It’s no surprise to today’s society that obesity and being overweight is a current health issue that the majority of us are plagued with. This excess weight is generally accompanied by several other health issues and an enormous expense. This expense is seen in several different lights, the expense we are putting on our bodies, the extra expense we may pay for medical insurance or care, the extra money that comes out of our pockets for weight loss gimmicks and perhaps even a decreased salary.
It is every parents dream for their child to have a better life than they had and knowing what we know about obesity and its effects I doubt any parent wishes their child to be overweight or obese; however children are seeing a huge increase in obesity rates. From 1973-1974 there was a 5.6% increase in obesity’s prevalence among children, but in 2008-2009 there was a 30.8% increase. This is an enormous increase and an even bigger health concern. Children are seeing chronic health problems that typically only adults experiences such as diabetes type 2, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and several others. In a recent study it was discovered that roughly 40% of our children (ages 2-18 years) are composed of so called “empty calories.” These empty calories are referring to foods or drinks that provide calories but no other nutritive value meaning that our bodies do not get anything beneficial from them.
How can we make changes so our children don’t have to experience the same health issues we are experiencing and at an earlier age? It starts early and takes some investment. This investment isn’t monetary and is perhaps the best gift you can give your child. A healthy start! Studies show that what mom eats when she is pregnant affects their child’s health. High sugary foods predispose the child to have a taste for the same once he or she grows up. Exposures during breast feeding also affect the child’s food preferences. Once the child is eating on their own, starting at early infancy, it is imperative that their first exposures be composed of healthy foods and the empty calorie foods and high sugar foods not be introduced until later. These exposures can take several tries ranging from 5 to 14 times before the child knows whether the food is one they like or dislike. A recent study found that, “lifelong food preferences and eating patterns develop in infancy and childhood so limiting excessive exposure to sugar-sweetened beverages should potentially be considered during this critical time period.” It is possible to do! It just takes some effort, but its effort that is well worth it!
Source: “How Sweet It Is: Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption, Obesity, and Cardiovascular Risk in Childhood.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Oct. 2010. pp1456-1459.
