I call it the invisible 5kgs, with most people who say they need to lose 5 kgs, really needing to lose 10 kgs.
The article went on to state that:
- 64% of children aged between 2-15 ate the recommended amount of Fruit.
- Only 5% ate the recommended amount of Vegetables.
- And only 30% of 5-15 year old’s got enough Exercise.
What they didn’t cover, was the also worrying fact that of the four out of five children who are not obese, two out of four of them are in poor physical condition and can’t do 10 push ups. But for today lets concentrate on the obesity problem.
And one of the problems is that most parents are not aware of the long term Psychological and Physical problems caused by Childhood Obesity, because if they were they wouldn’t let it happen to their child.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
The most widespread consequences of childhood obesity are psychological, with obese children becoming targets of early and systematic discrimination. As they mature, the effects of discrimination become more culture-bound and insidious.
Several studies have shown clearly that children at a young age are sensitised to obesity and have begun to incorporate cultural preferences for thinness. Preference tests of 10- to 11-year-old boys and girls show that overweight children are ranked lowest as those with whom they would like to be friends. Furthermore, children ranging in age from 6 to 10 years already associate obesity with a variety of negative characteristics such as laziness and sloppiness.
Despite the negative connotations of obesity, overweight young children do not have a negative self-image or low self-esteem. However, obese adolescents develop a negative self-image that appears to persist into adulthood.
PHYSICAL
Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of premature death and disability in adulthood. Overweight and obese children are more likely to stay obese into adulthood and to develop non communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. For most NCDs resulting from obesity, the risks depend partly on the age of onset and on the duration of obesity. Obese children and adolescents suffer from both short-term and long-term health consequences.
The most significant health consequences of childhood overweight and obesity, that often do not become apparent until adulthood, include:
- Cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke);
- Diabetes;
- Musculoskeletal disorders, especially osteoarthritis; and
- Certain types of cancer (endometrial, breast and colon).
Not a pretty picture is it, and at the moment one in five parents are choosing that path for their children.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
It is one thing for us as adults to make poor choices around nutrition and exercise for ourselves (50% of Australian Adults are Obese), but I think it is very worrying trend when those poor choices are transferred to our children.
As parents it is important for us to take responsibility for the development of our children, and make the right choices for them no matter how difficult that may be and how many battles you have to have.
I am always gobsmacked when I hear parents say that their child wont eat fruit, or veggies or refuses to exercise or follow simple behavioral guidelines.If that same child came downstairs every morning and picked up a cup and threw it through a window smashing the window, you wouldn’t just say ” Oh my child won’t stop throwing the cup through the window”NO you would reason, educate and discipline your child until they stopped doing it. Yes this may be a difficult and time consuming task, causing conflict between you and your child in the short term , but that is your responsibility as a parent.
Your child’s health should be no different, and it is your responsibility as a parent to do “whatever it takes” to ensure that your child is leading a healthy lifestyle ie: Eating less junk food, more fruit and vegetables (4-6 servings a day) and exercising vigorously a minimum of 3-4 times per week.
Sometime you may have to go into battle with your child for days or even weeks to achieve the desired result, but I can assure you that the health of your child is a battle worth fighting for.
Yours in health,
Dirk
P.S. If you would like your child to join our DirksHealth KidsFit classes in Term 4, please give us a call on 9365 7033.