by: Shelley Murphy
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_4949.shtml
Fitness and nutrition expert, Tracey Redford of Curves International says, “The inactivity among young people can not be blamed solely on the evolution of Internet technology and television in itself. Child obesity has lead to a number of other health related issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease from the combination of improper nutrition and lack of exercise.”

Redford went on to say, “We live in a complex society where children of all ages have to contend with social issues such as depression, violence and divorce all having a downward spiraling affect both physically and emotionally. The psychological impact this has on our youth’s triggers an imbalance in eating habits and leads to a lack of motivation creating a domino effect.”

A summer camp experience with weight loss benefits

Last year in Canada alone the government spent over $2 billion on medical procedures surrounding obesity. No matter how many times we read about or see it on the news, children still do not understand the connection between eating, exercise and a healthy body. Rather than pointing fingers and placing blame, we need more resources and programs that can be offered such as summer camp programs specializing in weight loss. These camps are sometimes referred to as “fat camps” for young children and teens to guide them and educate them on making good healthy choices.

Children and parents shouldn’t be turned off by the words, “fat camp” which simply means a place where children of all ages can get fit, learn about nutritional balance and have fun doing so. Getting to participate in sports, crafts, and making make new friends while achieving weight loss in a nurturing environment provides a positive alternative for kids, and can pave the way to combat obesity.

The ultimate goal is sustainable healthy weight loss

When children feel they have no options, they continue on the same path of poor eating habits leading to a state of helplessness. Sending a child to a gym where they feel isolated and eventually lose motivation is not the solution either. Redford explains, “We need far better choices if we want our youth’s to get on track and stay on track. Weight loss camps for pre-teens and teenagers are a viable solution.”

What exactly is a weight loss camp? It’s about building a better self-image and self esteem while promoting health and wellness with individualized programs geared to weight loss that yields long term results. This is the foundation of the whole weight loss summer camp experience. A nutritionist designs an appropriate menu enabling campers to lose the weight and provide the necessary tools to keep the weight off upon returning home from camp. Understanding that the parent’s role is crucial in encouraging proper weight control for their children, the camps provide access to a network of nutritionist across the country.

by: Christian Sumers
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/parenting/article_2619.shtml
A growing concern among many western cultures is the growing prevalence in overweight and obese children. In fact, the problem has gotten so serious that in both America and the UK, the governments have endeavoured to take direct action to try and stem and reduce this problem.

In the US the problem appeared much earlier than in the UK. As far back as July 2003, the Surgeon General of the United States gave a statement before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on the growing problem with child obesity. You can learn more about his in my video on the subject of the food and diet industry.

It is widely accepted that an unhealthy diet of high fat or sugar content coupled with a lack of physical activity are the main causes of childhood obesity. High calorie foods such as sweets, chocolates and fast food are cheap and readily available to children. Added to this many children are no longer engaging in any regular physical activity or exercise. Many children no longer walk or cycle to school and with many UK schools squeezing physical activities out of the school curriculum, the problem is being compounded that some commentators believe that many parents will outlive their children!

And there are many very worrying health implications for a child:

1. Overweight or obese

2. type 2 diabetes

3. Sleep apnea

4. High blood pressure and blood lipid levels

5. Increased risk of heart attack, strokes, osteoarthritis and certain cancers in adulthood. And the risk increases the more overweight children become.

6. Emotional trauma - children are often stigmatized as lazy, unhealthy and less intelligent than normal weight children and suffer from loss of self-esteem, social isolation and bullying

The the physical and emotional implications for children that re too overweight can be long-term and permanent.

So how can you tell whether your child is overweight or simply temporarily carrying "puppy fat". Your family doctor can check height and weight charts (centile charts) when assessing your child to see if he or she is overweight for his or her age. So if this is a concern to you I'd recommend that you go and speak to your family doctor for guidance.

If your child is showing symptoms of being overweight or perhaps you're finding that your child is getting upset by his or her weight, never put your child on a weight loss diet without medical advice as this can affect their growth. A child's balanced nutritional food intake is very important in early life for the proper development of that child whilst he or she is growing.

A saver and healthier approach would be to help your child maintain their weight so that they can "grow into it" as they grow taller. The best approach is to therefore make long-term incremental improvements to your child's diet and eating habits while increasing the amount of physical activity.

If you're concerned about your child's diet, a good starting point may be to get acquainted with the glycemic index food chart. The index simply measures the effect of the carbohydrate content of food on blood sugar levels. Basically, low GI foods release sugar into the bloodstream slowly and do not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. High GI foods tend to lead to weight gain and are low in fiber - it is easy to overweight high GI food as they encourage a rapid return of hunger.

Low glycemic index food are less likely to store as fat and tend to maintain stable energy levels; they also:

1. reduce hunger urges

2. cause lower insulin level which makes it easier to burn fat

3. reduces the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

A study by the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that children on a low GI diet did better than children on a low-fat diet. Better weight loss was recorded in children on low GI diets and because they did not have to reduce serving sizes they were able to eat more until they were full.

by: Kevin Lynch
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/family/article_2872.shtml
One of the major concerns in our culture is the rapidly rising weight of our nation's children. For many, the problem has far surpassed the idea of being "cute and chubby" and has moved on to being morbidly obese. One only needs to look at the proliferation of fast food restaurants and other nutritionally empty foods that have become popular in recent years in order to realize their detriment to our children. With the busy lifestyles that parents lead, it is often easier to "stop and get something" rather than to come home and prepare a nutritionally well-balanced meal for the family.

Lack of exercise among the childhood population has to be blamed for the brunt of the obesity issue. Although there are safety precautions to consider when letting your child go outside to play, there are measures a concerned parent can take to provide exercise for their child. Rather than letting your child sit on the couch with a remote in their hand, concerned parents find school-sponsored activities and other avenues that their child can take that will incorporate activity into their lifestyle. Although healthier eating and an active lifestyle take up more of a parent's time, the health benefits that you child reaps will be well worth it.

There are several things that parents can do to encourage their children to become more active. The best way to encourage children to exercise is to be an example. Even when your children are babies, they should see you exercising, making physical activity an important part of your life. As they grow up seeing you enjoying being active, they will learn that exercise and physical activity is fun and an important part of your life.

Make exercise fun for your family. Think of things you can do together that encourage your children to get up and start moving! Install a basketball hoop in your driveway, and spend time shooting hoops with your kids. If your kids enjoy riding bikes, get yourself on your bike and take a ride as a family. If your child enjoys martial arts, then enroll him or her and a karate class. The key is to find something that inspires your child and encourage them to pursue that activity.

Another way to get your child moving even if the weather outside is not conducive to outside activities is through exercise videos. Find an exercise video or DVD that is aimed at children, and do the routine with your children. Not only will your children be healthier, but you just might loose a few pounds as well! Again, keep it fun! Laugh at the mistakes that you make, and stay upbeat!

Not all children have the ability to be athletic. If you child does not have an affection toward any sport, do not force them into playing sports. Sports are not the important factor when teaching your child about exercise. The importance of finding fun and enjoyable activities that your child will look forward to doing should be a parent's main focus to reduce the child's inactive habits. Helping them to see that exercise is not a mundane, boring part of life but rather a fun and exciting idea will help ensure that your child will take these ideas with them as they grow into healthy adults.