More and more children the world over are suffering
from the harmful side-effects of obesity because they are overweight. In
America alone over seventeen percent of the total child population is obese. And
this rate seems to climb up every passing day. What is more distressing is that
the parents of these obese children seem to be unaware of the danger that looms
ahead of these children who are suffering from obesity. Obesity leads to
extreme weight gain which leads to arthritis and joint pain, hypertension or
high blood pressure, clogged arteries, cardiac problems and even heart attack
which are not at all uncommon among young people.
Why do children get obese? Lack of physical activities
and improper diet are the primary reason
behind children getting overweight. Most children love eating fast food like
burgers, fries and chips and their parents also let them to indulge with little
knowledge about how much calories and fat they are putting on through their
food. Instead of letting children gorge on fast food encourage them to try out
fruit salads with delicious dressing or grilled meat and chicken instead of
deep fried ones. Give them fruit juices instead of sodas which contain a lot of
carbohydrates. Give your children 4-5
small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals. This will make
them eat much less and crave for less amounts of food. Give your children
skimmed milk instead of full fat milk and also low fat ice creams.
Increase your child’s physical activities. Don’t let
him to sit in front of TV all day. Encourage him to outdoor sports like soccer,
skipping or playing hide and seek. Give them small prizes or incentives for
taking your dog out for a walk, watering the plants in the garden or washing
the family car. This kind of activities
will keep him active and will help him to burn off any excess fat. Remember,
with proper guidance and care your child too can fight obesity
and return to a safe and healthy life.
