ABC Guide to Avoiding Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity has become a major health epidemic, with approximately 15% of children considered to be obese the world over. The main reason for the childhood obesity epidemic is a shift in eating habits, away from fresh food, whole grains and vegetables to convenience food high in fat, sugar and additives. Another major factor is a decline in activity for both children and adults, who now spend more time in sedentary activities like watching TV and playing computer games that participating in exercise.

In addition, children who have obese or overweight parents have a high risk of becoming obese themselves as a result of poor family eating habits and unhealthy food choices. Parents today are spending less time with their kids and giving less parental advice about healthy food and activity choices. In the USA, UK and Australia 25% of children are considered overweight or obese. The health risks associated with obesity in childhood are great including low self esteem, depression, hormonal imbalances, diabetes and joint problems.

Worse still, the obese child who remains overweight into adulthood has the potential to develop more serious health risks later in their life, including arthritis, stroke and heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, and bowel cancer.

Fast food marketing giants spending billions of dollars in advertising to target children and teens, selling them cheap and high-calorie low nutrition value foods, such as crisps, soft drink, hamburgers and confectionery, coupled with lack of control of parents, is the major cause of incorrect eating habits and obesity.

Research shows that even drinking soft drink or soda regularly increases a child's chance of becoming overweight or obese by 60%. Worse still, even moderate exercise is no longer a regular daily activity for children and teens. Most children do not play any sport or even walk or cycle to school. This is compounded by the fact that busy parents have less time than ever to supervise their children and take them out to play in local parks or on the street.

A fear of stranger danger and abduction has added to the value of allowing kids to watch TV or play computer games rather than be outside without parental supervision.

Doctors and nutritionists recommend that most overweight children should be encouraged to lose weight through long lasting positive lifestyle changes in eating habits and activity, rather than be put on a weight-loss diet. It is better that children begin to moderate unhealthy choices, eat smaller portion sizes, and begin moderate exercise three to four days a week for thirty to forty five minutes, building on this over a longer period rather than staging a crash course diet.

The main parenting strategies aim to encourage children to gradually change their (1) eating habits towards well-balanced, healthy, varieties of freshly cooked and nutritious foods, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and introducing more healthy recipes and nutritious lunch box ideas; (2) become more active , and (3) monitor their own progress and weight loss - until they are able to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. It is often easier to facilitate a change in habits for children compared to adults. Importantly, parents need to talk to their ids and provide healthy choices at home, and healthy lunch box offerings for school.

For parents needing support, internet Parent 's Forums and Parenting Blogs offer support and community exchange of ideas and tips to help address issues relating to childhood obesity. Other advice includes getting kids involved in shopping and meal preparation to help teach them better nutrition and food choice, and assigning chores as another way to get kids up and active.

Avoid stocking high-fat, high-sugar snack in home, provide fruit and healthy alternatives like fat free pretzels and popcorn. Dilute fruit juice and avoid soft drinks, water is always best. Try to make good choices when going out for dinner, and avoid using food as a reward/comfort. Instead, give kids the attention they deserve by listening, providing encouraging words and hugs and treating the family out to the cinema or local bowling alley to celebrate small successes.

Physical inactivity includes pastimes such as watching TV or playing computer games, should be reduced to no more than two hours a day. Gradual increase in physical activity, such as walking, bike riding, swimming, dancing and ball sports is suggested three to four times a week to begin. Importantly, remember the time you spend together as a family being active is also a great way to reconnect and bond and should be a fun experience for all new fitness plan can mean a whole lot more than simply losing weight.

The Many Causes of Obesity

There is a big difference between being a bit overweight and being obese. Obesity is "an over-accumulation of fat that interferes with the function of our bodies." Obesity is defined as having excessive fat in body tissues. Obesity increases the risk for many health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute defines being overweight as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 and obese as having a BMI of 30 or greater.

Obesity can be caused by many different factors. The most significant are:

Genetics or Heredity

Genetics are what your forefathers (and mothers) bequeathed to you in the form of your genes. There is a perception that very obese people are lazy and greedy. Not all obese people have reached that state because they eat everything in sight. If both of a person's parents were heavy, that person has a 70% probability that he or she will also be heavy. That percentage drops to 40-50% if only one parent was thin.

Metabolic

Metabolism is the amount of energy (calories) your body burns to maintain itself. Metabolism is the process in which nutrients are acquired, transported, used and disposed of by the body.

Every person is unique and they all have their own unique metabolism. The terms "slow metabolism" and "fast metabolism" refer to how easily our bodies convert food into fuel (energy) and nutrients. A person's metabolism is affected by genetics, hormone levels, thyroid conditions, food allergies, amount of body fat, age and insulin levels. Since there are so many factors that contribute to a person's metabolism, it is difficult to specify and special "diet" or "metabolic diet" for a specific person. An entire medical and psychological history would have to be determined.

Psychological

A person's mental state can contribute to a person's obesity. But the person's state of mind is usually caused because he/she is obese, not the obesity being caused by the person's state of mind.

Societal

Everywhere around us there are ads, pictures, and other people who urge us to eat more. Almost all social activity is based on food and drink. Dinners, luncheons and barbecues.

Even some religions have a type of food that should or should not be eaten at certain times. All of these little nudges to eat contribute to the obesity in our population.

Sedentary Lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the major causes of obesity. Physical activity is one of the best ways to lose those pounds.

Prescriptions

Some prescriptions, especially antidepressants, have been shown to increase appetite, and therefore increase obesity.

Overeating

Taking in more calories than our bodies need is the most significant factor in obesity. The combination of overeating and under-activity can be the death knell to successful weight loss.

Most obese people have reached that state through multiple causes. In fact, all obese people have at least two or three of the contributing factors. That is why it is so difficult for some people to lose weight. If there is an underlying medical condition, all the diets in the world may not be enough.

Now that you've seen all the causes of being overweight, how can you overcome them?

Start simple. In weight loss, the basics are quite simple: Eat protein from the best sources you can find; vegetables in mostly unlimited amounts; high-fiber, low-sugar fruit in moderation; and eat less of fats like butter, mayonnaise and the like.

Always check with a doctor and ask for advice before starting on a stringent diet and exercise program. It's best to unearth any medical problems before doing something that will make them worse.

First, know yourself. Keep a food diary that records not only what you eat, but why you are eating and your mood at the time you are eating.

Second, be committed. Not to your spouse, your children, or your friends, but to yourself. Do it for YOU.

Third, cut down on portion sizes and reduce your fat intake. Healthy food choices are extremely important for weight loss and for health.

Fourth, increase your activity. Go for walks, go swimming or find another physical activity that suits you. My stepson lost 96 pounds by increasing his exercise level. He didn't change his eating habits at all!

Diets came into being to help people to structure their eating habits. Very stringent diets are very hard to follow and a lot of people don't have the self discipline to follow through. I believe that eating healthy foods - lean meats, vegetables and fruits - in moderate portions will be easier for most people to follow. Having some flexibility will help combat those feelings of deprivation.

Changing the eating habits of a lifetime is difficult. Start with one thing such as reducing portion sizes, and keep at it until it becomes a habit. It is said that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Don't try to take on too much at a time. Baby-step your way to healthy weight loss and better health. Persistence and patience wins the day.

Youth Obesity Rages Out of Control

Years ago, it was rare to see an obese adult and almost unheard of to see an obese young person. Don't believe it? Just watch old movies or television shows. Even in crowd scenes, at sporting events, etc. Americans were almost uniformly of average weight. All that has changed. Americans seemed to be divided into two groups, the overly thin, bordering on eating disorder crowd, imitating their favorite actress, or the overweight, moving in the direction of obese.

It's truly amazing when you think about it. In just the past 30 years, obesity amongst young people has more than doubled, and the percentage of those who are overweight has sometimes tripled! According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, Among young people, the prevalence of overweight increased from 5.0% to 13.9% for those aged 2-5 years, 6.5% to 18.8% for those aged 6-11 years, and 5.0% to 17.4% for those aged 12-19 years.

If the above trend continues, and it will continue unless something is changed, overweight and obesity rates will continue to rise. Concurrently, adult rates will rise as well, especially troubling when you consider the fact that heart disease is already the Number One Killer in America. In addition to Heart Disease, other dangers include:

Hypertension
Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
Type 2 diabetes
Coronary heart disease
Stroke
Gallbladder disease
Osteoarthritis
Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)

It is quite possible that all of the above to be exacerbated by poor diet. Fried foods, fast food, candy and other junk foods are taking Americans on a short road to an early grave.
You may think, "It's impossible, look how readily available these types of junk food, fast food and candy are available. There's no way our society and government would allow it. Well, for readers who are a bit older, just think back to cigarettes. They used to have athletes doing commercials saying Lucky Strikes helped them play better. Doctors used to prescribe cigarettes to women for nerves. So it's possible our society is at that same crossroads where junk food, fast food and candy are concerned.

What can be done? Simply put, there needs to be a change in this country and it start with our nations schoolchildren. There needs to be more emphasis on exercise and nutrition. This means less junk food, less fast food, and more Healthy Solutions. One of the healthy objectives of the CDC is to reduce the prevalence of obesity amongst adults to less than 15%. The problem is the trend is not going in the right direction, as the situation is worsening. Only time will tell whether America can let go of junk food and fast food addiction and embrace Healthy Solutions.

Obesity in America, Proactol Can Repel The Attack

Obesity in America is the number one health threat. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have already warned the public about the looming threat. Clocking in at a staggering $122.9 billion in costs; obesity also sends nearly 400,000 Americans to an early grave.

There is a noticeable reduction in the quality of life of obese persons. The condition impacts lifestyle and leads to lower self esteem, depression and discomfort in social situations.

More serious diseases such as diabetes and hypertension generally enter through the door of obesity in America. A phenomenal two thirds are overweight. A common disease in America is high blood pressure, and it is touted that stress is a prevalent health problem here as well.

There are many reasons for the overweight statistics. Much of these statistics come from overeating and poor eating habits. The total cost of overweight and obesity in America was $99.2 billion in 1995. The cost of obesity had ballooned to about $117 billion in 2000.

High blood pressure has increased from 25 to 28% throughout 1991 to 2000. In numbers, the movement was from 50 million to 58 million. This silent disease has proven to be the leading cause of strokes and heart attacks. To make matters worse, a whopping 30% of Americans with high blood pressure are unaware that they have it!

Meanwhile, a staggering 75 to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems. More than 20 million Americans between the ages of eighteen to fifty have anxiety disorders. Stress goes on the attack from all directions. It affects everything we do. Recognizing the causes of stress is half the battle. Avoiding it is the other half.

We need help! That help today is Proactol. It is a licensed medical product that has been recommended by doctors for the treatment of obesity and weight management. It is also proven to decrease food cravings and lower blood cholesterol levels. We have finally found a product to help the millions of Americans fight obesity.

The psychological effects of obesity are profound and deeply rooted. As soon as you begin to believe more and more in success for yourself then will your ups and downs begin to level out.

When you decide to take success into your bosom, remember also to take responsibility for your decisions. You will gain more control of your life as soon as you take more responsibility for what happens in your life.

Keep a firm hold on the reins of your life from this day forward. Always believe that you will get the mastery over your appetite and one day you will. Remember, when you can visualize your end result, it is then that you will know when you have arrived.

Obesity Statistics Can Be Held In Check By Proactol

Obesity statistics indicate that it is the biggest health threat that confronts America today. This warning comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity currently results in an estimated 400,000 deaths annually. It also costs the nation a crippling $122.9 billion.

This disease significantly reduces the quality of life among adults in our nation. This disease creeps right into the fabric of our lifestyle and can cause us to become a nation of social misfits. Other serious health diseases like hypertension and diabetes can result sooner or later when obesity is present.

February is Heart Month. This is a good time to remember that cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of death in the United States and Canada. Cardiovascular diseases include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, heart failure and congenital cardiovascular defects.

How do you reduce the risk of heart disease? Physical activity, healthy eating, maintaining or losing weight and not smoking are the answers. These lifestyle choices are free, attainable and fend off heart disease as well as obesity.

An unbelievable one third of American adults between the ages of 45 to 54 have cardiovascular disease. Those who are 65 and older account for more than 83% of deaths from cardiovascular disease. When we age, gain weight, stop moving and allow obesity to take over, the risk of becoming on of the obesity statistics steadily increases.

In the US alone 30% of the population is classed as being obese. That stands at over 60 million people. Another 50 million people go on a diet each year. Sadly, only 5% of these individuals will keep the weight off long term.

Are you one of those dieters? Are you still unhappy with the way you look and feel? Are you aware that Proactol can help you achieve a much healthier lifestyle? The confidence you will gain from feeling healthy is priceless.

People who become obesity statistics are usually affected in all areas of their life. But we can come to grips with this problem. We must begin to embrace the belief that we can do it. With consistent application, things will slowly begin to turn around for us.

As soon as we decide to walk hand in hand with success, and embrace responsibility for our decisions, positive things will begin to happen. By taking responsibility for everything in your life, you will begin to gain more control. Stay in control of your life from here on in. Seek at all times the mastery of your cravings, and you will eventually conquer it.