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Childhood OBESITY

On The Rise: Time to Take Action

By Tony Sparber

Childhood obesity is currently affecting a staggering 20% (9 million) of children in the U.S. Proper education, repetition, setting goals and fun as well as starting a healthy lifestyle at an early age often produces good habits and results in a higher chance of success. Since childhood obesity leads to dramatically higher levels of heart disease, increased cholesterol levels, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and other health related issues, it is in our children’s best interest to get this raging epidem under control.

Diet and nutrition: The USDA food pyramid is a starting point for those looking to start turning around their battle with obesity. Maintain a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, fiber and dairy into a balanced eating program low in saturated fat for optimum health value. The old adage, “eat to live” and not “live to eat” is valuable advice to be learned from youth. The recommend dietary intake on average is 1,600 calories per day for girls and 1,750 calories per day for boys - this, in conjunction with 30% or less of these calories coming from fat, adequate protein, carbohydrates, calcium and iron for active children and young adults. It is also effective for girls to consume approximately 1/2 the quantity of starchy foods as compared to boys.

Exercise and activity: While youngsters typically have a much faster metabolism than adults, it is often easier to burn a higher level of body fat to achieve faster weight loss results. Find fun ways to exercise. For example, walk to school instead of taking a bus. Walk the dog. Take out the trash. Perform household chores and yard work. Most towns have organized athletic programs including soccer, baseball, basketball, softball, racquetball, tennis, swimming, etc., where socializing can be used to increase exercise and develop friendships in a fun-filled environment. And, when alone, jumping rope is a terrific exercise.

During the warmer weather, encourage family activities such as hikes or nature walks. Find locations that have an incline for added physical benefit. Pack a nutritious picnic style lunch and enjoy the outdoors together.

Terrific group exercise to engage in cardio and aerobic workouts are bicycling, jogging, Tae-Bo or Step classes. Recommended individual exercises include push-ups, crunches, leg raises, wall squats and knee raises. These burn calories, build muscle tone and show rapid results when performed consistently in just a few easy minutes per day.

Always begin an exercise routine with some type of warm-up to get the blood flowing. Plus, remember to drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day to protect against dehydration.

When to eat, when to exercise and when to sleep: “Early to bed, early to rise” also has more benefit than readily meets the eye. Since the metabolic rate is much higher early in the day and slows as late afternoon approaches, heavy exercise (cardio) and aerobic activity should be done earlier in the day with walking and more static activity as the day winds down. Moderation, realistic goals and creating healthy eating/exercise habits are key. Emotional support, strict guidance and fundamental rules to live with and grow by are essential.

Children today can do anything if they put their minds to it. These pointers are only a starting place to teach healthy eating habits and weight maintenance, as we search for a solution to eradicate the obesity epidemic that threatens today’s children. Try making some of these changes in your children’s eating regimen and activities today and help to ensure an entire generation’s future!

Tony Sparber is the Founder/Owner of New Image Camps headquartered in Norwood, NJ, with three locations: Camp Pocono Trails, PA, Camp Vanguard, Florida, and Camp Ojai, California. New Image Camps are designed to provide the most comprehensive summer weight loss program for pre-teens and teenagers in the country. For additional information call 1-800-365-0556 or visit www.newimagecamp.com.