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4 Ways Families Can Fight Obesity

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Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years according to the Centers for Disease Control, and they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Your best defense in the fight obesity against this dangerous epidemic is working together as a family to improve overall health and well-being.

Ways to fight obesity

Try these four simple ways to fight obesity as a family:

1. Get active together

A family that gets active together, stays active together. One of the biggest contributors to fight against obesity is leading a sedentary lifestyle. Most likely, your child sits through eight hours of school (with perhaps a 30-minute gym class), sits on the school bus, sits to do homework, and then sits to watch his favorite TV show or play on the computer at night. That’s a whole lot of sitting and very little moving! Not only can inactivity increase body weight, but it can also boost the risk for many dangerous diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

Make a plan to get your whole family up off the couch and get active together. For instance, turn off the TV and turn on the music and turn your living room into a dance party. Or after dinner, talk a walk around the neighborhood as a family and talk about your day.

2. Make mealtime a priority

Studies have shown that when families eat meals together, children make healthier choices and also have lower body weights than families who eat on the run or go their separate ways at meal times. So make meal time a priority. Sure, every family has activities to run back and forth to at night, but set a meal time and stick to it. Sit down at a table as a family and turn off distractions such as the TV.

Keep cell phones, tablets, and any other distractions out of reach and focus on enjoying each other’s company as well as the food. Being able to focus on what you are eating without distractions allows you to become a more mindful eater. And when you eat mindfully, you recognize your body’s signals of satiety sooner, helping to prevent overeating!

3. Have fun with your food

Healthy eating certainly does not have to be boring! The more fun you make healthy foods, the more your children will want to eat them. Who cares that the bag of cookies has a cartoon character on them when you can be making vegetable artwork, growing a garden, or making your own pizza? Cut up fruits and veggies with cookie cutters to make them in fun shapes and design “artwork” on your plate.

Plant a vegetable garden with tomatoes and string beans and watch them grow. Take your child with you to the grocery store and let her pick out a new fruit or vegetable she would like to try. The more involved your child becomes with healthy food options, the more likely she will eat them and enjoy them.

4. Focus on health, not weight

A calorie is not just a calorie when it comes to fighting pediatric obesity. Where those calories come from and the value they bring to your body is much more important for your child than the total calorie intake of the food. An apple can provide just as many calories as a cookie, however, the apple contains vital antioxidants and nutrients you won’t find in any baked good. In addition, the fruit is rich in filling fiber, which will allow your child to feel satisfied after eating versus a sugary treat that will leave them craving more. Educate your child on foods and nutrients that promote good health and feelings of satiety. And help them understand which food ingredients provide a source of empty calories and what would instead be a better, and healthier, option.

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1 Comment

  1. Pingback: Obesity on the Decline in Young Kids - Fajar Magazine

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