Approximately 17% (12.5 million) of children and adolescents, ages 2-19 years old are obese.
Since 1980, obesity among children has almost tripled.
head to the CDC website, HERE to learn more about strategies and solutions to end childhood obesity.
These statistics frighten me. I am a parent myself, but with my background teaching physical education and health, I worry about our children. So many children get little or no physical activity. In some schools, P.E and recess are only available 2-3 days per week...that's not right. And if we leave it up the parents...they have busy schedules and are worried about getting dinner on the table, finishing homework and getting kids to bed to do it all over again the next day. Right?
As an overweight teen, I wanted to lose weight. I think MOST overweight and obese children/adolescents WANT to lose weight, it's just a matter of where do I start? How do I begin living a healthier lifestyle?
It has been over 10 years since my weight loss journey began and I still question WHY I was overweight?
Was I an emotional eater?
Was it me not thinking I was good enough or worth enough?
Maybe it was me feeling like there was no way out?
Or that I thought I was meant to be overweight forever?
DOESN'T MATTER THE REASON, THESE ARE ALL EXCUSES...
My real transformation was the day that I stopped feeling sorry for myself. Stopped crying and actually DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I hope you take a moment and help encourage your children or the children around you in your life, to make healthy choices. Go outside together and BE ACTIVE. Make today the day to set a goal with your children and discuss what Being Healthy is all about! My boys and I went for a morning run and my oldest looked over at me while he was riding his bike and said, "Mom, I'm sweating...must be takin' good care of my heart, huh?" Moments like that make me proud! I know I'm probably totally obsessive when it comes to playing outside and keeping my kids active, but I know what inactive looks like...I was there and don't want the same for my children. Ever.
I know my readers love to be active with their children, so I'd love to know your favorite ways to keep your family active and healthy??
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Childhood Obesity Awareness
September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
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6 comments:
You must be so proud of your accomplishments and rightfully so!
One of the reasons I do what I do is to teach my kids the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Having nice weather to take it outside makes it so much easier.
My son ran and set a 5K PR on Friday! Lately his thing has been to enter shorter distance races of races that I'm running. Love that!
We go to the park all the time and we play all different sports as a family. We are going to start walking with another neighbor family after school this week too! I love this post.
They frighten me as well! I'm planning on have family park days as well as nightly family walks. I want my kids to see how important exercise is and also have them help cook dinner or any meals they want every day. This was they can learn the importance of unprocessed foot and why certain things like vegetables must be eaten daily!
I think it's about how we use food in our lives too... for rewards, for celebrations, as an excuse to get together.
We just seem to tie too many emotions to food.
It's all about balance, isn't it?
Great post.
Marissa--Great post and you bring some real perspective to the whole issue. It makes me sad that schools put so little emphasis on the physical ed side of things now. My kids have PE 2x/week and recess is only 20 minutes/day. We are an active family, so I don't worry about my kids with that little school phys. ed, but that doesn't apply to everyone else.
Feel free to use/link to my post. Thanks!
Well you knos that I have no kids... Yet. But I fully intend on being an active parent. On setting an example for a healthy lifestyle! I was an overweight kid but an active one. I just ate like crap and ate whatever I wanted, when I wanted!
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