Look around today’s schoolyard and a disturbing trend emerges. According to the American Obesity Association, approximately 30.3 percent of children ages 6 to 11 years-old are overweight and 15.3 percent are obese, while 30.4 percent of adolescents ages 12 to 19 are overweight and 15.5 percent are obese.
Larry Sherman, M.D. and Chairman of the Newborn Pediatric Committee at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, estimated approximately 15 percent of the patients he sees are overweight or obese.
Sherman cited two key factors in the rise of childhood obesity: processed foods high in sugar and fat, an isolated lifestyle that favors solitary video games and Internet chatting over group sports that leads to a lack of exercise.
“When I was a kid, soda was a treat and we used to run around outside and play most of the day. That’s not the case anymore,” said Sherman.
The health risks to overweight and obese children are numerous: Type II diabetes, high cholesterol, joint problems and high blood pressure. Physiological and psychological consequences can also be dire, according to Peter Kim, M.D. and staff pediatrician at Henry Mayo.
“Obesity brings puberty earlier than normal, which means the bone growth plate closes earlier. That can make a child shorter than they would be if they weren’t overweight,” he said, “There’s lots of self-esteem problems with obese children, as well. They lose their confidence and as a result, often don’t succeed academically or socially in their teen years.”
Good nutrition is the first step to combating the problem. The U.S. Department of Agriculture revised the Food Guide Pyramid in 2005 to include more fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates and also released a special version for kids. Recommendations for children ages 4 through 13 include 4 to 6 ounces of whole grains, 1.5 to 2.5 cups of vegetables, 1.5 cups of fruit, 1 to 3 cups of milk or other calcium-rich foods and 3 to 5 ounces of protein in the form of fish, meats, beans or nuts, per day.
Get the whole family involved in shopping and preparing meals and you’ll shape a healthier future for your children, noted Clarissa Mantle, M.S., R.D. and clinical nutrition manager at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.
“This is when they’re forming their attitudes about tastes for food. If you start promoting healthy choices at a young age, they will develop good habits that stay with them forever,” said Mantle.
The next step is exercise. The Surgeon General recommends children accumulate 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Children can easily reach that level by switching off the electronics and heading outdoors instead.