Childhood Obesity

What can be done about childhood obesity? It is a major health problem and one that many do not want to see. "Oh, it's just baby fat" says one person. Or "My child only eats sweet food, I can't him to eat anything else."

From the journal Pediatrics:

Nearly one in five American children grew big enough around the middle to be considered abdominally obese by 2004, a 65 percent increase in belly fat over just six years, according to a new study published Tuesday.

Although increases in Body Mass Index scores among children have been noted for more than a decade, the increase in children with significant belly fat appears to have been even greater, based on data from government health and nutrition surveys taken between 1999 and 2004.

And belly fat is more dangerous than fat in other parts.

What you can do is to keep healthy food around the house. Young children do not go shopping- the parents do - so they have control over what appears in the household food area. If there is no candy, no soda, no suage laden cereal - the kids will not be eating it.

As for those who say their kids only eat sweet stuff- do not worry your kids won't starve themselves - they will eat and they may even find they like the more natural foods.

And get some daily exercise - play with the kids - toss balls, chase each other, run around with the dog, take walks and limit the amount of time in front of the TV - a good TV rule is NO FOOD while watching TV. That works for adults too - we tend to munch mindlessly when we watch TV and we have food around.