The decorations are packed up for another year and the kids are flopped on the couch, eating junk and staring at a screen. Millions of Canadian kids are overweight or obese. It's time to get them up and into a healthier lifestyle.
In this article:
Why are our kids getting fat?Why are our kids getting fat?
So kids are fatter-- does it really matter?
What should you do?
What happens when it's gone too far?
What are the schools doing to help?
Conclusion
Like their parents, North American children have become too sedentary. In fact, Canada's Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth- 2007 released by Active Healthy Kids Canada gave our kids a D. It found that:
- Inactivity significantly worsens as children grow older, and teenagers, especially teen girls, are less active now than they ever have been.
- Children and youth report spending twice as much time in front of a screen as they do engaged in physical activity.
- Decreases in physical activity and increases in screen time are not only contributing to increases in overweight and obesity, but are now also associated with increasing reports of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
Here are the facts:
- According to the New England Journal of Medicine, kids who are overweight or obese are at a greater risk of developing heart disease as adults-- even if they lose the weight in adulthood.
- Children are now being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes-- a disease linked to obesity and previously only found in middle-aged adults. Type 2 diabetes can cause heart disease, blindness, amputation, kidney disease and sexual dysfunction. Look in the video section for a "Your Health" segment on Type 2 Diabetes in kids.
- Kids who are obese are at greater risk of developing arthritis at a very young age. Due to too little milk, sunshine and exercise kids are developing diseases like osteoporosis and even rickets- a disease rampant in the 19th century.
- Kids who are overweight are prone to depression and body image issues.
- Because of the growing incidence of obesity in kids, the children in each successive generation could be sicker than their parents.
So a little extra weight on our kids can have long-term consequences- even in generations to come.
Kids who are active are happier and healthier. But getting the kids off the couch can be hard, especially if their parents are sitting right beside them. So start with yourself.
Nobody likes change, so don't suddenly force your kids to eat rice cakes and sprouts. Make gradual changes in your diet by cooking your own meals together and limiting fast food runs. You are in charge of the food in the house, so if you don't buy it, they can't eat it- and neither can you.
