It is a fact that people are generally getting fatter in many
western societies. This is reflected in the popularity of diet
books and fitness equipment. But while most of us realize it
would be good to lose a bit of weight, we are only vaguely
aware of the staggering levels of "obesity" in our societies.
We are even less aware of the impact this is having on our
children, and the widespread existence of childhood obesity.
**What is Obesity?**
Generally speaking, a person is considered "obese" when the
amount of fat stored in his body endangers his health. Here are
some recent OECD statistics that show just how widespread the
problem of obesity is:
Percentage of Population (over 15 years of age) who are obese
U.S.A. - 30.6%
Mexico - 24.2%
U.K. - 22.4%
Australia - 21.7%
New Zealand - 17%
Canada - 14.9%
Germany - 12.9%
France - 9.4%
In other words, almost 1 in 3 Americans and roughly 1 in 5
Australians are so grossly overweight as to have health
problems because of it.
**Causes of Obesity**
As individuals we have a tendency to rationalise our
inclination to be overweight or obese. We often blame such
things as heredity, or glandular imbalance, and while these
things often do make a difference, the primary cause for most
obesity is quite simple. A person gains weight when he or she
consumes more calories than they burn.
In other words, there are two important factors involved --
diet and activity level. And it seems pretty obvious that in
countries with a high obesity level, both things are taking a
hit. Western diets are oozing with more fat and sugar than ever
before, while people are generally becoming more sedentary and
getting less physical exercise -- sitting in front of computers
all day, and in front of the TV all night.
**Consequences of an Obese Lifestyle**
Obesity has overtaken infectious diseases as the most
significant contributor to ill health worldwide.
Illness such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, high
blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, heart disease,
stroke, back and lower extremity weight-bearing degenerative
problems, certain types of cancer, and depression, have been
attributed to obesity.
In fact, it has been estimated that roughly 500,000 deaths now
occur annually due to poor diet and physical inactivity. If
this trend towards obesity is not reversed in the next few
years, it will likely overtake tobacco as the leading
preventable cause of death.
Even more troubling, when adults adopt an obese lifestyle, they
are more likely to pass their eating and activity habits along
to their children. This has given rise to a dramatic increase
in obesity in children.
**Obesity in children**
Obesity in children has become commonplace in many countries.
For instance, it is estimated that obesity in children and
adults in the US has increased by more than 30% over the past
10 years alone.
The reasons are obvious. Children are subjected to the obese
lifestyle from all sides. Many families have substituted high
fat, high sugar junk food and soft drinks for regular
well-balanced meals. Or they have simply stopped preparing
meals in the home -- the proportion of foods that children
consumed from restaurants and fast food outlets increased by
nearly 300% between 1977 and 1996.
Children are also the targets of a constant barrage of
advertising that promotes highly processed junk food. And in
many cases the normal physical activity that has been a part of
childhood for many generations has been restricted by concerns
for safety, or completely replaced by sedentary activities like
playing video games or watching TV.
**Consequences of childhood obesity**
Obesity is never a good thing. But obesity in children is
especially bad. Once fat cells are created in the body they
cannot be gotten rid of by normal dieting or increased physical
activity. So an obese child normally carries their obesity
through into adulthood.
On the other hand, if a child learns good habits for diet and
exercise as children, they will very likely carry these habits
and this knowledge into adulthood as well.
**What Can be Done about Childhood Obesity?**
It is up to parents and other adults to teach responsible
alternatives to the obese lifestyle. Parents must first become
aware of the problems with their own personal and family eating
habits and activity levels, and then they must make adjustments
that will have a positive lifelong impact on their children.
One effective way is to adopt the "AKA" approach -- AWARENESS
of the problem. KNOWLEDGE of what to do about it, and ACTION
designed to bring about lifestyle changes. Children have an
innate thirst for knowledge, a deep desire to improve their
self-image, and will love the attention you give them as you
develop a plan for a more healthy lifestyle for your entire
family.
About The Author: The Body Mechanics Toolkit
http://www.bodymechanics.tv/tool-kit.htm This program gives
you the tools to help your children fight obesity. See
http://www.bodymechanics.tv
western societies. This is reflected in the popularity of diet
books and fitness equipment. But while most of us realize it
would be good to lose a bit of weight, we are only vaguely
aware of the staggering levels of "obesity" in our societies.
We are even less aware of the impact this is having on our
children, and the widespread existence of childhood obesity.
**What is Obesity?**
Generally speaking, a person is considered "obese" when the
amount of fat stored in his body endangers his health. Here are
some recent OECD statistics that show just how widespread the
problem of obesity is:
Percentage of Population (over 15 years of age) who are obese
U.S.A. - 30.6%
Mexico - 24.2%
U.K. - 22.4%
Australia - 21.7%
New Zealand - 17%
Canada - 14.9%
Germany - 12.9%
France - 9.4%
In other words, almost 1 in 3 Americans and roughly 1 in 5
Australians are so grossly overweight as to have health
problems because of it.
**Causes of Obesity**
As individuals we have a tendency to rationalise our
inclination to be overweight or obese. We often blame such
things as heredity, or glandular imbalance, and while these
things often do make a difference, the primary cause for most
obesity is quite simple. A person gains weight when he or she
consumes more calories than they burn.
In other words, there are two important factors involved --
diet and activity level. And it seems pretty obvious that in
countries with a high obesity level, both things are taking a
hit. Western diets are oozing with more fat and sugar than ever
before, while people are generally becoming more sedentary and
getting less physical exercise -- sitting in front of computers
all day, and in front of the TV all night.
**Consequences of an Obese Lifestyle**
Obesity has overtaken infectious diseases as the most
significant contributor to ill health worldwide.
Illness such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, high
blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, heart disease,
stroke, back and lower extremity weight-bearing degenerative
problems, certain types of cancer, and depression, have been
attributed to obesity.
In fact, it has been estimated that roughly 500,000 deaths now
occur annually due to poor diet and physical inactivity. If
this trend towards obesity is not reversed in the next few
years, it will likely overtake tobacco as the leading
preventable cause of death.
Even more troubling, when adults adopt an obese lifestyle, they
are more likely to pass their eating and activity habits along
to their children. This has given rise to a dramatic increase
in obesity in children.
**Obesity in children**
Obesity in children has become commonplace in many countries.
For instance, it is estimated that obesity in children and
adults in the US has increased by more than 30% over the past
10 years alone.
The reasons are obvious. Children are subjected to the obese
lifestyle from all sides. Many families have substituted high
fat, high sugar junk food and soft drinks for regular
well-balanced meals. Or they have simply stopped preparing
meals in the home -- the proportion of foods that children
consumed from restaurants and fast food outlets increased by
nearly 300% between 1977 and 1996.
Children are also the targets of a constant barrage of
advertising that promotes highly processed junk food. And in
many cases the normal physical activity that has been a part of
childhood for many generations has been restricted by concerns
for safety, or completely replaced by sedentary activities like
playing video games or watching TV.
**Consequences of childhood obesity**
Obesity is never a good thing. But obesity in children is
especially bad. Once fat cells are created in the body they
cannot be gotten rid of by normal dieting or increased physical
activity. So an obese child normally carries their obesity
through into adulthood.
On the other hand, if a child learns good habits for diet and
exercise as children, they will very likely carry these habits
and this knowledge into adulthood as well.
**What Can be Done about Childhood Obesity?**
It is up to parents and other adults to teach responsible
alternatives to the obese lifestyle. Parents must first become
aware of the problems with their own personal and family eating
habits and activity levels, and then they must make adjustments
that will have a positive lifelong impact on their children.
One effective way is to adopt the "AKA" approach -- AWARENESS
of the problem. KNOWLEDGE of what to do about it, and ACTION
designed to bring about lifestyle changes. Children have an
innate thirst for knowledge, a deep desire to improve their
self-image, and will love the attention you give them as you
develop a plan for a more healthy lifestyle for your entire
family.
About The Author: The Body Mechanics Toolkit
http://www.bodymechanics.tv/tool-kit.htm This program gives
you the tools to help your children fight obesity. See
http://www.bodymechanics.tv
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