Childhood Obesity Skyrockets
Does it come as a shock to you to learn that the average high school student spends three or more hours a day watching TV? Does it come as shock to you that Tennessee ranks 2nd in the nation for childhood obesity? A whopping 19% of children in the state of Tennessee are obese according to recent statistics.
There are multiple “kid friendly” diets that are out there to try. There are even medications that some doctors prescribe to help children cope with their obesity. However, how did we end up in this predicament in the first place? What has changed so much in the last decade that has caused the number of obese children in the state of Tennessee to increase so drastically?
- Fast Food
- Electronic Overload
- Home Life
FAST FOOD V. CHILDHOOD OBESITY
If time could be purchased, it would go for a high dollar. There never seems to be enough hours in a day or days in a week. We open our eyes and it’s Monday and by the time we blink it’s Friday. Parenting is stressful. Not only do you have to think about your own well being, you have to think about your child’s as well. Careful thought has to be put into grocery shopping and meal prepping. All of that along with the laundry, dishes, actually cooking the meals, taxiing to soccer and piano practice, and the rest of the job description of being a “mom”.
However, as busy as schedules get and as little time as there seems to be, as a parent it’s your responsibility to ensure that your little ones are eating the best food possible for their overall health and nutrition. The occasional stop at McDonalds or a sporadic trip to Sonic isn’t the end of the world. You have to have fun with your kids and sometimes fun involves a milkshake.
However, fast food restaurants should not make up the majority of the meals that your children eat with you. Believe it or not, the seemingly inexpensive meals add up by the end of the week just like the pounds do. It’s actually less expensive to eat at home.
Don’t tune us out here. We know that is not fun to hear. It requires a lot of extra work. But believe us, it is totally worth it! As your children’s diets improve, you will notice changes in their focus, their sleep habits, their moods, and their physical appearance. School work will improve, attitudes will improve, and their overall health will improve.
ELECTRONIC OVERLOAD V. CHILDHOOD OBESITY
We will start by saying that this is not a blog rebuking electronics. In fact, electronics can be a great resource for your children. In the last decade there has been numerous computers, tablets, smartphones, watches, gaming systems, and virtual reality products released that have been successful inside and outside the classroom. However, instead of using the electronics in moderation and in healthy manners, children are overusing them.
Doctors are reporting cases of new eye problems, carpal tunnel, other joint issues in the hands and arms, and obesity. If you are the parent who recently purchased one of the newest systems available, don’t feel bad! However, it is your responsibility to help monitor the amount of time spent on the electronics per day.
Instead of coming home after school and letting your kids lock in to Call Of Duty or Snapchat, spend an hour outside with them. Go for a walk, a hike, a run, or even to the park. Are they competitive? Check out local sports teams that they may be interested in. The more physical activity that your children get a day, the healthier they will be and the lower their chances of facing obesity are.
HOME LIFE V. CHILDHOOD OBESITY
Maybe your family is the picture perfect family. You all sit down to eat together at the dinner table. You go on family outings together. You and your spouse work jobs that allow you to have time at home each day with your family. You have a great home life. However, this is not the reality for many families.
In fact, an estimated 3 million Americans work 3rd shift at their workplace with another 4 million working 2nd shift. Are you one of those people? If so, we know that it is hard to make schedules match. It is hard to be present at a soccer game at 8AM on a Saturday morning after working all day and night the day before. It’s hard to prepare a meal at home in time for everyone else’s dinner while you run off to work with a granola bar and a Gatorade.
Other children in America face even more challenging home life situations than not having their parents with them for dinner. Parents arguing or fighting. Abuse. Addictions. Divorce. Death. All of these challenges are difficult, even for adults to handle. Oftentimes the kids get overlooked. The parents assume that since they are in the other room, that their kids can’t hear them screaming at one another. They assume that since the kids are playing on the Xbox that they won’t notice their parent passed out drunk in the living room recliner. They assume that divorce doesn’t really affect the kids. After all, two bedrooms is better than one right? Wrong.
We wonder why kids are so disconnected. We wonder why childhood obesity is on the rise. Just take a look at the lives these kids are living each day. Instead of listening to the fighting or wondering if their parent is going to wake up from overdosing the night before, kids lock into another source of comfort. Another reality. After all, they have little to no supervision.
Hours are spent on the computer and gaming systems. Unhealthy food is consumed. Sleep is not encouraged. And a gap is felt. So the children work to fill the gap. Their brains are not fully developed, so bad choices are made. They don’t know how to cope with sadness or depression. They instead turn to food.
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO AS A PARENT?
As we have said before, being a parent is not easy. In fact, it could quite possibly qualify as the most challenging role you will ever take on. However, it is the most rewarding. The work is hard, but it’s so worth it. As parents we challenge you to be different. Don’t take the easy road with your kids. Don’t let them have everything that they want, but don’t deprive them of their childhood either. Practice moderation; in your own life and in theirs. Teach them healthy habits. Practice healthy habits because they are watching you. Cook together. Make homemade ice cream together. Race each other down the street on a run. Get a dog.
Teach your kids responsibility. Teach them to love themselves. Teach them that loving themselves means loving how they treat their bodies. Together we can fight childhood obesity. Together we can bring the statistics down. Together we can become a healthier city, state, and nation. It all begins with you.
If you have more questions or concerns, don’t hesitate give us a call at (423) 614-3733 or check out our website at https://ocoeepeds.com/.