"The American Academy of Pediatrics say kids who watch more than three hours of TV had 39% more body fat than kids who averaged nearly two hours."
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Peter A. Macdonald, M.D. is a Family Practice Physician at Mecosta Health Services in Big Rapids. (231) 796-3200.
Physicians at MHS will care for you both in the office, and at the hospital.
Office hours are 8:00AM-5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Article obtained from WebMD Live Events Transcript, Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2004. |
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Kids and Obesity - A Growing Problem
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Obesity rates in children continue to climb. Eating more and exercising less are the two most commonly mentioned culprits, but what are the best ways to reverse this trend?
In the United States, it's estimated that 10% of children aged 5 to 17 are obese. More than 30% are overweight.
Along with the increase in childhood obesity we're beginning to see an epidemic of adult onset, or type 2, diabetes in children ages 9 to 12. If that child develops diabetes before they're 14 years of age they are shortening their life span by 17 to 27 years. This has reached such a state that this may be the first generation in which the parents outlive the children.
Reasons for obesity may be:
- A lack of physical education programs in most schools in America. Only one state (Illinois) has a mandatory K-12 daily requirement for PE.
- Children are no longer walking or riding bikes to school.
- Children are spending anywhere from 25 to 35 hours a week watching TV, playing video games, or sitting at a computer.
- An estimated 49 million Americans are eating at fast-food restaurants on a daily basis.
What is obesity?:
Body mass index (BMI), is your weight in pounds multiplied by 703, divided by the height and inches squared.
In adults, a body mass index of 18 to 25 is normal weight, 25 to 30 is overweight,and above 30 is obese. We now have an estimated 64.5% of adults who are overweight, of which some 31% are obese. Projections are by the year 2010 more than
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50% American adults will be considered obese.
With children, we consider a child obese if they're above the 95th percentile. That varies in boys 2 years of age to 10 years of age from 19 to 22 BMI. In girls it's a BMI of 19 to 23. From 12 to 20 years of age in boys, it's 24 to 30. For girls, it's from 25 to 31.
Foods of childhood influence lifelong health. Height within the first five years is based on genetics and nutrition. Bone and teeth health is developed by adolescence. Weight, the number and size of fat cells a child has before 6 years of age, are set for life, so a fat child ordinarily becomes a fat adult. Food preferences and eating habits are formed in childhood.
Recommendations:
- Cut back on juice and high-sugar drinks.
- Active kids are more likely to have healthy weight and less likely to be overweight adults. Parents should sign up children for teams and activities with friends in sports.
- No eating while watching TV. The American Academy of Pediatrics say kids who watch more than three hours of TV had 39% more body fat than kids who averaged nearly two hours.
Parents have a great deal of influence over their child's exercise habits. Parents should insist on an hour each day of moderate to vigorous activity for both health and prevention of weight gain. Obesity runs in families, so it's important that the whole family exercise together. Also, environment strongly influences the degree of overweight.
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Age-Appropriate Exercise:
- Kids' activities need to be right for their age, size, and physical development.
- Set healthy goals. Competition is fine -- if it isn't overdone.
- Kids need protective equipment for each sport or activity.
- See your child's doctor if he/she is limping after exercise, or if muscle soreness lasts throughout the day or night.
Not all exercise is good for kids. Weight training and contact sports are areas where parents should be cautious. Weight lifting is not even necessary for children, and certain sports can be detrimental since the bones are not yet fully developed.
An increase in caloric intake is partly responsible for obesity, along with lack of exercise in children or adults. This increase is due to larger portion sizes of calorically dense foods, and this includes fast foods as well as sugar drinks that are so much a part of the life of children today.
Ideas for family activity:
- Toys promoting physical activity
- Yard work, etc.
- Active kid's jobs
- Adding exercise to weekend plans
- One special physical activity each week for the whole family
(Continued.. page 2) 
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