a child’s athletic performance if consumed in excess; too much sugar brings a child’s blood sugar level too high and soon after, it drops down to lower levels bringing that child’s energy and athletic performance down with it. 

• **Suggestion I:  The day before a game, your child should begin hydrating;  drink plenty of water the day and night before. A few hours before a game, drink ½ a bottle of a sports drink.  Then fill the half bottle with water to dilute the sports drink for consumption during the game.  This will hydrate your child without overdosing on electrolytes and sugar.  Never wait until you are feeling thirsty; this is a signal that you are already dehydrated.  Don’t just wait until half time; drink water during time outs or whenever possible.  It is particularly important to remember this during tournaments and double headers. 
• **Suggestion II.:  Feed your child some protein with a meal or snack that is mostly composed of carbohydrates; ie. peanut butter to dip apple wedges in or cheese to go with the crackers.  The protein will slow down absorption so that the snack will stay with the child longer and will stabilize his / her blood sugar level.

Make sure that your child is physically active and that their playing is fun! Get your kid(s) in an environment where they feel accepted and will gain confidence while participating in physical activity!