Weight Loss Information |
Child Obesity - Who is to Blame?
As we look around at the current generation of children, one can notice more and more that child obesity is becoming a serious problem. A combination of technology, alternative forms of entertainment and poor food choices have greatly changed the path at which our children are taking toward the future. We are starting to see the consequences of lower energy expenditures coupled with poor nutritional habits. Unfortunately this problem is going virtually un-noticed by the majority of parents and the other people that influence our children. Today's technology provides children with a number of different exciting ways to spend their time. The children of today would much rather surf the internet, watch a DVD or play a video game instead of going outside to ride their bike or play in the park. These indoor activities burn very little extra energy and quite often lead to an increase in snacking. In days past parents would have a hard time getting their kids to come back inside where as now in many cases the opposite is true. They simply have a hard time getting their kids to go outside and play when these other options are available. In addition to burning fewer calories children are being exposed to an increase of junk foods and processed foods. These types of foods have very little or no nutritional value and are loaded with trans-fats, sugar, artificial flavors and salt. An increase in technology in the food industry has made it easier to produce good tasting foods at very low cost using artificial and other low cost addictive additives. Tricky marketing that stretches the truth and convenient packaging has also made it more difficult for the consumer to seek out the product that best suits them from a quality nutrition standpoint. Similar to any other learning process repetitive food choices at an early age have been shown to create a blueprint for the habits that a child will carry out in the future. Children brought up eating high calorie low nutritional addictive foods many times a week are more likely to keep such habits well into their adolescent and adult years. School systems are now inviting fast food chains to come in and serve lunches instead of focusing on quality nutrition. The days of focusing on the foods groups have taken a back seat to quick and easy food service. Vending machines with candy bars, chips and sodas are positioned throughout our school systems as well. In addition many school systems have done away with Physical Education which has just added to the problem. The increased availability of high density low quality foods with the addictive qualities of sugar, salt and trans-fats coupled with less activity have drastically changed the health and well being of our youth. According to the US Surgeon General 61% of US adults were overweight or obese in 1999. These numbers have tripled since 1980. The same study showed 13% of children 6 to 11 and 14% of adolescent's ages 12 to 19 were overweight or obese as well. Adolescent numbers have nearly tripled in the last two decades and are also rising at a rapid rate. These statistics show the growing severity of child obesity and that it must be addressed by making changes in the nutrition and activity levels of our youth. For additional information about this article and articles similar to this please visit www.lakenormanfitness.com or you can e-mail me at craig@ncprecisionfitness.com Craig LePage, CSCS, NASM-CPT Craig is a well-known Fitness Professional in the Charlotte, North Carolina area and is the Director of Precision Fitness Mooresville. He has been helping people reach their fitness and wellness goals for more than 12 years. His credentials include a Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of Bridgeport Connecticut, CSCS credentials from the NSCA and a Personal Training Certification from the NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). Craig has written for Charlotte, NC area Newspapers, authored his own fitness & nutrition program and is a frequent guest on a Charlotte area radio show that focus' on health and wellness. He has recently co-authoring a golf specific exercise book (Play Better, Longer - Golf) and is also working on a book of his own that should be available sometime next year.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Why Does the Weight Come Back? Before many Australians recently, a devastating story unfolded on a popular current affairs program.We watched with compassion as the fattest man in Australia told of his most recent, serious attempt to lose weight. Hunger Free Eating - How To Eat Less And Not Feel Hungry There are many diets, all of which boil down to taking in fewer calories especially of the foods, which tend to lay down fat in the body.The reason most people become over weight is that they are eating foods that are high in calories and low in bulk and, that they eat too quickly. 5-Step Weight Loss Program for Permanent Weight Loss Every Journey Worth Taking Begins with a Single StepHere are five easy steps to gain control of your weight loss efforts. Start at the beginning, then take small steps, each and every day and you'll climb that mountain. The Dirty Little Diet Secret Have you ever wondered how actors stay in such great shape? You know they couldn't starve themselves all the time, because you can see their weight fluctuate from movie to movie, depending on the role they're playing. The fact is Hollywood's slim and slender are hiding a dark secret from you, their adoring fan. Walking, Water, and Weight Watchers: The 3 W's for Weight Loss I have been seriously working on losing weight for about 2 1/2 months and many people have asked me what I am doing to be so successful. I reply, "The 3 W's for weight loss!" Of course they don't know what the 3 W's of weight loss are so I quickly tell them, "Walking, Water, and Weight Watchers. Daily Weight Loss Motivation When you are faced with the daily challenge of trying to lose weight, you will need to find ways to stay motivated every day. The factors that keep weight loss motivation high include your specific goals, your ability to envision what you want to achieve, and the degree of success you have in the beginning. Fit or Fat?! "Hey, you have reduced now, compared to the last time I saw you!"These are golden words for a woman who is fat. This woman would not even have lost an ounce but this one makes her feel good. The Secrets Behind Successful Diet Tips Explained Digestion is a chemical process. Our body combines different types of foods in our stomach using chemical reactions. Self-Sabotage Snacking After Gastric Bypass Surgery: Why Do We Do It? LivingAfterWLS reader feedback indicates snacking is the single biggest problem for people after having gastric bypass - the problem being we snack on unhealthy items, we sabotage our weight loss or weight maintenance and we spiral back into the self-loathing that is so much an emotional part of morbid obesity.None of us goes into surgery expecting to be the one "who lost all that weight and put it back on. If You Dont Track Your Diet? You Are Wasting Your Time Frankly, I'm puzzled whenever I hear this from somebody who's frustrated with their lack of gains:Me: So what are you eating? How many calories per day and how many do you need?Them: I don't know. I just eat. Making Healthy Lifestyle Changes that Last - A New Look at New Years Resolutions Would you run out of fingers, and maybe even toes, if you used them to count your tries at adopting a healthy lifestyle? Many of us would. The reason? Often it's that we need to change how we try to make changes. The 5 Keys To Finally Lose Fat Fast! Losing fat in my opinion is not all that difficult. You need to possess 5 Strategies and apply all 5. Dieting Mistakes - 5 Easy Tips to Avoid Disaster Looking to avoid the dieting mistakes many of our weight loss readers have made? Are you interested in steering away from the pitfalls many of us fall into while considering which diet plan makes sense? Perhaps you're just wanting to jump start your own path to nutrition and wellness -- whichever your goal you'll be better off learning from the mistakes of countless others.While the basics of weight loss include time honored classics like 'eat right and exercise' many of us get caught up in the hype and spin of today's weight loss services. Weight Loss Frustrations? Slippery Slopes - One Fall And Down You May Go! If you have ever been snow skiing you know that one wrong move, one glance away or one split second of lost focus may get you in a heap of trouble. The hard part comes trying to stop the slide down the slope. Vinegar and Weight Loss The Sour Truth-------------------------- Question: I had a baby 6 months ago and would like to lose some weight. I know that if you're nursing, you're not supposed to diet. Weight Loss, Exercise, and Bodybuilding Tips - Keeping Your Body-Fat Low: Part 4 of 10 Which is easier to do - turn a car's steering wheel while sitting still in the driveway or when it is speeding down the highway? Sure, the answer is simple.. Dieting? Upgrading Your Non-Conscious - Part 1 Visualizing and Declarations are today's topics.Visualize what you want as if now is how to create everything. Lose Weight on Hips and Thighs: A Quest for Slimmer Hips and Thighs! Losing weight on hips and thighs has always been a dream. And yes, dreams come true! It is usually difficult to lose weight from thighs and hips as compared to abdomen. Calculate Your BMI - Do You Need to Lose Weight? There are a few different ways to determine if you are overweight. Underwater weighing, computerized topography and measurement of skin folds with calipers can be the most accurate ways to measure fat. The Psychology of Weight Loss: Part 3 - Lose the Hang Ups! We have missed the boat and your boat is sinking fast. You have weighted your ship down with stats, calories, grams and pounds. |
home | site map | contact us |