Heading Off Childhood Obesity Begins at Home

By Dave Owen

It is newsworthy how often families nowadays rely on the school system to teach their kids all sorts of things other than just reading, writing and arithmetic. A lot of parents put the responsibility for avoiding childhood obesity on the shoulders of the school board as well, believing that gym courses and nutrition should be a piece of the school's course of study so that kids can stay fit and healthy. This is a very ill-judged attitude by parents and one that is a surefire formula for disaster. To fight childhood obesity and to keep children healthy and ablee-bodied, there must be modifications made in the home first and foremost.

One of the reasons that parents cannot rely on the school systems to take care of this is that many school systems just cannot offer gym courses the way they once did. Our schools are usually overcrowded these days so the gymnasium needs to perform as the lunchroom for more hours than ever before. Without regular physical activity, childhood obesity is an almost certainty. And just educating a youngster about calories and fat and nutritional content of food doesn't mean that he or she will be avoiding junk food and fast food also! Just knowing about these things is not motive enough to assist a child take the choices needed to avoid childhood obesity.

A parent's example and what happens in the home is definitely a better indication of whether or not childhood obesity will be avoided. Children generally adopt lifestyle choices and attitudes from their parents whether they're aware of it or not. Parents that are active and that regularly have activities to do will probably raise children that are active and busy as well. Those parents that lay around on the couch all night along with the weekends could find childhood obesity a problem in their own home. This is because children are being taught to be sedentary and inactive. When a parent takes the effort to prepare meals that are simple but nourishing a child will learn to value nutritious food and to take the extra time and effort necessary to prepare such dishes. But when a parent is normally falling back on drive-through meals and other poor dietary options, a youngster may learn that such food is desirable. This also will increase the cases of childhood obesity in the home.

Adults too can set limits with their children while they're with them to help avoid childhood obesity. No one can altogether control their child when they are on their own, but providing only nutritious meals and snacks when children are home will lessen any damage they're doing by consuming junk at every other time! Many cases of childhood obesity are also associated to inaction during the day and evening. With this in mind parents can schedule times to go to a zoo, aquarium, or other places where everybody walks around. Other way to help stave off childhood obesity by biking, walking, playing catch, playing Frisbee, setting up a badminton net, or other activities that involve all the family members.

As a parent, you must take responsibility for the health of your child. This includes making sure that he/she gets proper nutrition along with adequate exercise. Without this, they may become one of the many kids that are falling thru the cracks into obesity. - 31376

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