In America today, it is estimated that over 65% of the
population is overweight with around 30% being at least
clinically obese. Even more alarming is the estimation that 15%
to 20% of the country's children are overweight with nearly one
third being at least clinically obese.

Now more than ever, something needs to be done to reverse this
growing trend and prevent it from becoming an even bigger
epidemic than it already is. By sitting back and allowing our
children to become overweight and eventually obese, we are in
effect severely shorting their lives.

The main ingredient in helping to eliminate child obesity is
recognition. As parents, we can not take the stand that it is
healthy for our children to be round and plump. Yes they need
to eat enough to be healthy and to grow properly, but we must
know where to draw the line between what is a healthy weight
and what is excessive weight.

Often, parents will push food on their children with the idea
that they need more food because they are growing. The fact is
however, the energy expenditure required for growth accounts
for only around 2% of their daily energy expenditure. With this
in mind, a child's appetite should be taken into account when
determining how much they need to eat.

Over eating is more of a learned thing than one that just
develops on its own. Children, much like adults, if given a
well balanced diet with limited access to junk food and fast
food, will eat all they need and stop when they are done.
Forcing them to eat beyond that point, as well as giving them
as much junk food and fast food as they want, only teaches them
to over eat from an early age. This habit then usually carries
over into their adult lives.

Sometimes when a parent does notice that their child is
overweight, they will try to push diets on them that are too
low in calories. This is not good for them either. They still
need a certain amount of calories for their growth and
restricting their calories too much can interfere with the
normal growth process. It is better here to simply bring them
back to the proper amount of calories they should be getting.
Since they were over eating before, going to a normal amount of
food will make them lose the extra weight just fine.

Last but certainly not least, lack of exercise is part of the
reason that so many children get fat. The average school kid
today spends more time watching TV and playing video games than
they spend in school. Even when they are in school, most kids
only get around 60 to 90 minutes maximum of physical education
per week.

The bottom line here is, if we don't stop over feeding our
kids, and we don't limit their intake of junk food and fast
food, and we don't limit their TV and video game time and get
them more active, we will be creating an epidemic of obesity
for our children that will reach truly epic proportions.


About The Author: Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable
information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and
nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy lifestyle.
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