Childhood Obesity Is Everyones Problem

Reducing childhood obesity in the U.S. needs to be a #1 priority. Here are some ways you can help:

Parents: Set a good example. Instead of focusing on a diet for one child in the family, focus on improving the health of all family members by removing junk foods from the home, and preparing or purchasing meals that are low in fat and sugar. Serve lots of different varieties of fruits and vegetables; avoid frying food; purchase whole-grain breads and cereals; use fat-free milk for all family members over the age of 2. Restrict the amounts of meat, fish, chicken, eggs, beans and nuts to the serving sizes recommended by the USDA. The USDA website has information for all age groups and both genders, according to the amount of physical activity engaged in above your normal routine.

Limit TV and computer use to no more than 2 hours per day. Too much TV stifles a child's creativity, and keeps them from getting necessary daily exercise. The new USDA guidelines for exercise say that we need to exercise ½ hour a day for good health, 1 hour a day to maintain weight loss, and 1 ½ hours a day to lose weight. Since overweight children often avoid playing with other children because of the teasing and tormenting they receive, you may need to exercise with your child. Take nightly family walks or bike rides, shoot hoops, skate, dance, or let them help you wash the car, give the dog a bath; rake or weed the yard. Purchase an inexpensive pedometer for each family member, and have daily challenges to see who can take the most steps.

Schools: Replace junk foods and beverages in vending machines with healthier snacks, bottled water, and fat-free milk or fruit smoothies. Change cafeteria menus to include whole wheat bread, more salads, fresh fruit or fruit smoothies, and veggie pizzas. Limit French fries to one lunch per week. Stop serving sweets at class parties and offer fresh fruit or other healthy choices instead. Ask teachers to stop giving candy as rewards for good behavior or good work, and give stickers or other types of non-food recognition.

Medical Professionals: Counsel parents of overweight children, and give them positive suggestions for healthy weight loss. Find out what the child eats and drinks in a normal day, and suggest healthier alternatives. Recommend limiting TV and computer use to no more than 2 hours per day. Suggest exercise activities for the entire family. If parents are overweight, make sure they understand the health risks for themselves and their children. Don't accept the "we've tried everything to lose weight" excuse, but emphasize making healthy lifestyle changes instead of dieting.

Restaurants: Offer healthy choices, especially on children's menus. Reduce portion sizes for adults, and charge extra for larger portions, or make smaller portions available at reduced prices.

Advertisers: Stop targeting ads for junk foods to children. Advertise healthier choices such as whole-grain cereals, and foods that are low in sugar.

Community Leaders: Work to increase the number of exercise facilities and playgrounds in your community. The more choices available, the more children will be likely to find activities they enjoy. Ask sports professionals, dance instructors or other athletes to volunteer their time to teach children.

Media: Run feature stories about schools with successful changes in food or exercise programs, and families who have lost weight by making better choices of food and exercising together daily. Prove that weight loss need not involve temporary restrictive diets.

Let's work together to reduce childhood obesity and keep health care costs affordable!

Bev Grey is the author of the new book "The Project", and founder and president of Grandma's Healthy Kids Club, an in-home program to help children lose weight safely. Visit the website at http://www.grandmashealthykidsclub.com

---

Lose A Pound

Lose a pound of fat? what does it take? Not... Read More

Why Diets DONT Work

One of the biggest scams ever successfully pulled on the... Read More

Food Cravings: Use EFT to Learn Patience

Food Cravings: How to Practice PatienceDuring holidays and parties you... Read More

Top 10 Diet Tips From Diet Winners

Use these tips to turbo charge your weight loss program.Take... Read More

Making the Food Pyramid Work After Weight Loss Surgery

A "normal-tummy" looks at the food pyramid from the bottom... Read More

Welcome to the Middle Aged Diet

You are not a kid any more and becoming a... Read More

Weighing in on Weight Loss

Dieters have long searched for secret paths to easy weight... Read More

How to Get Started on Permanent Weight Loss Program

Why We Start Diets on MondayThe biggest problem with any... Read More

Natural Weight Losss: The Minor Changes That Can Have Huge Affects On Your Future Health

People always ask me " how it is that your... Read More

How Green Tea Can Help You To Lose Weight

Green tea has been highly valued in Asia for centuries... Read More

Are You Ready To Lose Weight?

I know, I know. What a crazy question!Considering that we've... Read More

Im Freezing! Why Gastric Bypass Causes Patients to be Cold

Body temperature is the result of your body generating and... Read More

Simple Summer Fat Attack!

Summer is about to be in full swing, and it's... Read More

Low-carb Diets: Fad, Fallacy, or Fact?

The most common and popular diet fad over the past... Read More

A Look at Bariatric Surgery Patients

Individuals who are interested in bariatric surgery need to be... Read More

Weight Loss: Where to find Hidden Calories

If you have been eating as usual and the pounds... Read More

New Weight Loss Program -- How to Make Your Diet Work

This is a continuation of the article entitled, "Making Diets... Read More

9 Quick Ways To Conquer Cellulite

In our never ending search for the illusive "Fountain of... Read More

Diet Candy for Delicious Weight Loss

There are currently over 100 billion dollars sold in weight-loss... Read More

Calcium - The Key To Quick Weight Loss

Are you dieting your way to bone loss?Are you aware... Read More

Coconut Oil Diets

Have you heard about coconut oil diets yet? People are... Read More

Winter Weight Loss

As our bodies move from Winter into Spring we can... Read More

5 Tips For Weight Loss

Are you ready to lose some weight? Perhaps you're surfing... Read More

Gastric Bypass Friendly Eating: Cantaloupe and Melons

Many gastric bypass patients report melon to be one of... Read More

First Component of Weight Loss

Any true body transformation starts with self?discovery. It is an... Read More

Are Low Carb Diets Good for Everyone?

What's a Low Carb Diet Really Mean?When I hear low... Read More

Before You Burn - Information About Weight Training Routines For Beginners

Information About Weight Training Routines For BeginnersSo you need to... Read More

3 Surprising Statistics About Our Weight

To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an... Read More

Vinegar and Weight Loss

The Sour Truth -------------------------- Question: I had a baby 6... Read More

5 Tips to Keep Your Mental Health in Shape as You Diet

Losing weight and going on a diet can be quite... Read More

Super Sizing: Money Shrinks While Waist Lines Grow

"Your Eyes are Bigger Than Your Stomach""Your eyes are bigger... Read More

Fighting Obesity - My Pyramid Dietary Guidelines

If you are fighting the battle of the bulge (overweight... Read More

A Revolutionary Product Called Hoodia Part 2

The rediscovery of the wealth of the wonder drug Hoodia... Read More