Obesity in Children

According to the latest federal figures, the percentage of youngsters ages 6 to 11 who are overweight has tripled since the 1960's, to 13%. As many as 1 in 7 kids is obese, and doctors are seeing dangerously obese children as young as age 2.

"We've never had a population like this before," says Naomi Neufeld, a pediatric endocrinologist and director of KidShape, a nonprofit weight-loss program in Los Angeles. "Children who are overweight are 20% to 30% heavier now than they were even 10 years ago. We can't even imagine the medical costs we will be seeing in the future."

That's hardly an exaggeration. Last month the Surgeon General issued an urgent call for the nation to fight its growing weight problem, a move that was sparked in part by the epidemic rates of childhood obesity.

Overweight children are more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure, heart disease and sleep apnea than children of normal weight. Even more alarming is the number of children with Type 2, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. This was once known as adult-onset diabetes, before so many children started getting it. Type 2 diabetes puts kids at risk for adult ailments, including vision loss, nerve damage, kidney failure and cardiovascular disease.

What can parents do to protect their children from the dangers of too much poundage? A lot -especially if they start early, before their kids get into the habit of eating high fat, high sugar foods and out ot the habit of exercising regularly.

"Kids are most vulnerable to ballooning weight in early childhood and then again in adolescence," says Dr. William Dietz, Director of the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Children normally lose fat from ages 1 to 6 or 7. When they start putting on excess pounds as toddlers, they are at heightened risk for obesity in adulthood.

The flip side of the weight equation is, of course, exercise, which American children are getting less of than ever before, due at least in part to TV, computer and video games.

According to a recent Nielsen report, kids between the ages of 2 and 11 watch an average of 20 hours of TV per week, an activity that doesn't burn many calories and tends to encourage snacking by exposing kids to food and beverage advertising.

Hereditary genes certainly contribute to body type, but parents can influence the way their children eat and lower their children's chances for obesity.

Suggestions for parents from The Office of The Surgeon General are:
·Focus on your child's health and positive qualities. Let your child know he or she is loved and appreciated whatever his or her weight.
·Be a good role model for your child. If your child sees you enjoying healthy foods and physical activity, he or she is more likely to practice these good health habits also.
·Be physically active. It is recommended that adults spend at least 30 minutes and children 60 minutes in physical activity most days of the week. Even greater amounts of physical activity may be necessary for the prevention of weight gain,
and for sustaining that weight loss.
·Plan activities that provide everyone with exercise and enjoyment.
·Provide a safe environment for your children and their friends to play actively; encourage swimming, biking, skating, ball sports and other fun activities.
·Reduce the amount of time you and your family spend in sedentary activities, such as watching TV or playing video games. Limit TV time to less than 2 hours a day.
·Eating a healthy breakfast is a good way to start the day and may be important in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
·Encourage your child to eat when hungry and to eat slowly.
·Eat meals together as a family as often as possible.
·Carefully cut down on the amount of fat and calories in your family's diet and plan healthy snacks.
·Children should be encouraged to drink water and to limit their intake of beverages with added sugars, such as soft, fruit and sport drinks.
·Encourage the daily consumption of fat-free or low-fat milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, instead of soft drinks or snacks that are high in fat, calories, or added sugars and low in essential nutrients.
·Aim to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
·Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching TV.