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Forms and Instructions
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Most of us have heard of the increasing numbers of children who are overweight and obese in this country. Currently almost 20% of all children between ages 6 and 19 are considered to be overweight. Rates have doubled for young children and tripled for school age kids in the last 25 years. There have been numerous news stories and articles discussing this national epidemic.
It is important to recognize that that being an overweight child can lead to many other health problems including increased rates of Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, depression, anxiety, poor self esteem, sleep problems — and as adults more cancers, gallstones, fertility problems and stroke.
Without delving into the numerous causes and risk factors I would like to discuss what we can do to prevent obesity in kids as well as what helps overweight children and their families.Changing old habits is always difficult but the risks of not changing are too great to ignore.The first step is to change the eating behavior for many of these kids.
It is recommended that all children regardless if they have weight problems or not to:
- Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
- Limit total screen time (i.e. television, video games, computer) to 2 hours or less per day. Kids should not have a television in their bedroom and I encourage families to take the television out of their kids room so we can better monitor not only how much they watch but what shows are they watching.
- Kids need at least 1 hour of physical activity per day. This may include walking/biking to school, hiking, dance, any sports, playing pretend games, anything that gets them moving.
- Do not give sweetened beverages. (This includes soda, juices, and sports energy drinks). Kids should drink nonfat or 1% milk after the age of 2 and plenty of water. Fresh fruit and fresh juices are good as they do not have added sugars which increase calories.
We encourage families to eat dinner together without the television on, as well as eat out less frequently, and avoid skipping meals — all have all been shown to help prevent obesity and establishes healthy eating habits. Children should eat breakfast each morning as this helps increase their metabolism for the rest of the day, plus it provides them with the necessary energy to participate at their fullest in school and for other activities.
It is extremely important for the entire family to make these changes together to be successful. Even if other children do not currently have weight problems, eating healthier and being more active benefits everyone. Often times it is helpful for families to meet with a dietician to review their eating habits and to offer other food ideas.
These steps can help many people to lead healthier and happier lives. They are not all encompassing and if families continue to struggle then more structured weight management programs may be beneficial but should be discussed with your child’s physician.
Dr. Mark Schane is a board certified pediatrician at Longmont Clinic. He can be reached at 729-494-3133.
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