Strategies for War against Obesity

Based on information obtained from the *Centers for Disease Control,  America's Children Are under Attack.  They are being attacked at an alarming rate by the lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating. Pick up any newspaper in the and you will read about the rise of overweight kids and teens.  The number of overweight kids and teens has continued to rise over the past two decades.  I’m sure you are wondering is it as bad as it seems? Why are doctors and scientists troubled by this trend? And as parents or other concerned adults, you may also ask: What steps can we take to help prevent our children from becoming overweight?  Healthy Kids & Teens is here to help provide answers to some of the questions you may have and provide you with a program that has been proven to work to help kids and teens create healthy habits for a lifetime.  Think of Healthy Kids & Teens as having a personal trainer for your child.

Parent’s Corner

What can I do as a parent or guardian to help prevent childhood obesity?

To help your child maintain a healthy weight, balance the calories your they consume from foods and beverages with the calories they use through physical activity and normal growth. Parents should help motivate their kids to participate in regular exercise to reduce the risk of diseases associated with obesity.  At the core of obesity is an imbalance with the number of calories consumed and the number of calories used for growth and activity.

Replace high fat and high calorie foods in your home with more nutritious choices. This site provides you and your children with an avenue for help. Accountability is key to a child’s success, our on line daily food dairy, and exercise dairy provides a way for their trainer to see exactly what habits are taking place and to provide suggestions and encouragement as needed.  Our pyramid approach focuses on the importance of making smart food choices every day.

Be a role model for your kids. You can plan family outings that involve physical activity such as bicycling, swimming, skating, or walking. Try new and fun activities such as creating your own aerobics class by utilizing your Healthy Kids & Teens Get Fit DVD.  The whole family can join in the fun. Purchase your DVD today by clicking the Home of the Get Fit DVD logo on this site.

Motivate your kids by offering incentives for healthy eating, and physical activity.  How about a weekly allowance for healthy choices?  It does not have to be in the form of money, it can be a bowling party, or skating party with friends.

Balancing Calories: Help Kids Develop Healthy Eating Habits

One part of balancing calories is to eat foods that provide adequate nutrition and an appropriate number of calories. You can help children learn to be aware of what they eat by developing healthy eating habits, looking for ways to make favorite dishes healthier, and reducing calorie-rich temptations.

Encourage healthy eating habits.

There is no great secret to healthy eating. To help your children and family develop healthy eating habits:

• Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products.
• Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products.
• Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein.
• Serve reasonably-sized portions.
• Encourage your family to drink lots of water.
• Limit sugar-sweetened beverages.
• Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat.