Childhood Obesity Parents

post from Child Obesity on 07 October 2008 10:23:00 PM. © Child Obesity

Combating child obesity at home - The sooner a plan is put in place, the better; it is much easier to change habits in children than in adults.
?

There is the need of developing proper public health plans to aware parents in recognizing and understanding changes in their children's weight, to include the family in prevention efforts, and to improve school-based childhood obesity prevention programs that include increasing physical education classes.

child obesity Being a pivotal mentor of a child, parents should control over what their children are eating. Always put healthy fruits, food and snacks available to your children. Minimize sweetened beverages, including those containing fruit juice, as they make your child feel too full to eat healthier foods. Limit white carbohydrates to reduce obesity in children including rice, pasta, bleached bread and sugar and desserts. Make sure to have healthy habits at your home, as child obesity is not only the child's problem but is in fact a condition that needs the support of the whole family. Maintaining a well planned eating routine and fixed meal times for children make them become hungry at regular times which is the very first step at home in preventing childhood obesity.

For your quick assistance, here are some recommendations for kids of all ages:

Birth to age 1:

Though the literal mechanism is unknown, breastfeeding may help prevent weight gain in infants. Babies feeding on breast milk may be able to control own intake and follow own appetite.

Ages 2 to 6:

Switch your child from whole milk to 2% milk at age two years. If she or he is overweight, switch to 1% milk. In early childhood, skim milk should only be substituted following a doctor's recommendation. It?s important to start good habits early in babies. Parents need to help kids make food preferences by offering a selection of healthy foods. Support kids? natural affinity to be active and help them build on developing skills.

Ages 7 to 12:

obesity in children Encourage kids to be physically active every day (see childhood obesity physical activity), whether it's an organized sports team or a pick-up game of soccer during recess. Keep your kids active at home, too, through everyday activities like walking and playing in the yard. Let them be more involved in making good food choices, such as packing lunch. Don't make your child eat when he or she isn't hungry. Offer your child a healthy, balanced diet that includes a variety of foods. No more than 30% of calories should come from fats.

Ages 13 to 17:

Teenagers are fond of fast foods (see fast food and childhood obesity), but try to guide them toward healthier choices. Teach them how to make healthy meals and snacks at home. Know how much food to serve your child and sit at the table and eat together as a family. Make sure your child gets enough sleep each night. Also it is important to help your child understand why you are making these changes. Encourage teens to be physically active every day like put an hour of physical activity into your child?s day like riding a bicycle, jumping rope, or playing ball. Better yet, bicycle or play ball with your child.

All ages:

Limit screen time to less than two hours per day, computer, and video game time and discourage eating while watching tv. Share a variety of healthy foods and eat meals together as often as possible. Encourage kids to have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, minimize sugar-sweetened beverages, and eat breakfast every day (see childhood obesity food).

As a parents or a caregiver, you can take proactive measures to get or keep things on the right cue even if your child is at risk of becoming obese or at a normal weight.

Schedule visit with doctor.
?
Take the assistance of a doctor to understand the growth curves giving percentiles for height, weight and body mass index (BMI) (see childhood obesity BMI). Increases in your child's BMI or in his or her percentile rank over one year, especially if your child is older than 4, is a possible sign that your child is at risk of becoming obese.

Be an example.
?
Parents need to develop good habits of their own to help their children maintain a healthy weight. Ensure to eat healthy foods and exercise regularly to maintain your weight (see childhood obesity exercise). And let your child learn from you.

Avoid food as reward or punishment.
?
You might by chance lay the foundation for such encounters by providing or withholding certain foods ? sweets, for instance ? as rewards or punishments. As a general rule, foods aren't recommended for behavior modification in children.

Encourage positive habits.
?
childhood obesity prevention Encourage a healthy lifestyle by highlighting the positive ? the fun of playing outside or the variety of fresh fruit you can get year-round (see childhood obesity nutrition), for example. Emphasize the benefits of exercise apart from helping to manage their weight, for example, it makes their heart, lungs and other muscles stronger. If you foster your child's natural inclination to run around, explore and eat only when hungry ? not out of boredom ? a healthy weight should take care of itself.

Be patient.
?
Many overweight children grow into their extra pounds as they get taller. Realize, too, that an intense focus on your child's eating habits and weight can easily backfire, leading a child to overeat even more, or possibly making him or her more prone to developing an eating disorder.

<< PREVIOUS PAGE

PREVIOUS:Childhood Obesity Prevention | | NEXT:Childhood Obesity Diet

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Childhood Obesity Diet
Provide a variety of foods, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Use salt (sodium) and sugars in moderation. Encourage a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Help your child maintain a healthy weight by providing proper foods. [Read More]Childhood Obesity Food
Parents should develop good habits of their own to help their children maintain a healthy weight. Studies show that when a family eats together, children eat more vegetables and fruits and fewer fried and junk foods. Plan and make healthy, affordable, family meals. [Read More]Childhood Obesity Nutrition
Although everything can be enjoyed in moderation, reducing the calorie-rich temptations of high-fat and high-sugar, or salty snacks can also help your children develop healthy eating habits. One part of balancing calories is to eat foods that provide adequate nutrition. [Read More]Childhood Obesity Physical Activity
Encourage children to enjoy physical activity that burns calories to keep balance between energy out and energy in. It is recommended that children and teens should participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. [Read more]Childhood Obesity Exercise
Start exercising together. The best way you can ensure that your child gets plenty of aerobic play time is to lead the way. Again, this is a family affair. Become involved in your child?s daily exercise. Be enthusiastic and creative about finding ways to stay active. [Read more]

RELATED TOPICS

Childhood Obesity School
Foods which are being sold in the cafeteria should be considered for nutritional content. When students pass through a serving line, they should be given simple, easy-to-understand information on the items they select. [Read more]Community Initiatives
How much physical activity people do is affected by the environment, which also makes a difference in preventing obesity in children. Communities can be designed to support activities, like regular walking, biking, or playing of sports. [Read More]

Read The Full Article:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/childobesityinfo/~3/z6D5fh_a77I/childhood-obesity-
parents_08.html

Digg this

Biggest Loser Families - So Far

post from Fitness Tips For Life on 07 October 2008 07:44:58 PM. © Fitness Tips For Life

I have been watching the Biggest Loser Families every week for the last few weeks but I have not been posting about it at all for some reason. I wondered why and thought I would post to the blog to answer my own question.Well in watching this season I have been enjoying the Biggest Loser [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/biggest-loser-families-so-far.html

Digg this

Hi, from Tom

post from Obesity Discussion Forums on 07 October 2008 07:37:48 PM. © Obesity Discussion Forums

Hello everybody. I'm TomAge - 51Weight - 306 lbsHeight: 5'8"Occupation: Editor in Ontario, CanadaMarital Status: divorced - five kidsI have been overweight most of my adult life and quit smoking at age 33. From then, my weight bloomed. I always thought I'd work on it next month. My all-time high was about 348 lbs and that was a year ago.I have high blood pressure and am medicated for it. Hmmm...how does obesity affect my life? Every way. I want energy back. I recently lost out on a relationship I valued because the woman didn't want to introduce me to her kids until I'd lost weight. I hate going out a lot and getting stares and looks. I hate shopping, because where do you get size 52 or 54 pants?I want to get rid of the feeling of knowing that I'm going to die young if I don't lose weight. Mostly, I want to win a battle that is taking place in my mind, and not my stomach. I understand healthy eating, but my brain is often capable of disconnecting long enough for me to go eat a few chocolate bars, milkshake - whatever. I want to be able to look in the mirror and enjoy what I see there. I have a granddaughter now, and I want to be there for her, her grandfather, as long as I can. I would like people to take me seriously, even though they often don't, because you obviously have a problem. I would like to get myself to the state where a woman could look at me and like what they see.Hmmm.... guess I'm venting. Sorry about that. I'm a pretty happy person, but unhappy that I've been unable to take control. I've lost about 45-50 pounds in the past year, and about 15 in the last 6 weeks. I'm just counting calories, trying to reduce the carbs, and walking about four miles a day in two walks. My diet is in a very good place right now and I am going full steam ahead.Tom

Read The Full Article:
http://www.obesitydiscussion.com/forums/registration-introductions-and-website-in
formation/hi-from-tom-6259.html

Digg this

Nibbles: Three-fourths of UK adults overweight,
one exercise session boosts metabolism and parents dont know their kids are fat

post from CalorieLab Diet News on 07 October 2008 02:54:13 PM. © CalorieLab Diet News

More British people should be called overweight because of excess fat; Wales considers bill that would cut junk food from schools; exercising once increases metabolic rate; meat-heavy diet may boost prostate cancer risk; three-quarters of middle schools have vending machines; and just 13 percent of parents of overweight kids know their kids are fat.

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.calorielab.com/~r/calorie-counter-news/~3/414060193/

Digg this

Study shows exercise helps Obese patient
lifestyle

post from Fitness Tips For Life on 07 October 2008 02:13:16 PM. © Fitness Tips For Life

A little exercise goes a long way toward helping severely obese individuals improve their quality of life and complete important daily tasks, according to researchers at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center.In a pre-program assessment where patients reported, on average, just under one hour of exercise per week, individuals who were more active reported better [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/study-shows-exercise-helps-obese-patient-lifest
yle.html

Digg this

Nutrititious Meal Planning for Whole Family
Health

post from Vital to Health and Wellness Blog on 07 October 2008 01:49:45 PM. © Vital to Health and Wellness Blog

You plan for family vacations, plan for remodeling your kitchen and plan for your child?s activities each season. But do you take the time to plan for your family to eat healthy foods? If you answered yes, you are on the right track. If you answered no, stick with me, I guarantee that you won?t have to carve a ton of time out of your day for meal planning.

First, let?s take an inventory.
Who?s eating at your house in the next week? (I like planning by the week since most people grocery shop once per week) If you have guests that require certain diet modifications (low sodium, vegetarian etc.), keep that in mind. If not, just consider how many people live with you.

Next, inventory your fridge/freezer and cabinets.
This is crucial because most people let food go bad or stale because they fill up their fridge/freezer only to find freezer burned frozen broccoli months later and molded cheese a few weeks after they bought it. Or they buy boxes or jars of something only to come home and realize they already had 4 boxes of crackers and 2 opened jars of spaghetti sauce in the fridge. So, take an inventory of what you have every week or two. If you have plenty, don?t buy it unless you have the shelf space and the use by date is a long time away, even if it is on sale.

Make sure to check your supply of nutritional supplements for the family such as multivitamins, Vitamin C for cold and flu time and calcium and vitamin D for bone health.

The final step involves planning out a few dinner meals and all lunches for the week.
If you don?t take leftover dinner for lunch the next day, figure out what you are running low on (lunch meat? cheese?) and put that on your grocery list. Now for dinner, what will you be cooking (and can you use up some of the food already in your fridge/freezer and cabinets)? Add anything to your grocery list that you don?t have and will need.

Looking for meal ideas? There?s no shortage of cookbooks or websites you can turn to for cooking ideas. My favorites are:

More Matters from CDC (all recipes are heart healthy and you can search by a number of criteria): Cooking Light: Food Network?s Healthy Recipes:

Shopping
Stick to your list and check out the store?s circular for sales.

Read The Full Article:
http://blog.wellesse.com/blog/vital-to-health-and-wellness-blog/0/0/nutrititious-
meal-planning-for-whole-family-health-v1

Digg this

Which AFI Video is Your Favorite

post from Vital to Health and Wellness Blog on 07 October 2008 01:17:53 PM. © Vital to Health and Wellness Blog

The new energy shot site has been live for a few days and it has been very interesting and exciting to watch the results of the voting for the energy videos. These videos were submitted by students from the American Film Institute in California, a very prestitgous film school.

I'm not going to reveal who is winning so far but I have to say it is very surprising!

All of the videos are also featured on You Tube!

"Castaways" is one of my favorites - watch it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWPQos78JA8 . The quality of this video and all the energy videos is amazing.

Make sure to view, vote & win now! You could win a year's supply of energy the natural way - an energy supplement drink without all the sugar or artificial ingredients and only 2 oz.

Which ones are your favorite and why? Send me your comments!

Read The Full Article:
http://blog.wellesse.com/blog/vital-to-health-and-wellness-blog/0/0/which-afi-vid
eo-is-your-favorite

Digg this

Great articles from around the web October 7th

I have seen a few great articles lately and thought that I would share them with you. These are other blogs and bloggers that really add great information that you can use to improve your health and fitness25 Low fat dessertsA big list of lots of great tasting and healthy desserts that you can make [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/great-articles-from-around-the-web-october-7th.
html

Digg this

Steroids in Sports â The Facts

As everybody who is connected with the world of competitive sport or bodybuilding today will appreciate, the pressures that go hand in hand with trying to attain optimal performance are absolutely huge. Occasionally some athletes may feel that they are unable to reach their pinnacle without having to synthetically enhance their power of recovery from [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.weightloss-helpers.com/blog/steroids-in-sports-%e2%80%93-the-facts

Digg this

Steroid Abuse â What Does it Entail

Conventional information about steroids and their effects on people normally come out in a string of half-truths, especially when it comes to the professional athletes of this world. Some are unable to see that the potential benefits of steroid abuse are overshadowed by the eventual side effects, and when it comes to anabolic steroids most [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://www.weightloss-helpers.com/blog/steroid-abuse-%e2%80%93-what-does-it-entai
l

Digg this