Childhood Obesity

Saving your Child’s Life

By Dr. Larry Nickens, Goldsboro Pediatrics

Childhood obesity has become an underlying epidemic in today’s society. Obesity is one of the leading causes of death in the world. In today’s society children are not going outside to play or eating healthy foods. Instead, they are staying inside playing video games and eating chips and ice cream. This type of lifestyle is what leads to childhood obesity. As a parent your child needs your help to understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy choices. Learning to eat healthy and exercise can not only help save your life, but also help to save the life of your child.

Children are unable to change eating and exercise habits by themselves; they need help and support of there families. Successful prevention and treatment of childhood obesity starts in the home.

Is your child considered obese?
Body mass index also know as BMI uses height and weight measurements to estimate how much body fate an individual has. In order to calculate your child’s BMI divide the child’s weight by his or her height squared, remember when doing this your child’s weight must be in kilograms or meters.

Treatment Starts in the Home.
Children spending too much time eating and not enough time exercising can cause childhood obesity. You have the power to control what food your children intake and how much exercise they get. Creating healthy family habits can help your children to maintain a healthy lifestyle and also help other family member too. There are a few things you need to remember when beginning a new healthy lifestyle with your family.

• First and foremost remember it’s not a race. Don’t make changes to quickly; it takes time to unlearn unhealthy behaviors and to adopt new healthy ones.
• Think small when trying to incorporate a new healthy lifestyle for your and your family. Small gradual changes are the easiest to follow and throw into your day-to-day routine.
• Choose a few things you could do to help your new lifestyle, like taking a family walk or turning the TV off during dinner.
• Lastly, set goals for you and your family to reach. Whether it is to participate in two outdoor family activities a week or to only eat out once a week, set goals and stay true to them.
• What you can do to keep your child from being overweight.

• If your child is not hungry, do not make them eat.
• Do not use food to reward or comfort.
• Do not offer dessert as a reward for finishing his or her dinner.
• Offer your child a healthy diet.
• Don’t eat out more then once a week.
• Limit the amount of TV time. Attempt to have you child ride a bike or play outside instead.
• Spend time being active with your child.
• Teach your child good eating and exercise habits.

Using these options you will have a better chance of seeing your child grow up to live a healthy lifestyle. It is up to you teach by example.

The effects of your child being overweight.
There are many dangers that are associated with obese and overweight children:

• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Insulin Resistance
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Bone and Joint Problems
• Asthma
• Tendency to Mature Earlier
• Irregular Menstrual Cycles in Girls
• Fertility Problems in Adulthood
• Liver and Gall Bladder Disease
• Depression
• Trouble Sleeping

Start helping your children now if they show any sign of poor eating or lifestyle habits. It is proven that overweight or obese children and adolescents are much more likely to become overweight or obese adults.

Through altering the way you and your family eat, exercise and how time is spent being active together you can prevent your family from becoming overweight or obese.

About Goldsboro Pediatrics
Goldsboro Pediatrics’ goal is to optimize the growth and development of children to ensure their success as healthy, happy and productive adults in tomorrow’s society. Physician offices are located in Goldsboro, Mt. Olive, Princeton and La Grange. For further information, please visit www.goldsboropediatrics.com.