Today's children are said to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents

For the first time in centuries, our children are expected to have shorter life expectancies than we are. Research has shown this is due to the rapidly growing rates of childhood obesity, including a report in the New England Journal. Even if your child is not affected by obesity right now, they have a higher chance of becoming obese in teenage years or adulthood than we do.

According to the New York Times (www.nytimes.com) , today's average life expectancy for adults is being shorterned by four to nine months as a result of obesity. This means that obsesity is shortening the average life span at a greate rate than accidents, homicides and suicides. Combined.

This equates to today's youth living approximately 4 to 5 years less than they otherwise would, if obesity was not an issue. It's predicted to have a larger negative effect on life span than cancer or heart disease.

According to Dr. David S. Ludwig, director of the obesity program at Children's Hospital Boston, "Obesity is such that this generation of children could be the first basically in the history of the United States to live less healthful and shorter lives than their parents. We're in the quiet before the storm. It's like what happens if suddenly a massive number of young children started chain smoking. At first you wouldn't see much public health impact." He added, "But years later it would translate into emphysema, heart disease and cancer."

Cynthia Perkins, of www.holistichelp.net, states, "What we really need to be focusing on is the cause of obesity, which primarily lies in the consumption of a poor diet that is high in sugar, white flour, junk food, carbohydrates, the exposure to environmental toxins, lack of exercise, and a high stress lifestyle. Teaching our children how to eat a healthy diet, manage stress, avoid common everyday toxins and exercise should be the primary goal. It really is that simple."

The responsibility starts with the parents. With the highest obesity rates in history spreading across our nation like wildfire, it's apparent where children are learning their poor eating habits from. Even if you are not obese, but have poor eating habits, you need to take note because your children could take the poor eating habits you are instilling in them and take them to extremes later in life. Responsibility also lies with facilities such schools and children's hospitals, and those who run those facilities, who need to make healthy, natural, real, appealing food available to children. Both schools and children's hospitals across the country still provide greasy hamburgers, french fries, hot dogs and chips as the main choices with sugary desserts and little to no fruits or vegetables. When it comes to both at home and at school, children cannot eat what is not there. Parents are buying the groceries and schools are stocking the vending machines and lunch lines.

With Alabama claiming the title of the 2nd fattest state in the nation and it's capitol, Montgomery, coming in as the fattest city in the country, it's residents to take special notice to this warning.