Children Obesity
Obesity is a growing problem in the United States today, and child obesity is one of the major issues facing American children. Obesity is defined as weighing 20 percent more than is normal for your body type and height, and 19 million American kids, age 6-19, fit that description.
There are a few different ways to confront the crisis of childhood obesity, and the first step is always to acknowledge that there is a problem and then move toward solving it. The smartest way to conquer obesity in children is to prevent it from happening in the first place. If obesity does become an issue, it must be treated because it may lead to serious health concerns, not to mention the likelihood of becoming an obese adult.
The Weight of Our Children - Obesity Facts
Research conducted in 2000, revealed the following obesity statistics:
In children ages 6-11, the following numbers were obese or overweight:
• Black boys 17 percent, and black girls 25 percent
• Hispanic boys 26 percent, and Hispanic girls 17 percent
• White boys 17 percent, and white girls 16 percent
In children ages 12-19, the following number were obese or overweight:
• Black boys 18 percent, and black girls 24 percent
• Hispanic boys 20 percent and Hispanic girls 17 percent
• White boys 18 percent and white girls 15 percent
The Weight of Our Children - Obesity Prevention
In children, obesity can be prevented in a variety of ways, most of them right in the child's own home. Experts say that purposeful prevention is the best way to approach the problem of abnormal or excess weight gain in children.
Obesity prevention steps should include:
• Follow a healthy diet that provides proper nutrition with the proper calorie intake.
• Increase the amount of daily physical activity so the calories taken in will be used up.
• Set a good example for kids by living a healthy lifestyle yourself.
The Weight of Our Children - Obesity Concerns
If obesity is not dealt with, it can lead to several serious and life-threatening illnesses that don't wait until adulthood to strike. Type II Diabetes, which was once thought to affect adults only, is now being diagnosed in children. Obesity is high on the list of causes for this change. Other serious medical problems include:
• dyslipidemia
• high blood pressure
• metabolic syndrome
• obstructive sleep apnea
The Weight of Our Children - Obesity Treatment
For children, obesity treatment involves discipline and a serious commitment to weight loss. The only way obesity can be eliminated is by taking off the weight, and the best way to do that is by eating a healthy and balanced diet and getting plenty of exercise.
In some extreme cases, medication or even surgery is used to help an obese child get healthy. But, as always, prevention is the best medicine.