Childhood obesity is now a major problem in the United States. It is harder than ever for children to lose weight. We have fast food restaurants on every corner, new snack foods hitting supermarkets every week, and computers and video games to keep even the most active child sedentary. Did I mention poor nutrition in schools due to administrations taking kickbacks from snack vendors? No wonder more than half of America’s children are now overweight and half of those children are obese!
Just because it doesn’t seem like there’s light at the end of the tunnel doesn’t mean you have to give up hope. Your child depends on you to guide him in the right direction. What will their lives be like 10 years from now if they are left alone with regard to eating and exercising? While it’s great for children to learn to make their own decisions, the consequences later in life can be disastrous.
Here are 7 healthy childhood obesity solution tips you can implement now to ensure your child’s health and help them lose weight before it’s too late.
Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #1: Turn off the TV and Computer
87 percent of children watch between 2 and 6 hours of television every day. Their rest time is spent sitting in front of a computer. Do you remember when there were no such things? An overweight child was rare, and the only time a child was sedentary other than sleeping was when he was engrossed in a book. Limiting TV and computer use will force your children to be more physically active and lose weight. Do you want an additional bonus? It will limit the amount of profanity and violence your child could be exposed to.
Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #2: Retire from Being Your Driver
Making your children walk to school or anywhere else they need to go will not only help them lose weight, but it will also teach them the value of time. A generation ago, most self-respecting parents would laugh at their kids’ suggestion to take them to school, let alone soccer practice, ballet class, or the mall. The damage caused by lack of activity is putting children at risk in more ways than their inflated weight. Where has the fun of biking and walking with friends gone?
Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #3: Bring Back the Brown Bags
Until your child’s school cafeteria can offer something more nutritious than pizza and chicken wings, take the extra time to prepare lunch. Having your child bring her lunch from home can ensure that she is eating well. What happens when you give your child $2 for lunch in the cafeteria? They’ll spend it all on large fries, a can of Pepsi, and an ice cream sandwich. When you give your child no choice but to eat proper nutrition, her body will lose weight.
Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #4: Send Them to Bed Earlier
Inadequate sleep has a negative impact on a child’s school performance, emotional and social well-being, and increases the risk of being overweight. Make sure they get at least 8 hours of sleep, and more importantly, send them to bed without a snack! Eating before getting a full night’s rest will sabotage anyone’s weight loss efforts because your body has to work while you sleep to digest the food you eat. This results in a tired feeling when you wake up in the morning that can last for hours until morning.
Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #5: Stop Allowing Them To Drink Sugar
Drink sugar? What does that mean exactly? It means sodas, sports drinks, and sugar-filled fruit drinks. Children get most of their calories from beverages, when they would be better off getting them from fresh fruit and other healthy solid foods. Take a look at the orange juice label. You may be surprised to learn that it is mostly sugar. I know what you’re thinking. You grew up drinking this stuff yourself, and you weren’t a fat kid, were you? The difference is that now serving sizes and servings are nearly double what they used to be, and eaten more frequently.
Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #6: Sign Them Up For Something
Our bodies are meant to move, not sit for hours on end in front of a TV or computer screen. When your child is involved in an after-school activity she enjoys, she won’t even miss the couch. Not everyone is good at sports, but almost everyone has an aptitude for some physical activity. They are exposed to different things… martial arts, snowboarding, music lessons, dancing, gymnastics, roller skating and rock climbing are just as effective as soccer and football in developing healthy bodies.
Childhood Obesity Solution Tips #7: Provide Proper Nutrition
There’s nothing better than starting your child’s day with proper nutrition and encouraging them to make healthy food choices throughout the day. Don’t take them to McDonalds just because you don’t want to cook something. This is where they will learn habits that will continue into their adult life. I lost 70 pounds when i started having a soy protein shake with fruit every morning instead of eating a greasy breakfast or nothing at all. I have maintained my weight for 15 years because of the proper nutrition that I chose to eat. A child who learns this will grow up to be a happy adult. Trust me!
Following the 7 Tips to Fix Childhood Obesity listed above will not only help your child lose weight and keep it off for good, but it will also remove the word obesity from your family’s vocabulary. Most important, though, is having the kind of mindset that allows you to want a better life for your child. Technology is great, but it is being abused and our children are suffering physically because of it. Have the courage to make the small daily changes in your child’s life now when it matters most.