Child Obesity: The Effects And Why Parents Should Be Doing More

Jan. 2, 2011 - PRLog -- Child Obesity is an epidemic that is rapidly on the rise in western culture, and we have notably become one of the most inactive generations. In medical terms we would state that Obesity for all humans is the excess amount of fat on ones body in relation to their height, age, gender and other factors.

There are many factors for measuring ones weight, but the most common is the BMI (Body Mass Index) test. The BMI test takes into account many factors in regards to the patient, and is compared to an average scale of what ones weight should be in relation to their height, age and gender.

The alarming issue that we face today is the rise of Child Obesity, which is noticeable in children as young as two and spanning up to the age of 17.

Children are becoming less active in their lifestyles, especially with the advancement of technology, and consuming larger amounts of junk food resulting in them being classified as Obese. The sad fact of this is that 99% of parents would know this to be a true fact, yet very little is being done to overcome the issue.

So what does this mean for me as a parent?

Well as we all know, through the aid of child and maternal health nurses, we are able to regularly check the health of our child in their earlier stages of development. That being said, once we get past the age of 3 - 4, the routine check ups draw to a close and we are encouraged to continue this practice ourselves.

I can assure you that this is not a costly process, and if you're not so good at math there are plenty of resources available online that will help you with the calculation of your child's weight.

What are the effects of Child Obesity?

The challenge here is the fact that each child is different, and diagnosing the effects of the Obesity or an inactive lifestyle on a child can be difficult if there are only minor symptoms. What we do know is that a child can be affected in many areas of two main categories, the first of these being Psychological and the other being Physical.

Psychological Effects -

To many, this would seem like common sense, but having studied in the areas of PT one of the biggest factors we are taught to be aware of is Psychological issues. It is quite alarming to see how many people can't handle the stress and psychological issues of another human and this shows that adequate support may not be provided when it is needed.

In my experience as a Personal Trainer, as well as growing up as a teenager in a world filled with endless technological advancements, the open world that is the internet, and a more socially accepting society in regards to issues that were once never talked about, is that these issues are definitely there. One of my biggest concerns is medias portrayal of "The Perfect Woman" and the fact I am a single male raising a daughter. I have no doubt in my mind that my daughter, like many other females, will be exposed to the Peer Pressure that is the media and its stance on what a woman should be.

Another concern of mine is the ongoing effects of bullying on obese children. Granted as humans we are open to criticism for a lot of other things than just our weight issues, the cold hard fact here is that Obesity is something that can be overcome, and we as parents are responsible for our child's health and positive mindset in their future years.

Low self esteem, depression, even suicide can be a long term result from childhood obesity, as in correlation with the health implications, the above psychological issues are an underlying factor which many may never be able to overcome in their adult years. This is a worrying issue, and I know as a parent of a beautiful and happy, healthy and active child, I would never forgive myself if her adult years were affected by something I, as a parent, could have helped prevent.

So this leads us to the long-term side effects of Obesity in relation to health in our infant, teenage, adolescent and adult years, the physical effects that Obesity has on our body.

Physical Effects -

The harsh reality, and the sad fact is that for many children the effects of Obesity have taken a large toll on their bodies already. The promising thing to remember is, that it is never too late to make a change, and the change to an active and healthy lifestyle can, believe it or not, add years to your child's life.

The dangers which we face as a nation who are becoming increasingly more obese, is health implications such as a decrease in life expectancy, lethargy, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnoea and even cancer.

Any one of these health implications can have dramatic effect on a person's life, in their early development stages and into their later years, which is why it is important to combat the effects of Childhood Obesity as soon as possible.

We have many options as to how we can combat the physical effects of Obesity, but the simplest way to put it is to "get up and get active".

Our children deserve a jumping start at life and what better way to do so than to be an active role model in their lives, providing them with the quality information they crave to learn from such a young age.

It is important we teach our children the fundamentals of life, and we notice this through their development with the ability to walk then run, mumble then talk, and also by the independence they gain throughout their life.

Each day we influence them by how we interact with them, and this forms a foundation of morals and ideals for the rest of their lives. It is this age that we can promote healthy and active lifestyles and support this development throughout their dependent years.

FitKids Online is a site that I have developed to raise awareness of these issues and to educate parents on active children's lifestyles. Being a parent, as well as a personal trainer, the issue of child obesity is something that is quite close to my heart. If through FitKids Online I can help even one child lead a more healthy and active lifestyle, than I can say it has been successful.

Also available is the FitKids Online's eGuide "A Jumping Start to Life" where we will take a closer look as to why Child Obesity is becoming an epidemic and how it seems to be an issue that is spiralling out of control at a rapid pace.

I do hope this has been beneficial to you in one way or another, and has possibly opened your eyes to an issue that for many years has gone unnoticed. If you do take a moment to look at fitkidsonline.co, I hope you find some valuable information, and I look forward to hearing any responses, questions and queries.

Kind Regards,

Craig Strike.
Your FitKids Online Personal Trainer

P.S. The best day to take action is Today. Jump on to http://www.fitkidsonline.co and find out more information on Active and Healthy lifestyles for children.

P.P.S. Be sure to keep your eyes on our emails for our official members launch in the upcoming months, we will have more information for you shortly, and look forward to your participation in the FitKids Online Community.

# # #

FitKids Online is a web site dedicated to helping parents create active and healthy lifestyles for their Children. FitKids Online focuses on Child Obesity, Fitness, Nutrition and creating healthy lifestyles leading to an energetic and exciting lifestyle.