Aware with your obesity

Child obesity can easily lead to adult obesity and last a lifetime! Studies have shown that men and women who were obese as children suffer an increase in sickness and premature death as adults.

Increases are particularly noted in the incidence of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, diabetes, fatty liver, and kidney disease.

A larger than expected number of obese children become adults who rank lower than their peers in terms of income, education, freedom from poverty, and emotional stability.

The rationale for these findings is directly related to two issues: First: the majority of obese children and adolescents become obese, or overweight, adults.

(Bad habits can be very hard to break, so be very aware of your child’s eating habits).

Also, this is likely because poor eating habits in childhood have carried over into adulthood, coupled with the already higher risk of disease because of predisposition resulting from childhood obesity.

Second: there appears to be an abnormal or irregular depositing of body fat during growth and development of an obese child.

This pattern can remain into adulthood.

These are adequate reasons for us to stamp out childhood obesity. However, there is a yet more compelling reason to do so.

The health of our overweight and obese children is also in jeopardy…right now, while they are still kids!

Fat kids have a higher incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, changes in bone metabolism and hormone regulation, fatty liver, sleep apnea, neurological deficit, gall stones, depression and self-esteem issues…and these are only some of the risks!

Children gain weight for the same reasons that adults do…intake of more calories (food) than is necessary for the proper functioning of the body. The excess calories are laid down as fat tissue.

In order to achieve and maintain caloric balance, your child must learn lifestyle habits that will maximize the likelihood of wellness for a lifetime.

Lifestyle changes that will result in weight loss have to do with fewer calories and more exercise…period!

Don’t buy into fad diets for yourself or your children. You all need to eat “normal food” together. Don’t consider pills or programs that require you to eat separately from the rest of your family. How long is that going to last? Even if you lose weight, what happens when you go back to a regular diet? The weight will come right back…that’s what will happen.

Please read all you can to get whatever information you need to take parental responsibility before it’s too late for your child. Remember, he/she is not mature enough to make the proper choices to achieve or maintain weight control.

In a recent study of childhood obesity a number of environmental factors were identified that can be changed for a more favorable outcome.

The study found that the primary indicator of childhood obesity was obese parents. Parents set a primary example in all things for their kids and nutritional habits along with activity are no exception. Our country, in fact all developed countries, are getting fatter. Obesity is on the rise and nearly 70% of Americans are overweight or obese. We are growing comfortable with our girth and accepting it as normal. We are passing that attitude to our children.

Another common trait found among children who suffer obesity from an early age is eight hours a week or more of TV. These are findings relevant to very small children and are critical because watching TV promotes sedentary lifestyle and programs younger children to be entertained instead of seeking activity. As TV and video entertainment has become more ingrained in our culture we are desynthisized to how much time our kids spend just sitting around. This is not just limited to younger children but older kids and adults. This is another habit or culture that needs scrutiny.

Our society is functioning on less and less sleep. Adults sleep less trying to do more with each day and kids sleep less because of the many entertainment options. Lack of sleep has been conclusively liked to over weight and obesity. This habit can be broken while at the same time fortifying the familial relationship. Less TV and more family interaction including sports, board games and reading together will tackle a number of challenges facing the modern family

Obesity and childhood obesity can be caused by a number of environmental factors and even physiological causes can be mitigated with behavior. Of course, obese parents create a default environment for obese children. That’s not to say that it is deliberate or even a sign of ambivalence or neglect. Many are truly unaware how to deal with overweight and obesity or are confused so much information bombing them from all directions. A confused mind says “no” and the confusion about weight loss often promotes inaction.

Obesity is typically classified as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more. Over 35 reaching the classification of morbid obesity. Your doctor or a competent wellness coach can help you determine your BMI but most people are already well aware if they are overweight and if they are unsure about being obese, they at least know they are heavier than they should be. This is not a judgment but an illustration that if the habits and culture of your home and family have created weight management problems for you as a parent then it is more likely that you will pass those habits to your child.

Most people who decide they need to lose weight are aiming to improve their appearance, but the health benefits of good nutrition and a sound exercise program are ultimately far more valuable.

Study after study has demonstrated that obesity is a significant threat to longevity and good health, but many people are not even aware that they are medically obese – the generally accepted definition of obesity is over 25% body fat for men, and over 32% body fat for women. An estimated 20% of American adults fit this profile.

The problem only gets worse with time: The average American adult puts on about a pound a year after the age of 25, meaning that by middle-age many people have put on 25 pounds or more. To make matters worse, your metabolism naturally slows down as you age, while at the same time, sedentary adults tend to lose one pound of lean muscle mass every year from inactivity, depressing metabolism even more.

The dangers of excess body fat range from insulin resistance and diabetes to heart disease and cancer, and the cause-and-effect relationship is not difficult to understand: If you are overweight, your heart has to work that much harder to supply fresh blood to the body, making everything from moving around to simple breathing more of an effort. Over time, this extra effort takes its toll, resulting in damage to the heart muscle.

Obesity also comes with a greater risk of high cholesterol, which can increase the chances of developing arteriosclerosis, in which the blood flow in the arteries is slowly choked off by plaque deposits, depriving internal organs of adequate blood supply and forcing the heart to pump harder, raising blood pressure. A full 25% of heart problems today can be traced directly to obesity.

While many people may be aware that obesity can damage the heart, few are aware that it can also result in a higher risk for cancer – in men, being overweight comes with a higher risk of prostate and colon cancer, while in women the risk of uterine and breast cancer is significantly higher. It is believed that excess body fat serves as storage for carcinogenic toxins in the body, and these toxins can leach from fat packed around the internal organs.

Many weight loss programs advertise the chance to “reshape” yourself and your life. But combating obesity could do more than reshape your life. It could save it.

Did you know that as your waistline grows, so do your chances of a medical related death? Yet most people who set out to lose weight do so in order to look better, rather than to live longer. Obesity is linked to many serious health concerns, and the fact that so many people are unaware should alarm you.

Perhaps the best weight loss program is to simply acknowledge the fact that your life could depend on a healthier lifestyle.

Perhaps the first step to “reshaping” your life is a few servings of information – regardless of how hard to swallow they may be.

According to recent statistics, approximately 67% of Canadian adults are overweight or obese. As if that weren’t drastic enough, the lifestyle habits of obesity are being passed down to the next generation. In the past 25 years, the percentage of children with obesity has tripled.

Because it is often associated with low self-esteem, obesity can be a sensitive topic. However, the reality of the obesity situation is that North America needs to take action now. The projected increase in obesity needs to be stopped, because the risks are extreme.

Obesity dramatically increases the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, mental illness, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke.

In alarming addition, recent research has suggested that obesity increases the risk of certain types of cancer.

Despite all of these serious concerns, many people still believe the only reason to lose weight is to improve their appearance.

Obesity rates have been increasing for years, and they are not expected to slow down any time soon! It is easy to pinpoint the main reason for this: the North American obsession with convenience.

The typical North American lifestyle is a busy one. Our schedules are full, and our lives move quickly. Although fast food, fast transportation, and fast mindsets are beneficial to our schedules, they are detrimental to our health.

Our need to live a life of speed, regardless of the toll it takes on our heath, is undoubtedly contributing to the dangers of obesity.

Statistics show a recent decline in gym memberships, and a staggering increase in the video game market. We are putting personal entertainment as a higher priority than our own health. As a country we are becoming lazy.

The first step to combating obesity is becoming aware of the potentially deadly consequences. The second is to change your mindset.