There is a startling epidemic affecting children in the United States and it doesn’t involve fears of swine flu or other influenzas. There is no scientific cure or medication for the epidemic but it can be fixed if the proper interventions are put in place and each individual (and their family) strives to make progress. I’m talking about the childhood obesity epidemic, a problem that has received a great amount of national (and international) attention but hasn’t been solved or even improved for that matter. And things are getting worse. According to KidsHealth, one in three children is considered overweight or obese and this number is likely to increase (or even to double) in the coming years.
Why exactly is this happening? Just a few decades most children were perfectly healthy in terms of their BMI and weight and few children were considered obese at an early age. The answer is really a combination of forces. Society can be blamed for some of this as ‘big-macs”, “super-sizing”, and other high calorie options have become the social norm, much to my dismay. Some argue that increasing levels of technology, especially computer and video games, has led children to lead more sedentary lifestyles. While these are both true and are supported by evidence and research, there is really nothing we can do about these societal traps. The changing of society (for better or worse) is largely driven by consumer trends and our children cannot escape these trends as they spend the majority of their young lives in constant exposure to the media. Oh, and don’t forget the constant exposure they have to their peers, which can often be negative in terms of leading a healthy lifestyle.
So, what exactly can we do to end this inevitable downfall of the American child? The answer lies in developing positive relationships with adults who lead healthy lifestyles. There are two main role-models that can deeply influence a child’s health habits. The first of these is the parent. Let’s face it: children learn from their parents whether they are good role-models or not. Furthermore, children are highly responsive to their environment, especially during the early stages of life. These children “are what their parents eat”. We really need to start by teaching good nutrition and health in the home, which is something I really cannot stress enough.
The intervention I am advocating doesn’t stop here. Think about your own upbringing for a minute. Besides your parents, who were the most influential adults in your young life, say during the elementary years? I would pretty safely bet that nine out of ten people would say their teachers. Now I am not saying that teachers need to be health freaks, implement nutrition and exercise tips into the math lesson for the day, or tell their children so many “health” facts that they end up feeling like a walking food guide pyramid. Let’s not go to extremes. I’m rather saying that teachers should incorporate movement into their lessons and allow children to be active. Sitting in a desk all day certainly isn’t helping the childhood obesity epidemic. In terms of nutrition, I know that cupcakes and cookies are childhood favorites and are often brought to class for birthdays and special occasions. But why not encourage parents to send healthy treats for the class or just in their child’s lunch box? Let’s begin to take some baby steps in reaching our goals for teaching children to live a healthy lifestyle.
Of course, this form of intervention should be taken seriously.... but not too seriously. We shouldn’t encourage a generation of health freaks to contribute to the already growing number of teenagers and adults with eating disorders. We shouldn’t encourage excessive exercising or dieting either. I’m not asking for leaps and bounds but rather for small changes. Small steps can lead to big successes (or turnarounds in this case). Life is really all about moderation. If we could all just have balance in our lives, things would run pretty smoothly. I know this is a lofty concept for many (and I admit, for me), but taking steps towards this goal is what counts. Life is about progress and we must delve into its inevitable succession of stages. We have to take things one day at a time. If we could all do this, just think of the possibilities….
This is so timely considering that I just watched a news story about a 555 lb. teenager on TV. I also think that the steroids put in meats before they are sold in the grocery stores are affecting our children, which could be affecting their weight. Comparing children now to thirty years ago, they seem to be maturing physically earlier and having mood swings. This change in growth and emotions can also affect eating habits. I think our students definitely need to get more exercise. I think in China before school starts, the whole school does calisthenics. Maybe our school systems should consider that.
ReplyDeleteGood idea, looneyhiker, it would definitely get their blood flowing and maybe help some active students to enter the day a little more settled.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts, collegeblogger, things have certainly changed over the years. More working moms and families on the go may also have more families turning to fast, high calorie foods. I agree that children do not get enough exercise. Children today have cable TV, video games, cell phones and computers to keep them entertained. Fewer and fewer children are going outside after school to play until being called into supper. I like what some families are doing to encourage activity. They limit the amount of TV their children can watch and time on their video games.
Encouraging a healthier diet by modeling this behavior is a good idea. I think many schools in our area have said that no sweets can be brought to school for birthdays. Children learn much more by what we do than by what we say.