Intenz Athletix » Child Obesity

The Connection Betwixt Childhood Obesity and Fast Food

Desmond I. Squires — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:15:39 +0000

Is there actually a connection between childhood obesity and fast food? The reply will differ depending upon whom you ask. Obviously the fast food industry would like to deny such a connection. But parents had best consider the facts. Obesity isn’t only a problem of how a youngster looks. It also means many dangerous and often fatal health conditions. Being heavy is linked to bronchial asthma, arthritis, joint damage, heard disease, diabetes, gout, sleep apnea, respiratory distress, and chronic pain. So, thinking about whether or not childhood obesity and fast food are linked can mean preserving a child’s health. Let’s look at this matter a bit closer.

One reason to think that there’s a connection between childhood obesity and fast food is that obesity is a modern problem. Doctors have never seen as many cases of it in the past as they do now. It appears as if it’s no coincidence that we also have more fast food restaurants now than ever before! These restaurants are on just about every street corner in the U.S. They are even inside of many businesses such as retail stores, libraries, office buildings, and even schools. But the number of restaurants and the number of cases of children being overweight does not itself prove that there’s a connection between childhood obesity and fast food.

However, you would do well to look at the types of foods dished out at fast food restaurants. With this in mind, the association between childhood obesity and fast food may be more evident. Almost all items on a fast food menu are very calorie-dense. This means that they have a lot of calories for the amount of food you’re eating. Almost all average sized hamburgers have about 500 or more calories. Liken that to a turkey sandwich on wheat bread which might have around 200 calories. And, naturally, along with the hamburger comes fries and a soda, and possibly even a milkshake or dessert.

The association between childhood obesity and fast food gets obvious when you think about how frequently children eat these types of meals. Simply one fast food meal can comprise a full day’s worth of calories. A child that consumes these meals many times per week or more than one per day can mean they’re virtually eating thousands of extra calories per week.

The amount of calories that a person will typically devour at a fast food restaurant is an obvious connection between childhood obesity and fast food. If a child is active enough to burn the extra calories it might not be a problem. But a lot of children live very inactive lives, sitting in front of the TV during their spare time rather than being outside playing. Even though the association between childhood obesity and fast food is obvious, the food isn’t the only perpetrator or cause to the problem. A parent would do well to get their child up and active in order to preserve his or her health.

About the Author:

For a free guide to healthful cooking, visit Facts About Childhood Obesity. And for a definative guide to stopping the obesity epidemic visit Facts About Childhood Obesity. For more information about helping your child, visit Facts About Childhood Obesity.

How To Help Kids Maintain A Healthy Body Weight

Desmond I. Squires — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:01:27 +0000

Are you stuck with ideas on how to get your kids physically active? Are you worried about their current fitness level? Do you need to help them maintain a healthy body weight? Below are nine tips to help you encourage a healthy and happy kid.

Be supportive. Children know if they are overweight and don’t need to be reminded or singled out. They need acceptance, encouragement and love.

Set guidelines for the amount of time your children can spend watching television or playing video games.

Plan family activities that involve exercise. Instead of watching TV, go hiking or biking, wash the car, or walk around a mall. Offer choices and let your children decide.

Be sensitive. Find activities your children will enjoy that aren’t difficult or could cause embarrassment.

Eat meals together as a family and eat at the table, not in front of a television. Eat slowly and enjoy the food.

Don’t use food as a reward or punishment. Children should not be placed on restrictive diets, unless done so by a doctor (for medical reasons). Children need food for growth, development and energy.

Involve your children in meal planning and grocery shopping. This helps them learn and gives them a role in the decision making.

Keep healthy snacks on hand. Good options include fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables; low-fat cheese, yogurt or ice cream; frozen fruit juice bars; and cookies such as fig bars, graham crackers, gingersnaps or vanilla wafers.

Focus on small, gradual changes in eating and activity patterns. This helps form habits that can last a lifetime.

Does TV Really Contribute to Child Obesity?

Desmond I. Squires — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:06:56 +0000

According to a recent article by the Los Angeles Times, “Getting kids to exercise more and cut down on television watching can dramatically reduce their risk of being overweight. No surprise there. We even know just how much activity they should have and how little TV they should watch.

And still the job is apparently Herculean for kids to do and parents to enforce.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that boys take at least 13,000 steps per day, and limit their TV time to two hours per day.

In a study of 709 Minnesota and Iowa children (ages 7 to 12), 20% of the girls that followed the recommendations were overweight. Of the girls who did not follow the recommendations, 35% to 40% were overweight.

So, what does this all mean? We need to encourage our kids to take “steps” everyday in the fight against child obesity. No matter what their fitness level, simply walking can be done by most anyone. Using a pedometer, can help set goals, track success and make fitness fun.

Five Tips to Help Prevent Child Obesity

Desmond I. Squires — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:47:16 +0000

It’s no secret that, in the United States, the number of overweight children and teens has continued to rise over the past two decades. You may wonder: What steps are being taken to address this trend? No surprises here either. We are eating out more, keeping the video game industry in the black and arming every child old enough to walk with a sidekick.

The result of our habits will soon lead to a nation filled with overweight kids who grow up to be obese adults living off of fast food and content with a sedentary lifestyle. But, the problem doesn’t end here. Being overweight may lead to heart disease, caused by high cholesterol and/or high blood pressure; type 2 diabetes; asthma; sleep apnea; and social discrimination.

As grim as this may sound, there are some steps that parents, teachers, coaches and other concerned adults can take to help prevent overweight in our children. The five tips below are a start in the right direction.

1. Encourage healthy eating habits.

To help kids develop healthy eating habits:

Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products.

Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products.

Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein.

Serve reasonably-sized portions.

Encourage kids to drink lots of water.

Limit sugar-sweetened beverages.

Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat.

Remember that small changes every day can lead to a recipe for success!

2. Look for ways to make favorite dishes healthier.

The recipes that you may prepare regularly, and that your family enjoys, with just a few changes can be healthier and just as satisfying. For new ideas about how to add more fruits and vegetables to your daily diet check out the recipe database from the FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov. This database enables you to find tasty fruit and vegetable recipes that fit your needs.

3. Remove calorie-rich temptations!

Although everything can be enjoyed in moderation, reducing the calorie-rich temptations of high-fat and high-sugar, or salty snacks can also help kids develop healthy eating habits. Instead only allow your children to eat them sometimes, so that they truly will be treats! Here are examples of easy-to-prepare, low-fat and low-sugar treats that are 100 calories or less:

A medium-size apple

A medium-size banana

1 cup blueberries

1 cup grapes

1 cup carrots, broccoli, or bell peppers with 2 tbsp. hummus

4. Help kids stay active.

Children and teens should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week, preferably daily. In addition to being fun for children and teens, regular physical activity has many health benefits, including: strengthening bones, decreasing blood pressure, reducing stress and anxiety, increasing self-esteem, and helping with weight management.

Some examples of moderate intensity physical activity include:

Brisk walking

Playing tag

Jumping rope

Playing soccer

Swimming

Dancing

Basketball

If you are interested in joining the Intenz Athletix basketball program, send us a note through the “Contact” page.

5. Reduce sedentary time.

In addition to encouraging physical activity, help children avoid too much sedentary time. Although quiet time for reading and homework is fine, limit the time your children watch television, play video games, or surf the web to no more than 2 hours per day. Also encourage your children to find fun activities to do with family members or on their own that simply involve more activity.