Beating Childhood Obesity – How To Keep Your Kids Healthy and Thin

By Kat Fuschillo
Writer for FEP International

These days, it's not just adult obesity that we have to worry about. More and more young people and children are being diagnosed with obesity each day. This dangerous condition is not only bad for their health when they're young, but obesity can also lead to a long list of serious illnesses and conditions in later life. It's essential to act now and help your child lose weight and overcome their childhood obesity, before it permanently effects their health.

Childhood obesity...

More and more people in the US are slowly killing themselves with food, and they don't even know they are doing it. But, more worryingly, parents are making their children very ill with bad diets and large portions. It has now been reported that over 13% of children and young people in the US are overweight or obese. If you have an obese child, he or she is far more likely to be overweight in adult life.

Fast food has now been cited as one of the main causes of childhood obesity in the U.S. If children regularly eat fast food as part of their diets, they could expect to gain on average 6 pounds of weight each and every year [1-2].

The health dangers of childhood obesity...

If you fail to act you could actually be putting your child's health at risk. The illnesses associated with childhood obesity could in fact reduce your child's life expectancy. If your child is diagnosed with obesity a doesn't lose weight, he or she could end up with any of the following conditions and illnesses:

- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Liver Disease
- Cancer (certain types)
- Heart disease
- Back and joint pains

All of these conditions can easily be avoided by feeding your child a well balanced, healthy diet daily. Parents are fully responsible for the health and welfare of their children, and health authorities are now considering childhood obesity as a form of parental abuse/neglect. More young people are being diagnosed with diabetes as the result of obesity. Type 2 diabetes also comes with a whole host of problems that can lead to blindness and even amputation [3-4].

How to prevent childhood obesity...

Childhood obesity is far easier to prevent and beat then adult obesity. Parents should learn about the value of good food and the dangers of unhealthy food. You need to make long term changes to your child's diet and introduce daily exercise and activities. Make sure your whole family change to a healthy diet plan. Introduce healthy alternatives by increasing your child's fruit and vegetable intake and reduce junk foods.

References

1. Fast Food Linked To Child Obesity –
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/05/health/main591325.shtml. Accessed Aug 21, 2009.

2. Childhood Obesity A Serious Problem –
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/01/health/main507774.shtml. Accessed Aug 21, 2009.

3. Surge in obesity among children adds to Britain's growing band of diabetics –
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1544283/Surge-in-obesity-among-children-adds-to-Britains-growing-band-of-diabetics.html. Accessed Aug 21, 2009.

4. Child obesity 'a form of neglect' –
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6749037.stm. Accessed Aug 21, 2009.

More Medrounds Articles on Weight Loss