Its no secret childhood obesity is an epidemic. Baltimore area youngsters are not immune to the epidemic. One in three kids in Baltimore City is overweight or obese. We are all very well informed of the problems obesity can cause in children; diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma. Children who are obese have a higher risk of developing obesity-related illnesses in older age. Add to this the social stigma associated with being an overweight child and what Baltimore has is a big problem.
Children make hundreds of decisions everyday regarding what to eat and how to get it. While we cannot be with our kids every moment of the day, we can give them a fighting chance by encouraging healthy eating and exercise. We predetermine the decisions our children ultimately make when we initiate their diets post pregnancy. Children, whether willing to admit it or not, imitate what their parents eat. Why is it then; parents are looking towards everyone else to monitor the eating habits of their kids?
Moms, intent on blaming someone for our childhood obesity problems are forming consumer groups and lobbying for changes in everything from junk food commercials to mascots. According to MSNBC.com (2011), the latest lobbying effort is call "We're not Buiyng it" which targets marketing campaigns aimed at kids. Apparently these lobbyists want to reduce thousands of commercial messages. That would be great if indeed those commercials were making our kids fat, but they're not. We are. The first person a child will ever look to for guidance is a parent. This is true from day one of their precious little lives. If you instill in a child a healthy attitude towards eating and then follow your own teaching, he/she will make better choices. Furthermore, if a child sees a commercial and somehow convinces a parent to go out and purchase ten cheeseburgers, the parent is the adult in the equation and should be making better decisions for the child. Why do some parents feel it is the government's responsibility to raise their children? Here's a few common sense tips to ensure your child is equipped to make better choices
- You, the parent should make healthy choices
- Turn off the t.v. and take your kid outside for an hour of play daily
- Stop running to fast food joints because you're too tired to cook
- Stop using the t.v. and video games as a babysitting service.
- Get off of Facebook and cook a meal.
- Stop driving to the mall; walk to the local farmer's market and take your kids
- Exercise with your child
- Talk to your child about nutrition
- Cook with your child
- Stop blaming other people for your bad parenting; make better choices!
By the way, I know of what I speak. I have four children, all of whom are healthy and who prefer fruit to junk.
Comments