Is there a problem with childhood obesity and what can we do to prevent it?
612725
Yes there is. We need to get kids more active. Kids spend too much time watching TV and playing video games. They should spend more time playing outside. Fast food is also a problem, it is high in fat with little nutrition.
41325
Regulate your food intake. First, check on what you've been eating. See if there are sinful foods. If you find it hard to avoid them, at least gradually reduce your intake. That's a good start. Needless to say, a good exercise is required.
1120764
well we can start out by replacing junk food with heathy food in our schools and at home. exercise with our children by taking walks together. teach them about junk food and what it can do to our body's. parents should set the example.
743186
Topic:Obese Children.\n\nObesity is not  a problem for middle aged group alone,nowadays even small children of age group of 8-10 is getting obese out of various reasons.Impact of fast foods and lack of physical activities plays a major role in this problem.Kids in metros and cosmopolitan cities are more affected than in small towns and counties.Regular exercise,calorie cautious food and GOD's diet(vegan diet) can be  the best solutions for this problem rather than going for medicines.
124410
The death of my first child in 2004 was because of a medical mistake. Around the age of 10 months, he started to loose weight dramatically and had a never ending appetite. When my husband and i took him to the doctors office, they thought it was because of his formula and didnt bother to do further tests. The though most of the problem was because of us and how we were feeding him. The doctors werent concerned at all, but gave him a sugar drink to help. BIG MISTAKE. He passed away a month later because he had a rare metabolism and diabetic problem, and the sugar drink made it worse. If the doctors took them time to run blood tests, then would have found the problem and put him on medicine. He would still be alive today if the doctors didnt "assume' instead of run some tests.
1058214
WE can't stop other people's compulsions. Obesity may be a global epidemic as you call it,but I think it is up to each and every individual to stay healthy and active and exercise and eat right. I see it as being a choice. These people choose not to do anything about it. That is their own fault...not mine. Many people that are obese are at higher risk of diabetes,heart disease,etc...these people don't even listen to their doctors half the time (in my opinion,of course) So,if they aren't willing to do anything about it,why should I concern myself?
1115610
Eating issues top the list of stresses in a lot of parents of 3 year olds.  A child will NOT starve themselves, so start by making food a "non-issue"  Offer her food, if she doesn't eat, put it away and offer it again later.  Don't beg, plead or bribe her to eat.  Stick with healthy foods in a variety of textures, colors, shapes and from all food groups.  She will not likely sit still long for meal times, so offer small meals throughout the day.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 3 snacks are appropriate for her age and health concerns.  Keep the portion sizes small.  If she is drinking a lot of juice, even if it is diluted with water, it contains enough sugar to make a small body think they aren't hungry.  A small amount of juice diluted with water served at one snack per day is plenty.  Stick with water and milk, which should probably be whole milk based on her need for calorie intake.  Avoid the empty calorie foods like chips and cookies.  Ice cream in small amounts, again as part of a snack or meal, can help with calcium intake.  I would suggest starting the day by serving breakfast, let her eat what she wants.  Then remove the food and let her play.  When she asks for something to eat, offer her a small plate of healthy bite size snacks such as string cheese cut into pieces, grapes cut in 1/2, mini Ritz crackers (whole wheat is good for her).  If she won't eat that, let it sit on the table and when she is hungry she will.  It is so tempting and normal to bribe her to eat with promises of sweet treats, but that is only developing some bad eating habits for her.  Experiment with veggies in a variety of ways such as carrots can be raw, steamed, or stir fried.  Her doctor should be made aware of her poor eating and may want to examine her to rule out any type of illness and may recommend a supplement such as pedia-sure, but most kids do not need that.  A nutritionist can also be consulted who can help design a meal plan specifically geared to help with weight gain.
89839
Baby fat is natural, but an overweight child is not.  If you allow a child to be sedentary and be overweight, you are setting the child up to be an unhealthy, fat adult.
1022875
There is NO evidence that this is the case.  The problem is more in the prevalence of calorie-dense food and the lack of appealing "healthier" alternatives.
87121
I believe that malnutrition and overnutrition ARE health problems. Another impact that obesity may have on society is the absolute predjudice that people so casually express about overweight people...even in the workplace! How hurtful that is! It must make quite a negative effect on our society - which frankly is mostly made up of overweight people.
479757
YES!!! Today most kids are fat and lazy. Their Idea of exercise is pushing the X button of the PS2. By get outside they might be able to burn off some of the lard they are carrying around. And live in a realistic world. The outdoors has so much to offer.\nAnd the parents today are the ones to blame. (sorry hit a sore spot).
856500
Maybe not forced but encouraged. If you only have healthy food around and keep the sweets minimal then good eating habits will come naturally. For children who already have bad eating habits it can take some work on getting them to eat correctly but when they get hungry enough they will eat what ever you put infront of them. I run a daycare and I keep the sweets out. Children at first complain that I don't have the chips and sweets they are used to but after a while I hear the parents comments on how they can no longer keep fruit and vegetables stocked in their homes. I have taught the children that good eating can be better and sweeter (if cooked correctly) then candy and junk food. It has gone a long way.
965008
Growing kids are like bottomless pits, especially during growth spurts or if they're into energetic activities.  Assuming that they are not overweight or underweight, but just active children, I'd try things with lots of fiber and bulk... like light popcorn, bananas, apples, pears, whole grain crackers (even graham crackers), lowfat cheese (like string cheese or 2% cheese cubes), lowfat yogurt (GoGurt tubes frozen and eaten like a push-up pop is great!)\n\nLimit anything with a lot of sugar vs bulk (like grapes or oranges or juices - even natural sugars will make them feel hungry again in a short while) and have them drinking lots of water with snacks because sometimes thirst feels like hunger, especially to children.  Could be they're really just thirsty!\n\nCelery with peanut butter is another good choice... it's filling... or baby carrots with lowfat ranch dressing to dip them into.  My mom used to give me a baggie of celery and carrot sticks and send me outside to play - lol  Just remember that the longer it takes to digest something, the longer it will "stick with them"   :)\n\n(Obviously I attacked the snack time issue - lol  I'm assuming they're eating three healthy normal meals each day from what you said...)    :)
718560
As little 'added sugars' as possible! \n\nAlthough children burn extra calories received from sugar during daily activities, some may eventually end up overweight if they consume a high-calorie diet on a daily basis. Children who are overweight face an increased risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease when they get older.     \n\nDental problems such as tooth decay and unhealthy gums can be reduced by limiting the amount of sugar. \n\nHere are some ways parents can limit sugar in children's diets:\n\nUse two-thirds to three-fourths of the sugar called for in recipes\nAdd raisins or other dried fruits to cookie dough instead of chocolate chips or candy\n\nSubstitute bagels for doughnuts or muffins\n\nOffer unsweetened fruit juices instead of soft drinks loaded with sugar\n\nMake a deal with children to limit candy to once or twice a week. \nThere is a place for sugar in children's diets, but moderation is the key.
1030532
This is the-most-asked-question in the world. The usual answer is the following: Less fatty food, More vegetables and fruit, more exercise (walking or jogging) and if your weight doesn't come down go to the doctor for a general check-up.
1146998
The root cause? Poor parenting skills. Letting kids choose to eat bad food, or even choosing it for them. Not instilling good eating habits and good food choices from day one into the child.  This is aided by a plethora of advertising aimed at children (sugary, fried and fast food) with toy and movie tie-ins.\nThe results? A lifetime of being overweight, unhealthy and discriminated against.
1003960
There is a consistent link between obesity (lack of exercise and unhealthy diets) and type 2 diabetes. Looking around you , the noticeable increase of obese people has a natural following of an increase of diabetics. Exercise and a healthy diet are the best preventatives. Modest eating, rather than overindulging. Check out the Harvard link.