Healthy Outlook Blog

This is a topic that resonates with many people. I was certainly impressed by this article. thanks so much for sharing and bringing awareness. I look forward to reading more. Allow me to share an upcoming event: CELEBRATE RECOVERY on Sep. 30, 2010 8PM CST – Free Teleseminar. Special Guest Experts will confront the most interesting and challenging questions about childhood obesity, adult obesity, addictions (alcohol, substance abuse) and eating disorders. You are invited to join. RSVP at the link here. http://www.sustainablecontentment.com/home/nationwide-teleseminar

I like this topic I learn about things that I’m doing now is unhealthy and I’m a mother of four and i see how obesity can play a huge role in kids lives if not watch correctly,I’m glad I learn about obesity.

my school is trying to cut athletics so i am making a persuasive aricle and making a petision and all my peers are sighning it kid these days are 2 obese and cuting PE will not be good

I love this topic. I am useing this topic for my first college reaserch paper. I think that it is a very argumentive strong topic and very interesting. I am agenst childhood obesity 100% for many obvious reasons.

Childhood obesity can affect children for several reasons, To add a few to the above I do believe emotional stress and/or depression can cause overeating. When a 10year old naturally then boy gains a considerably large amount of weight in a short period of time food can become a source of comfort. Examples, parents divorcing, parent ill, parent with an addiction, child being bullied, and adolescents to puberty. Kids need positive outlets to express their feelings or release frustration.

I also am using this topic for my first college research paper.I feel there is a BIG problem today with our children being over weight but I beleive that we as parents must except some of the responsability 4 it.It’s our job 2 know what they are eating and how much.

This is a very good statement to make!! We are learning this at school and we are having to write a paper about it sooo this is very good thanx for the info!!

Childhood obesity is a huge issue in the society today. I personally think that cutting athletics would make this issue much worse than it is now. Children need to learn how to exercise and that is an important part of everyone’s life. We should also teach them while they are young because it is something that they should start to practice at an early age.

I agree with this article. I believe that along with cutting down t.v. time and dining with the family, kids should be exercising regularly. Parents should be aware that obesity is a huge problem and that kids should get help early on.

Parents play a key part in the diet of their children. It is their job to teach them healthy ways of eating and guide them to make healthier choices. Parents should also pack their children’s lunches more often because that way they can provide them with a nutrition filled lunch. Also this would keep children from buying and eating unhealthy cafeteria food.

I agree I think parents should teach their kids to eat healthier.

Another huge factor that can lead to childhood obesity are certain medications. For example, if a child has diabetes then some of the medicines that they are taking can cause them to gain weight. Even if the child eats healthy, they will continue to increase in size because of their medications.

The entire family needs to act as a team. Children need to make healthier choices, find activities centered on being active, and learn how to find foods that satifsy them that are healthy. Healthy minds, healthy bodies. Too many children recieve little guidance from their parents or caregivers.

This has become a number 1 threat to our children, and as I read this, I do not totally agree that parents are the only “reason” our children do not eat healthier. Grandparents, T.V. commercials, peers….so many factors as to “why”. My son while in fourth grade, had a teacher whom took the class each day (weather permitting) on a brisk 15 minute walk, then after the first 15 minutes of “brisk” walking, they were allowed to spend last 20 minutes chatting, walking at regular speed, my son (now in 8th grade) still does this “walk” each day during lunch break. I really feel one of childrens’ needs is a positive “lead”, at same time though, “not all children have a physical choice”, I know some children have reasons that a “brisk” walk could not help. Children learn by adults the how and what they eat, yes some parents have no thoughts of how thier eating habit “could be influencing” their children. As I have been researching this topic, I feel so sad for children of obesity. How will this “affect” self-esteem, self-worth, the ability to look past anothers’ physical appearance, most importantly, who or what they “choose” to make of their adult life. I sometimes wish it could just stop, ” if we find the correct one to blame”, we all know, that would make no difference, so I pray that all the organizations, ( First Lady Obama) do continue all their hard work. The future of our children and our childrens’ children, depends on somehow stopping this alarmingly high amount of children being afflicted. God Bless All!

Sconstant,

I agree with you that exercise is key to reducing kids’ risk for obesity. There are so many fun activities parents can do with their kids, including hiking, biking, swimming and sports. Re your comments about school cafeteria food, check out our post on innovative, low-cost ideas now are being explored in a $2 million USDA-funded initiative that could help promote healthy eating at schools–without changing the menu:
http://www.healthymagination.com/blog/same-menu-new-style-revamping-school-lunch-rooms-for-healthier-eating/

Angel,

Glad your school is teaching students about healthy eating. Hope you share some of what you learn with your parents because adults could use more education about how to prevent obesity too.

This topic is interesting,I’m aganist child hood obesity Sconstant I agree with you parents does play a key in what their children eat,McDonalds is
the most popular resturant to children,some parents will buy McDonalds for their children when they are too tired to cook.

Increasing your child’s intake of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables will go a long way toward lowering the amount of calories as well as sugars, carbohydrates and fats that are introduced into the body however this alone is not enough to effectively improve or prevent obesity because there still needs to be an outlet for the calories and sugars that are ingested. http://www.fightobesity.net/obesity-in-children.html The best outlet for this is an increase in physical activity. If your child has difficulty with exercise you may try starting him or her out slowly with basic energy burners such as walking or climbing stairs. In the beginning this may be extremely difficult for your child however in the end you will begin to see positive results.

Jehnavi,

I totally agree with you that exercise is extremely important to help kids maintain a healthy weight. The expert I interviewed for the post, Dr. Rao, has written an excellent book with detailed information on this topic: Child Obesity: A Parent’s Guide to a Fit, Trim, and Happy Child, which is available through bookstores, libraries and on Amazon, using this link:
http://www.amazon.com/Child-Obesity-Parents-Guide-Happy/dp/1591023777

I agree with Traci that parents aren’t the only reason why an increasing number of kids are obese. Schools, environment, access to healthy food and a wide range of other factors play a role. Certainly assigning blame isn’t a constructive approach to a complex problem. Rather, by reporting on the study findings, my hope was to offer readers some evidence-based ideas about family habits that research shows can make a difference, since the study found that practicing all three of them trimmed obesity risk by 40 percent. The future of our kids definitely does depend on vigorously addressing this problem and I applaud Michelle Obama for taking on this important cause.

This was a great article for my family and friends to read. They are all doing better with their eating and are getting more fit and active with their children.

This has helped me so much with my paper. Thank you!

Family Fitness Ideas…watch short video and get moving together as family in seconds and it is FUN!!!
http://www.fitnessfam.ning.com

I agreed that parents should take 1st responsibility for their act. If a child start a healthy diet from home he will not be tempted to eat junk at school or in the community.This article helped me in my research. thx

The Amercan Red Cross of Northern New Jersey is looking for sponsors for its Aquatic program. Learning to swim is a great method to assist in combatting obesity. Please let us know if you can recommend companies that may be interested…. Thank you..

Treatment for obesity is a realistic option particularly in this case where obesity is an issue. Children tend to follow the eating patterns similar to their parents. A child with one obese parent has a 40 percent risk of being obese, and a child with two obese parents has a 75 percent risk of being obese.
http://www.fightobesity.net/treatments-for-obesity.html

Dear Cathy,

Swimming is certainly a great way to get fit and combat obesity. I wish you every success with finding sponsors, but don’t have any recommendations about specific companies to approach.

Hi Pich,

Glad the article helped you in your research. Getting kids off to a healthy start in life is extremely important and there are studies showing that parents modeling good eating habits has a major influence on their children. When my kids were young, they didn’t like it when I wouldn’t buy sugary cereal for them at the store, but now that they’re grown up (and continue to be at a healthy weight( they have actually thanked me for teaching them to eat right.

Leslie,

I checked out the family fitness link you posted and love the slogan “you are your child’s number one role model from day one!” I liked the article about the hiking games you play with your kids–very cool idea.

Kidsrule,

I’m glad the article made a tangible different to your family and friends in improving their eating habits. As a health writer, I always hope that I can bring people useful information that has an impact on their health. Thanks for posting!

Hi Lisa — As I mentioned to you on Facebook, hiking is a great way to get kids active. They don’t even realize they are getting “exercise.” It’s just fun! For ideas on how to get kids on the trail and “have fun, stay safe, and tread lightly,” please check out my Good Hiker site…www.GoodHiker.com. It was inspired by my nieces! Cathy in Colorado

Not only does hiking with kids make exercise fun, but it helps adults see nature with young eyes, I feel. Recently my husband and I had a great time geocaching with our young nephew in California. I checked out the http://www.goodhiker.com site and thought the Certified Good Hiker Kit sounded like it would definitely add to the fun. Also check out our blog post “Kick Your Kids Out Now,” for more on the health benefits of outdoor play. Some of them will surprise parents!
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/HB00040

Christino,

I agree with you that some kids can benefit from medical treatment for obesity, such as working with a nutritionist or a weight loss program for kids, such as the one Dr. Rao, the expert quoted in the post, directs at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Here’s a link to one of the program’s success stories, that of Summer Heasley. The before and after photos of this girl are truly amazing and show what can be accomplished with the right support and a motivated child:
http://hb4life.com/landing/successStories.html

I recently read that a lot of parents don’t “see” their kids as overweight because it’s so much the norm these days. This post sets the record straight and has great information on healthy solutions. Congrats on putting it all together.

Hi Cathy,

I like the ideas on your GoodHiker.com site, especially the info about free days at national parks and the slogan, “Have Fun. Stay Safe. Tread Lightly.” Making exercise fun for kids is definitely key.

I think that this article is good, but missing alot. Sure turning off the TV may help family members communicate more, but has nothing to do with the food choices served, the amount of food served and the variety of food available within the home. For instance you mentioned getting a good night’s sleep, yet neglected to mention that eating or drinking sugar-laden products within a couple hours prior to bedtime, interferes with sleep, thus it’s up to the parents to abandon the offering or the permission to snack and drink sweet products (soda, juicy drinks) at least 2 hours befor bedtime for the kids.
for more see: http://www.childobesitysupportivesolutions.com

Yes, many healthy families are eating healthier, but many of those more at risk are not. These are the families that honestly do falsely believe that healthful food choices cost more than those prepackaged, previously prepared and fast food does. Yet they do not and usually cost less in the long run. Please keep in mind that in order to prevent child obesity, the parents must first acknowledge that an over weight issue with their child actually exists. And many (43% 2 years ago) deny this and make excuses to themself, the DR. and those around them; hence the reason why child obesity continues to rise.

Hi Cathy,

Great idea to get kids active with hiking! Our young nephew enjoys geocaching and has so much fun with the treasure hunt that he definitely doesn’t notice he’s getting exercise. And hiking around California mountains and trails is helping keep him trim and fit. Thanks for the link to the GoodHiker.com site. I liked the slogan “Have Fun. Stay Safe. Tread Lightly.”

Hi Randy,

Thanks for your comments! The post is discussing a particular study, so I focused on what the researchers actually found to reduce the risk of obesity in the kids they studied. Turning off the TV is beneficial, at least in that study, because when people eat in front of the TV, it can lead to mindless overeating. I don’t know about you, but there have certainly been times when I’ve had unhealthy snacks while watching a show that I might not have eaten if I was sitting at the table with my family. Also, quite a bit of research in both kids and adults links TV viewing to lack of exercise, since the more time people spent sitting in front of the tube, the less time they have for exercise, which leads to a calorie imbalance between how much is consumed vs. what’s burned.

Now there’s a new tool to track calories and log what you eat. Check out our blog post, “Free Weight Loss App Combines Calorie Counter and Food Diary.”

http://www.healthymagination.com/blog/free-weight-loss-app-combines-calorie-counter-and-food-diary/

Sleep is surely a component that I think is often overlooked for its connection to obesity. Also food choices, of course, play a role. We live in a culture of fast and easy and often the fight against obesity is long and difficult. We must model for our children as mentioned and we must take the time and effort to make this a priority. This translates into spending more time with our kids, shopping for healthy food, reducing the amount of processed foods etc.
Lisa
http://www.singleparentsavings.wordpress.com

I think the “family dinner” phenomenon is interesting, but I’d like to see some evidence that they’re getting the causality correct and it’s not just that people who are inclined to maintain normal weight anyway are also the kind of people who like to cook their own meals and take time to enjoy them. Do you know of any studies where they’ve taken families with bad eating habits and obese children (and parents), had them start cooking and eating together, and seen a significant weight loss?

The most surprising thing is that not getting enough sleep would make kids and adults more prone to obesity. That could literally be a dream diet–to keep slim by sleeping more.

Hi Elizabeth,

I don’t know of a study with the methodology you describe, but I wrote a post about a recent minority health conference that included a presentation about the BEE Healthy program. One of the kid participating in the program s says that after sharing what she learned about nutrition and exercise in the program with her parents, the whole family is moving more and more aware of unhealthy ingredients in fast food. I thought this was interesting in that usually we think of the parents as being role models and this girl is helping model healthier behavior for the adults.

http://www.healthymagination.com/blog/advancing-minority-health-new-minds-new-methods/

There is also research showing that eating a higher number of family meals per week reduces girls’ risk for eating disorders. I’ll post if I find more research there is on this topic and would be interested to find out if anyone else knows of a study along the lines you describe. It would be complicated to do.

http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/162/1/17.pdf

Here’s an interesting article in Time magazine, “The Magic of the Family Meal,” which reports:

>Studies show that the more often families eat together, the less likely kids are to smoke, drink, do drugs, get depressed, develop eating disorders and consider suicide, and the more likely they are to do well in school, delay having sex, eat their vegetables, learn big words and know which fork to use.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200760,00.html#ixzz1CZOu6Mrc

Lisa, I interviewed psychologist/child feeding expert, Ellyn Satter, for a piece for Chicago Parent on the topic on getting kids to eat healthier. One thing Satter said NOT to do at the family dinner table: Tell your kids to clean their plate. It disrupts kids’ ability to sense their own hunger by telling them to finish everything on their plate, or forcing them to eat something they don’t want to. And that advice is backed up by a recent Cornell University study. Satter suggested parents put a variety of healthy foods on the table, offer it to them and it’s up to the children to choose the what and the how much. The biggest influence in our children’s eating habits is us, the parents. Here’s the link the the story: http://www.chicagoparent.com/magazines/chicago-parent/2010-january/features/helping-kids-become-socially-responsible-eaters

Hi Rita,

Thanks for posting the link to this excellent article you’ve written. I think your concept of teaching kids to be “socially responsible eaters” is extremely sound and great advance for parents.

I got interested in child nutrition in a class that Iam currently in at college. I was surprised at the numbers of kids in this country that are concidered obese. My children are very healthy and eat a variety of nutritios foods that were introduced as they grew up. Im not saying that I know what people should do because kids are all different, but I meet a lot of parents that say, “my kids dont like this or that”, when they havent made those things available to try.

Hi Laura,

As the parent of 2 picky eaters, I can appreciate the challenges. I agree with you that it’s important to offer children a variety of healthy foods and sometimes that the kids don’t like at first will become an acquired taste. On the other hand, my mother used to serve liver fairly often and I still hate it, so I can attest from personal experience that this tactic doesn’t always work. One idea I’ve found helpful with kids who are picky eaters is to get them involved in food preparation, since they often enjoy foods they helped cook or arrange in an appetizing manner on the plate more than ones that are just served by the parents. It’s shocking how many children are obese and the more parents inform themselves and share ideas, the better to combat this dangerous epidemic.

I just read that Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” program is a year old. This is such an urgent issue with rates of obesity and diabetes going up and up. It’s great to keep it in the public mind – we all know kids (and adults) who could do with more exercise and less junk food.

Great post!

Gym was always a requirement, but in later years, gym time became a time for the teacher to spend time on the phone while the students had no structured time during that period. Later, it no longer became a requirement(save money!). Other important endeavors suffered the same end.

I agree with you, Doris, that schools sometimes skip on gym what with budget cuts, which could well be a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic, along with too much time spend in front of screens instead of playing outdoors.

Hi, my name is Raymond Wang and I am senior at Temple University. I am very pleased that corporations like GE is trying to combat childhood obesity. I think what you’re doing is great because it is a way for people to share their stories and their commitment to combat childhood obesity. Two years ago I was overweight and decided to lose weight during the summer, so I decided to eat healthy, exercise and sleep more. So far I have gone from a weight of 180 lbs to 145 lbs in three month and the great thing about eating healthy is my grades improved dramatically. Moreover, I have been sick less often than usual. Therefore, I also encourage not just kids to eat healthy, exercise daily and sleep more, but also adults as well.

As I mention before, I am a student at Temple University and in one of my marketing classes, we have started a Temple chapter called TU Let’s Read. Let’s Move to raise money through fruit sales, donations and fundraiser events like dodge ball. We then use the money to supply schools with fresh fruits and sport equipments as a way to contribute to our community and give students the power to fight obesity.

I just wanted to thank you guys for creating this blog so we can share our story with you.

Here is our Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Lets-Read-Lets-Move-Temple-Chapter/131411873595094

And here is some of the projects that my fellow colleagues have done: http://www.101010foundation.com

I am currently studying for my ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Consulting but I am SO INTERESTED in learning how I can help kids…THEY ARE THE FUTURE and I am also a mom who wants to pave the way for my daughters lifestyle.