Overweight children

Lunachic77

When I see statistics like 40% of children are overweight at 14% obese, I wonder where these children are, and how things have changed so much since I was a child.

They are right here http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2010/

Very sad indeed

rachelw16

I think another problem is that children are not taught nutrition. Do they even teach that in school anymore? When I was in school it was a huge part of the curriculum.

I don't know about America, but in Canada we start learning about nutrition in...third grade, I believe? Possibly fourth. Anyway, it's required from then up until grade nine, at which point phys-ed and therefore health isn't mandatory anymore. We also have a class called "Food and Nutrition". Or maybe that's just where I am

123456654321

I was an overweight child, I grew up in the 90s... I was pretty active but could be very lazy at times and ended up sedentary while reading a lot. I don't remember other children being overweight in my classes until middle/high school in the early 2000s, then it seemed like there was a sudden abundance of overweight kids and I ended up looking more "normal" in comparison. I went to a private catholic grade school, though, and switched to public school in 6th grade so I don't know if that makes a difference *shrug*

KOOONAAATAAA! ;P


...Anyway, there weren't many overweight kids when I was younger that I can remember. I see them everywhere now though

i_love_vinegar

There were some chubby ones, I guess. Most were in pretty good shape though, if I am remembering correctly!

CorrieV1976

I think sometimes its genetics to a certain point. I have a 17 year old who is tall and thin and a 14 year old that is overweight. Although I am overweight now it only began when I was 30 I had always been thin going through highschool at 110 # . Their father is a body builder and has absolutely no fat, but his sister and mother are very heavy set and his grandfather died of a heart attack and was very large as well.

My son does not overeat when he is with me and I do not allow him junk food. He is outside skateboarding most days so he is being active yet he is still very much overweight. I can remember when he was born how everyone said (at 8 #'s) wow he is solid! He really was, he was as heavy as a boulder to pick up and when he got a bit older if he didnt want to be moved you really had a hard time moving him.

I dont know what to do to help him get thinner but I worry about him (his grandpa had diabetes) and he has trouble going to the bathroom somethimes.

i hope that with my efforts he realizes how important it is to be healthy and we can figure out what's going on exactly but I believe that his genetics are playing a huge role in this.

MinnieInMaine

When I was young, I went through phases of skinny to chubby then back to skinny and I think some of that was just due to hormones and growth spurts. All through the years of growing up, I'd spend every moment I could outside playing, riding bikes, running around, etc. I didn't really get to be seriously overweight until I was in my senior year of high school and there was a lot of craziness in my life and I used food as comfort and became more sedentary (and unfortunately that stuck until a couple years ago). So, the way I see it, activity level (or lack there of) is a big part of the problem. Kids have a lot more sedentary options these days with more video games, online chats, etc so going out to play just isn't as appealing.

Anyway, I only remember there being a handfull of really heavy/obese kids in school.

hbrekkaas

I think another problem is that children are not taught nutrition. Do they even teach that in school anymore? When I was in school it was a huge part of the curriculum.

I don't know about America, but in Canada we start learning about nutrition in...third grade, I believe? Possibly fourth. Anyway, it's required from then up until grade nine, at which point phys-ed and therefore health isn't mandatory anymore. We also have a class called "Food and Nutrition". Or maybe that's just where I am

My kids school (in Canada) starts teaching nutrition on Kindergarten. There is no pop/chips/candy allowed, treats are only allowed to be eaten after lunch, school meals are made in school, and the BC government has restrictions on how much sodium/fat/etc are allowed in foods served in school. Our school also has daily physical activity, either gym class or an in-class kids exercise video. Definatly depends on the school.

That said, there are tons of big kids now. I remember being in school and there was 1 obese girl in my class. A few of us were chubby (I was one, though what I thought was chubby wasn't really that big)

My daughter is in grade 4, and very skinny. Good diet, lots of exercise and a naturally small frame. I cook most of our meals and they don't get many treats. My younger two are a big bigger, but they take after their dads family. Big frames, tall kids. They are not overweight by any means, they are just bigger. My son is 20 months and looks like a body builder. Its so funny to watch him walk, he has this really wide chest/shoulders, huge hands and just looks tough. They will probably weigh more then my 8yo does at her age, but they are also going to be taller too. We do the same thing with them, tons of exercise, home cooked meals and few treats. We also teach them about nutrition as much as we can.

In my daughters school there are quite a few overweight kids, in her class alone there are 4 girls I can think of off the top of my head. They don't get picked on much though. My daughter actually gets picked on more because shes short then the obese girl in her class does for being fat. That will probably change in high school though. I think its just such a common thing now that no one really thinks too much about it.

I definatly think it has alot to do with what parents feed them, fast food, sugar cereals, pre-made meals, etc. are so easy to come by now and so much easier then actually having to put effort into meals. And its so much easier to sit your kid in front of the tv/ds/wii/laptop then to take them for a bike ride.