In all honesty, we can not totally place the blame for this on the individuals themselves. Several studies have shown that for a number of people, their chemical and genetic makeup aide in their body's ability to process certain fats. Sure being 100 plus pounds over weight might have been good in the Ice Age but today this is simply not the case.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in looking at childhood obesity and nutrition. Nutritionists estimate that for every point of body mass index a child is overweight by before puberty, the adult that child will grow into will be three points overweight by the time they're thirty. Type II diabetes, where body stress from overeating builds up resistance to insulin, is becoming more prevalent in teenagers.
At the ages of 12 - 16 is when most young girls and boys are self conscious about their bodies. Even "normal looking" kids get teased. If we allow our children to continue down a slippery slope toward obesity, we are setting them up for a very difficult childhood. Parents must be told that healthy eating habits and not Slimfast diet shakes or Medifast meals are the key to weight loss and a nutritious lifestyle.
Fortunately, this can be prevented. And it can be prevented easily and early on, and the solution is surprisingly retro:
Remember when you were a kid? You know, before video games like the Nintendo Wii. You actually had friends who played outside with you. You had energy and used it.
After a long day of playing, you were met with a cool glass of milk, water or juice. A sugary cake or pie were a nice end to a full day of activity and not what's now become the new breakfast of champions.
This same attitude can be instilled in your kids, but you have to be strict about it. Keep your kids on the smallest amount of soda you can. If you do give your kids soda, give them diet soda, or a mixture of diet and regular; the key here is that you don't want to give them a sugar addiction early on. Humans are evolved to prefer sweet as a flavor, and the amount of sugar in a can of non diet soda has increased 30% since 1970.
As for snacks, limit their intake of high sugar and high fattening foods and increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables. This may not be as hard as you think. Consider this, if you kids are not of driving age and do not have a job, the only reason they are eating the way they are is because you as the parent purchase the unhealthy food in your kitchen. Trust me, if you don't buy it, they will immediately decrease their over consumption. Oh yeah, they'll complain however it is up to you to be the parent.
When it comes to leisure activities, encourage your kids to play sports - soccer, baseball, softball. Not all kids will have an aptitude for them, and some aren't ready to socialize in large groups when the rest of their age cohort is. For those kids, make time out every week to go on a hike for a mile or two. If you get in the habit of walking for a mile as a family every day after dinner, everyone will be healthier, and you'll be staving off the perils of the obesity epidemic.
Have you ever heard the acronym "WYSIWYG"? It stands for "What You See Is What You Get". Well, that is the reality your children are faced with on a daily basis. They will never raise their standards of healthy living beyond that of your own. If you are serious about having an impact on their lives, ask yourself this question, what can I do today that will demonstrate to my family that I am committed to living a long and fruitful life.
