Simple Steps To Childhood Obesity Prevention

Childhood obesity has increased rapidly over the last few years, raising concern in parents, as well as causing seriuos health problems in children.

Children are enticed by the wonderful world of technology, allowing them to watch movies, play computer games and surf the internet, instead of spending time outdoors in physical activities. The resulting sedentary lifestyle means that active childhood obesity prevention will be required to stem the emerging epidemic of child obesity.

Unhealthy, fattening snacks are usually readily available to children, causing them to consume more calories than what they are burning off, as they usually do not have the willpower or good eating habits to withstand the temptation of snacking.

Prevention

Take your child for a visit to the doctor each year, to monitor his height to weight ratio and to ensure there are no serious health problems. Parents can discuss any concerns they may have with the doctor regarding the child’s eating habits or health. This is a great preventative measure for a variety of problems. A doctor can determine wether a child needs to be on a diet or exercise plan and he can work with the parents in implementing the plan. The doctor can run tests on the child to ensure that there are no hormonal imbalances or underlying diseases causing childhood obesity. Prevention is always better than cure.

Parents should set a good example to children regarding their own eating habits and exercise routines. Obese children often come from homes where the parents struggle with weight issues, and do not have proper eating and exercise habits. Parents are role models to their children and unhealthy habits will be passed on to them by default. So, if the parent has unhealthy eating habits and fails to exercise on a regular basis, the child will follow the same pattern.

Keep only healthy foods in the house, and teach the children about choosing nutritious, fresh, wholesome foods from all 5 food groups. Establish a culture of exercise in your family, even if it is only to go on family walks. Encourage your child to play outside and to participate in organised sports. These will all help mto prevent and combat childhood obesity.