We have heard a lot about the obesity epidemic striking the world, but sometimes the more tragic underlying story is under-emphasized. Most of the obesity epidemic begins in the early years of life. The main cause is poor parenting that develops bad eating habits in children. As with adult obesity, child obesity can be accompanied by the gamut of lifestyle diseases known as metabolic syndrome. In other words, obese children are prone to hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, sleep apnea, and a whole host of other obesity-related diseases. Even those obese children that manage to delay the onset of these diseases are set up for them early in adulthood. It is up to you as a parent to teach your child how to live a healthy lifestyle in order to prevent the child obesity epidemic from striking in your own home.
It starts with being a supportive parent. Your child needs to know you care and that you are a safe place. Children who do not have good adult supervision, especially at the dinner table, are more likely to be obese. Don’t make the mistake of bothering your children about how much they eat. Instead, concentrate on teaching them what and when to eat. They should be eating mainly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They should only be eating at meal times.
Children are growing, and if they stay active and eat the aforementioned foods, weight is seldom a problem. So the key is to keep your child active and eating adequate daily intake of plant based foods. If those things are done, there is no need to worry about how much food is consumed. A focus on how much your child is eating could lead to an eating disorder, which is the worst case scenario.
It has been said by a variety of health scientists that the greatest enemies of health to this generation are television and computers. That is not to say that either is inherently wrong, but it is to say that if a child spends a lot of time sitting and watching those things and doesn’t get out and exercise, it can cause obesity. You need not worry about a child who plays sports all day at school spending too much time in front of the television or computer. But, if you have a child that isn’t into athletics, these sedentary devices can literally take years off his life. What’s worse, many develop the habit of eating junk food in front of the television.
If you feel unequipped to help your child avoid obesity, talk to your pediatrician. In fact, even before you give birth, you need to think about the nutrients you are giving your child. Many mothers-to-be eat too many animal proteins and heavy metal containing foods, such as fish. After giving birth, it is equally important for you to continue eating healthy for as long as you are breast feeding. Breast feeding is very important for your child’s health and weight, so you should maintain it for at least a year. When you do wean your baby, it should be mainly to fruits and vegetables, not too rich foods, such as sugars and meats.
