by Christian Goodman
There are a lot of articles written about weight loss and numerous weight loss programs around, but only a few of those address the fact that our children are also overweight.
This is even more alarming when you consider the number of overweight children and teenagers has tripled in the last twenty years and those numbers continue to grow.
The percentage of overweight children from 6-11 years of age has risen from 4% in 1974 to 17.5% in 2004. The numbers are no better for teenagers. Overweight children between the ages of 12 and 19 have increased from 6% in 1974 to 17% in 2004.
As of today, children who are overweight is at an all time high of 32%. Of the 32%, 16% are considered obese, but an alarming 11% are considered extremely obese.
Children of this generation are under even more peer pressure about their weight than most adults can imagine. There are 13-year old girls begging for, and actually having gastric surgeries to lose weight. Some resort to bulimia or anorexia.
The biggest threat with childhood and teenage obesity is these children are much more likely to become obese adults. The difference is they're being affected at a much younger age with the same health issues that plague obese adults.
There is a prediction that the children of today will be the first in history to have a shorter life span than their parents.
It's pointless to discuss here the reasons we've let our children get fat. We all know the reasons, and as adults, we're the ones primarily to blame, not the kids.
We continuously feed them junk food instead of healthy, nutritious meals. Instead of oatmeal for breakfast, we feed them sugar induced cereal.
Too many overly processed, nutritionally bankrupt, calorie-laden snacks and not enough fruit and vegetables. And so much fast food, too much and too often.
To add to that, we've stopped encouraging our children to go outdoors and be active. It's too easy to let them spend one mind-numbing hour after another in front of a TV screen or a computer monitor.
They're growing up so sedentary that even playing outside seems like work. What have we done to our children?
It is time for us to step up and take responsibility for our children who are struggling with weight issues. The damage reaches far more than their physical body, inside and out, because they are also affected by this emotionally.
Children shouldn't have to suffer with issues like depression and a lack of self-esteem. They shouldn't have to endure the daily teasing and rude comments from thoughtless classmates that chip away at their self-image.
It is not fair to let your children's body struggle with the added demands of carrying around excess weight when they are just starting to develop. I am asking all parents and grandparents who have overweight children to do something about it.
Get active with your child. You need to find the time and make the time to prepare healthier meals and snacks. Another thing you can do is use my Weight Loss Breeze Program to lower your child's weight to a normal, healthy level. It's a natural, rational approach to weight loss. And best of all, it works.
Christian Goodman is a popular natural health researcher and the creator of the natural health Blog. His latest work is the Weight Loss Breeze, which is one of the best weight loss exercise program . It has helped thousands lose weight naturally.
