Preventing Childhood Obesity

It's about 7:00 a.m. on a Thursday morning. My little boy, Nick, wakes up and heads to the pantry. We happen to have chips in our pantry for the first time in months. He immediately grabs a bag of chips. I tell him that he is not going to have chips for breakfast. He immediately starts crying and stomping his feet. He then goes to the fridge and starts asking for soda! What is wrong with this picture? I usually feel good about the choices that I provide my family. However, today, I am feeling really bad that I gave into my hubby and allowed chips to come into this house!

I realize that Nick's urges for junk food and sweets are no different than many of our urges as adults. He may behave differently to get what he thinks are his needs met. One of the most powerful things that we can do on our journey is eliminate junk food and unhealthy carbs from our shopping list. Those foods are not necessary. Food industries have conditioned us to believe that we need those foods. In fact, some researchers believe that many foods may be truly addictive. Therefore, they are conducting various studies to examine this further. Why would these companies want us to become addicted to food? That's a simple question? Your addiction is ensuring that that their pocket books are lined!

National publicity about childhood obesity and obesity related illnesses is skyrocketing. It is more evident now than ever, that if we don't make a change, we will undoubtedly suffer severe consequences. According the the Center for Disease Control, childhood obesity now affects 17% or 12.5 million children in the United States. This number has tripled in the last 10 years. In fact, it has been said that this is the first generation of children that is not predicted to out live their parents. Dr. David Ludwig, MD and Director of the OWL Child Obesity Clinic, has referred to the phenomenon of the childhood obesity epidemic as a tsunami. Ludwig states that it will take "a period of time for that increased prevalence to translate into serious complications like type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, high blood pressure, and cholesterol." This means that we may not see the consequences immediately. However, as these children progress into adulthood, they are facing disease and life threatening complications as young adults rather than later in life.

As parents, it is our job to commit to creating a healthy lifestyle for our children. This entails teaching them how to make healthy choices, controlling what they eat within our homes, being models, and making physical activity and exercise a priority in our lives. This feels like a huge responsibility, doesn't it? Well, it is! We, as parents, MUST choose to take a stand and make change happen in our homes, in our communities, and in our nation. Here are two excellent resources that can make this lifestyle change a little less overwhelming. -Rachael Ray has created a non-profit organization called Yum-O to empower parents to make healthier choices for their children and families. Here is a yummy recipe from her website that is a healthy alternative to cheeseburgers.
http://www.yum-o.org/

Buffalo Turkey Sliders INGREDIENTS: •1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling •2 ribs celery, very finely chopped •1 carrot, peeled and grated or very finely chopped •1 small onion, grated or very finely chopped •2 cloves garlic, grated or chopped •Salt and pepper •2 pounds ground turkey breast •1 rounded tablespoon Old Bay seasoning •1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot brand •1 cup reduced fat sour cream •1/3 pound blue cheese, crumbled •A splash of milk or cream •Chopped lettuce or spicy watercress, for topping •4 tablespoons chives, chopped, for garnish •12 whole wheat slider-size buns or sliced brioche dinner rolls •Carrot and celery sticks, for garnish DIRECTIONS: 1.Heat the EVOO in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook to tender-crisp, 7-8 minutes. Let cool. 2.Place the cooled vegetables and meat in a bowl. Season with Old Bay, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Mix and form twelve patties and drizzle each with EVOO. 3.Heat a cast iron griddle or other griddle or grill pan. 4.Combine the sour cream, blue cheese and a splash of milk or cream in a small bowl. 5.Add the burgers to the hot pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Pile the burgers on the buns with the lettuce or cress, a dollop of blue cheese topping and garnish with chives. Serve with carrot and celery sticks alongside.

Choosy Kids is a company that focuses on providing music, activities, and resources that promote movement and healthy choices. The music is fun and extremely engaging for young children. www.choosykids.com

I hope this article was alarming enough for you to realize that it is time. It is time to be strong and take a stand against childhood obesity. It starts with small changes that over time will amount to massive, positive change for our children and families. The resources noted, show that cleaning up your diet and incorporating physical activity into your daily routine can be fun for the whole family. COMMENT below with your thoughts and how you will commit to promoting health and fitness within your home. Post your e-mail address if you are interested in receiving more tips on health and fitness. Together, we can end childhood obesity in this country. One home at a time. Let's start with ours!

<3 Jess

www.jessicasproul.com