It is possible we are setting our children up for a lifetime of illnesses
and a shorter life expectancy. We as parents, and even grandparents, have the
most power to help our children see the dangers.
You say you are afraid to bring
up the subject because you don’t want
to offend your child? We should be more afraid NOT to bring up the subject.
(They may already be offended by their school mates.) A child whose weight
is out of control—by, say, 15 pounds—and goes on next year to add
even more, will then have an even a bigger problem. You can help.
Overweight or obese children are nearly twice as likely to grow up to be obese
adults. And a child who keeps the weight on through adolescence and into adulthood
has a good chance of developing serious medical problems, according to the
experts. By the time they're teens, many could have the beginnings of heart
disease or diabetes. Early puberty, which is now common among overweight children,
has been linked to breast cancer in women later in life. And cancer of the
ovaries, uterus, colon, rectum, and prostate are also more common in obese
adults.
Studies also show that overweight children ages 6 and older tend to have fewer
friends, are less involved with extracurricular activities, are more depressed,
and have lower self-esteem than their thinner peers.
Think about making major changes in the way “the family” eats,
not just the children. They need to see that you are following your own advice – they
will feel less deprived. 
Exercise as a family…it must be a priority that your child participates
in. Just walking 3 or 4 times a week for 15 – 20 minutes is a good start.
Talk about nutrition with your children
and what it can do for the cells in their body. Talk about how too many french-fries
and soda pop can damage
the cells in the body…how they actually change the cells in a negative
way. Our body is made up of billions of cells and what we feed these cells
now relates
directly to our weight and health now, as well as much later in life. Keep
your cells healthy! (See drawing of one cell below.)
Just say NO to foods that are not
good for them. One “sin food” a
week is OK.
Find an area in the yard or a planter
on the terrace where they can grow some of their own vegetables and let them
make the salads. All children love to
see things grow…especially if THEY planted them.
Teach them what foods “help grow” beautiful skin and healthy hair.
What foods give you extra energy for sports. Talk about how famous athletes
drink so much water and how it helps to keep the weight down and helps purify
the cells in the body. How some foods help build muscle as opposed to some
foods that build fat. Children are not often told these things in this way. “French
fries are not good for you” means nothing to them as they have nothing
to compare the idea with.
Get out from the TV and computers
and play outdoors like we did years ago before a large part of America became
obese. Turn it off…shut it off… go
outside.
Get the candy, potato chips, and
white bread out of the house…it’s
killing them. Keep lots of fruit and less fattening foods in the house – soon
the apple, grapes or banana will look good to them…trust me.
Use small lunch plates for dinner
so their plates look full but with smaller portions on it. See who can take
the longest to chew their food…the longer
it takes to eat the meal the fuller they will feel when the meal is over…sometimes
even before it over. It takes 20 minutes for the stomach to feel full – by gobbling
the food down in 15 minutes the child will still be hungry. Take 20 minutes
to eat ¾ of what the person usually eats and they will be full. Please
give it a test…you may be surprised.
Portions are very oversized in restaurants.
Buy one meal for 2 children and split it…you are saving your child as well as money. Don’t worry
about what the restaurant thinks…it’s your life!
Cut out Fast Foods…I know this is hard to do for working parents but
your child’s health and life is at stake. Fast
Food is a major contributor
to obesity and poor nutrition. Some fast food businesses are now offering better,
healthier dishes, but you will need to make a hard deal with your child BEFORE
you agree to take them there!
Have snacks for them at home that are healthy. When shopping with them let
them read the list of ingredients in the store with you and together decide
if it is an OK snack.
For awhile, talk with your children
a little everyday about good nutrition and why it’s important. Why
is water important to our diet? What are vitamins and why they may be important?
What does the food pyramid mean?
What is protein and why is it important especially for a young body? How
is food
digested? They will get used to this type of conversation and hopefully start
contributing on their own to the subject.
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