You Are What You Eat
Put down your Coke and start reading. Yes, everyone has the morning when cheesecake or cold pizza seems like the best breakfast option. I am no exception, and cheesecake is my favorite, but I also know that if we don’t take good care of ourselves now we will pay for it in the future. So, ask yourself, “What are we doing to our kids?”
According the CDC, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.
In order for our kids to succeed in life, they need to have a good start.
Michelle Obama promotes the “Let’s Move!” campaign to target childhood obesity. It is a great idea! However, the reality is that our children simply take in too many calories and then do not burn them off. They sit in front of the TV, play video games and eat junk food. It is important to help our children make the right choices or they will suffer the consequences.
Childhood obesity has many health impacts:
- Overweight and obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
- Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.
- Obese youth are more likely than youth of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and therefore more at risk for associated adult health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
Make a Positive Impact
For children who have diabetes use pediatric massage. Researchers at the Touch Research Institute have found children with diabetes who receive massage therapy have improved compliance with insulin and food regulation, improved mean glucose levels, and symptomatic improvement
Let’s start a Food Revolution (kudos Jamie Oliver)!
Choose healthy options for your children
Make eating fun and interesting (fun food & different colors doesn’t hurt)
Let your child help prepare their meals
Do More | Take a Closer Look
Even in the places where you feel your child should be cared for they are not always receiving healthy nutrition. Some can’t even get a glass of water.
American schools face many challenges in providing a good education for our children, but when it comes to provide something everyone takes for a granted – a cup of water – we need to take a closer look.
William Hudson, of CNN writes about the challenges schools face in providing water for students – one such challenge is providing drinking cups.
Advocates say, and many educators admit, that too many of America’s largest school districts elect not to provide cups.
Chicago Public Schools do not. Miami-Dade County Public Schools do not. Newark Public Schools do not. Atlanta Public Schools do not. Clark County School District in Nevada does not.
Broward County Public Schools, in Fort Lauderdale, says drinking cups aren’t provided unless a student asks for one.
In the New York City Department of Education, the largest school district in the country by number of students, cups are “generally available to all students,” but spokesperson Margie Feinberg cannot say in which of its schools cups are available only upon request.
Hillsborough County school district in Tampa says it does not provide cups of water and there is usually one water fountain in student eating areas.
Educators say that providing cups can get expensive and take too much of their already dwindling school budgets.
So, here’s a solution, let’s send our kids to school with a safe refillable drinking container. Doesn’t seem too challenging to me.
When your drink choices at school only include milk and juice, and you cannot get a glass of water with your lunch, we have to all stand up and do something. Look at other countries, what are they giving their children for lunch: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/what-school-lunches-look-like-in-20-countries-arou.
America we need to do something now, our future is on the line!