1 in 5 pre-schoolers obese. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30072958/ When you look around, you see so many kids now that are heavy, way more than when I was growing up in the 70's and 80's. I worry about their futures if they start off heavy, not to mention the strain on our health care. I have a niece that is very heavy for her age and gets picked on a lot at school, her mother had the gastric bypass and while she was thinner for a while, is steadily gaining again. But when this little girl gets around the younger kids in the extended family, she is a terrible bully to them. Makes you wonder. Caveat: I need to lose some weight, so don't think I'm picking on anyone. :?
My 11 yr old daughter is also gaining weight. We have been trying to monitor her daily intake of calories, and excercise to keep her on an even keel so to speak. But yes,- it does seem as though childhood obesity is much higher than back in the 70's and early 80's when I was growing up. Maybe it's just a sign of the times with so much fast food and processed foods that are on the market these days.
It's called parents need to get their kids off the x-box, nintendo, playstation and computer games. Turn off the cartoons and go outside to play some basketball... hide n seek ... soccer.....ride a bike ..... something active!
I think that is part of it, but not all of it. My son probably watches too much tv and plays on the XBox, etc. but he is thin.............for now. He does go out and play weather permitting, and is in soccer and scouts. I don't know, I think part of it is the food we eat now. Too many chemicals, too much processing, etc. I grew up on whole milk, fried food, rich desserts, but was thin as a rail til my late 20's. :? 'Course, now, that is what I want to eat, and I can't.
I don't have kids in school yet so I am not sure but I have heard that Phys Ed for kids here is pretty much non existance, they get it every other day for 9 weeks? Is that correct? I know when I had it in school we had it every other day for the entire school year. Maybe we need to increase phys ed? For kids that is at least 2 or 3 hours a week of excercise.
yep, that is why i was so glad you moved into the neighborhood. At first there were lots of kids playing all the time and my grandkids played with them, then it seemed a lot moved and all of a sudden on gorgeous beautiful days there were no kids to be found playing outside but my 2:cry: But now they are everywhere, love it:hurray::hurray:
I agree. However, I am a mom with an obese 5-year-old. It's not a matter of letting her eat junk or not letting her go outside to play, run, jump, etc. She is ALWAYS outside. She is always running around, inside or not. And we are very careful about what we eat. We eat out about once every two weeks, the rest of our meals are prepared at home - by me. She eats healthily, and does get goodies for desert. (I am a Type 1 diabetic, so these goodies aren't that bad for her anyway.) She doesn't even know what computer or video games are. Even though we have a Wii, she never plays it. She watches 1 hour of TV a day -- the rest of the time, she is outside as much as she can be (which is until the sun goes down lately). She is very hyperactive - and we call her our little busy Bee because she is constantly buzzing around, very active. Her doctors and I are perplexed about her weight. I've kept a food journal for her for a long time, and it just doesn't add up. She will be seeing an endocrinologist this month to start some testing. While I hate the thought of her being on medication, I think it's the next step; whether it be for thyroid of hyperactivity or whatever. Anyway, I just wanted to throw out another point of view. It's not always a matter of what parents are or aren't doing. Sometimes it's "something else" (prediabetes, thyroid issues, growth hormone issues); and I think that's an epedemic too. I hate that my daughter gets picked on, and I hate that people think I'm a bad mother because she's much bigger than other kids her age. You never know what someone else is going through, or why they are the way they are.
^^That's exactly what I am wondering. WHY are there so many children this age heavy? I really don't think it's simply being inactive. Again, my son is fairly sedentary, but is not heavy. It makes no sense to me. I hope you can get some answers for your daughter.
At West Clayton they get PE twice a week also. It's listed twice a week on their 7 day rotating schedule including art, computer, media ctr and music. Seems like it was way more than that when I was in school... a hundred years ago. Media center (or "library" as I was taught) is listed twice also. I'm all for reading and luckily ds loves it (reads for 'fun' even) but I'd much rather see PE more in the mix. It may not be so in all cases but I whole heartedly agree. My oldest isn't active in sports because he's is turning out to be quite pigeon toed and can't run well. He's so self conscious (I believe) that between that and his shyness is the reason he plays alone most everyday at school. He knows he can't keep up and tends to easily stumble. He wears between a 16 husky and an 18 w/adjustable waist band. He's only 10½. ... and I believe that explains why little girls... "develop"... in fourth and fifth grades! ... Shoot... they pump chicken and calves full of growth hormones.. it HAS to be passed on in human consumption... ...maybe? And I KNOW I could do better on my end with the foods I provide ... 3Cs&Me, I hope the appointment with the endocrinologist goes well.
Sorta related I'm curious, I've had two friends tell me that their children have high protein amounts. So high that doctors are concerned about it. Anyone else experiencing this?
