Saturday, March 31, 2007

Childhood Obesity

The Three Leading Causes of Childhood Obesity



What are the causes of childhood obesity? There are a number of factors that have contributed to the rise in childhood obesity. Leading the list of causes is unhealthy eating habits and poor food choices. The times have changed over the years, and so has the way we prepare food and the frequency has varied from the way our ancestors chose to live. Back then they cooked from scratch and now fast food restaurants and quick fix meals dominate our diets. The way children eat is the main cause of childhood obesity. Small changes in their diets can have large results enabling you to prevent childhood obesity from affecting your child. Healthy choices include fruits and vegetables instead of sugary snacks. Popular choices include carrot and celery sticks, apples, bananas and even salads that include a wide variety of vegetables. Helping children choose better foods when they are young will ensure that they make the same choices as they continue to grow.

Lack of Exercise is One of the Leading Causes of Childhood Obesity

More and more children are developing childhood obesity, and the lack of regular exercise is a factor that has contributed to this being one of the causes of childhood obesity. Television and video games are regular activities that help children avoid exercise. In the 20th century, children played sports more often, walked to school, and enjoyed outside activities as forms of entertainment. The children of the 21st century make choices that are completely opposite. The sports our children our playing these days, include turning on the television and playing any game you choose while exercising only the muscles in their hands. When you combine the lack of exercising and the poor choices in food there is a high chance that childhood obesity will end up causing a problem for children.

Genetics

Genetics and DNA is another cause of childhood obesity. Your parents can also aid in determining your chances of dealing with childhood obesity. If your parents had a problem with weight, chances are you will deal with the same issues. This makes it extremely important that you keep an eye on your children and their habits. DNA can not be changed, but small changes in other areas can make a great deal of difference in your child and their chances of dealing with childhood obesity. Walk to school, run and play more often rather than letting children stay inside and avoid exercise. Regular activities can help your children get the desired results they are attempting to achieve.

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Al Roker Produces Childhood Obesity Documentary - All Headline News

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 13:25:52 GMT


Access Hollywood
Al Roker Produces Childhood Obesity Documentary
All Headline News - 5 hours ago
New York, NY (AHN) - A documentary about the nation's rising struggle with childhood obesity will premiere Saturday (9 pm EST) on the Food Network. ...
AL ROKER TAKES ON CHILD OBESITY FOR FOOD NETWORK: Documentary ... Eurweb.com
'Today' show's Roker stars in Food Network documentary on ... Chicago Sun-Times
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Friday, March 30, 2007

Teenage Obesity

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Parents often ignore childhood obesity - Louisville Courier-Journal

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 09:58:34 GMT


Dog Flu Diet and Diseases
Parents often ignore childhood obesity
Louisville Courier-Journal, KY - 15 hours ago
Childhood obesity in America is getting lots of attention lately, and that's good. In this Health & Fitness section last Thursday, there was an excellent ...
Canada's Obesity Problem Could Lower Children's Life Expectancy All Headline News
Child obesity an epidemic in Canada: report Montreal Gazette
Obesity dooming youth: Report Health Sentinel
London Free Press
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Teenage Obesity - The Silent Killer



Obesity continues to rise with about 15% of the target audience being teens. With both parents working in a fast-paced world teens often have to make their own food choices. Most of them prefer "junk food" they can grab while watching television or playing video games. Lack of physical activity largely contributes to the growing problem.

Teenage obesity usually leads to adult obesity. While it is rare that teens experience the health problems associated with obesity, they need to be aware that those problems are likely to appear at some point in their life. Studies have shown that severely obese young females could lose an average of four to eight years off their normal life expectancy. For males in the same age group the numbers are much higher at twelve to twenty years.

Teenage Obesity And Discrimination

Teens who are obese face ridicule from their peers. During the teenage years physical beauty is of great importance. Youth magazines flaunt petite girls along with muscular, well built males. The clothing market directed at the youth generally does not offer fashionable clothing for obese teens. This alone can lead to low self-esteem.

The most popular girls and boys are nearly always small and attractive. Studies have shown that the overweight teen is more likely to be the subject bullying and name-calling. This can lead to social withdrawal, unhappiness, and can even go as far as causing mental illness. Teenage obesity often leads to teenage depression. Depression is listed as one of the top causes for teen suicide.

Teenage Obesity - The Solution

Parents have a responsibility to teach and guide their children, including teaching them proper nutrition. Eating habits that are formed during the teen years are likely to carry over into adulthood. Offer healthy snacks such as yogurt, popcorn, nuts, low fat chips, and fresh fruit. Avoid fried foods at meals and offer as many fresh vegetables as possible. Discourage sugary drinks and teach the importance of plenty of water.

Encourage your teen to stay active. Give them chores such as helping in the garden or washing the car. Take family hikes on local nature trails or visit the zoo. Bicycling and swimming are other family oriented activities which can help to reduce a sedentary lifestyle.

One final note to make is to always show your love. Encourage your teen to make the right choices and give them your full support. Be a good role model and focus on providing the proper nutrition at your family meals. Encourage activity and plan family outings that involve some sort of physical participation. Understand that teenage obesity needs to be addressed early in life in order to prevent complications when they reach adulthood.


 

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Causes of Obesity

The Causes of Obesity Are Different for People Afflicted



Obese people look similar, but they did not all get to be obese for the same reasons. The causes of obesity are diverse, and the determination of the cause of obesity in each individual case may lead to help for each person. First of all, genes are one of the causes of obesity. Unfortunately, some people are naturally predisposed to obesity. They are born with genes that cause them to put on weight more quickly than other people. The people with certain genes end up storing the fat more easily than other people. There is not much that these people can do about their genes, but there are steps that they can take to conquer the obesity.

Other people become obese because they eat too much food, and they do not burn up the calories that they eat through activity. One of the causes of obesity is bad behavior. These people eat food that is high in fat and low in nutrition. These people eat rich desserts, fast food meals and drinks with lots of sugar. These people usually eat too much food, and the food that they do eat has many empty calories. In other words, the food that they eat does not provide the nutrition that every person needs.

Unhealthy Environments Are the Cause of Obesity

People become obese because they live in unhealthy environments. Some people eat at fast food establishments where the food is not nutritious. These same people eat too many sweets which in general have empty calories. These same people live in an environment where they do not have the time, opportunity or inclination to exercise regularly. Experts recommend that people exercise at least three times a week for at least thirty minutes. More exercise is even more beneficial. The combination of poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle is a cause of obesity.

The causes of obesity are sometimes beyond the control of the individual. Unfortunately, some people have a more difficult time controlling their weight then others. There are also some conditions which might contribute to obesity such as problems with the thyroid gland. Some people have a difficult time dealing with stress so they use food as a comfort when they feel anxious. Each person has to contend with different factors in their lives. Obesity is a very difficult problem, but there is much help for those who suffer.

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Childhood obesity triples asthma risk - ScienceAlert

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 00:29:18 GMT

Childhood obesity triples asthma risk
ScienceAlert, Australia - 3 hours ago
The study, published in the current edition of the European Respiratory Journal, is the first to show a link between childhood obesity and adult onset ...
Triple asthma whammy for girls Advertiser Adelaide
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