PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to
author, and it appears with
included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required. Dr. Christine Wood, M.D, a practicing pediatrician in Encinitas, California, is
author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great & Love It!, offers some sound advice about developing healthy eating lifestyles for your family.
Here’s what Dr. Wood has to say. Today almost one out of three children in
United States is either overweight or borderline overweight and is likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, Dr. Wood warns that these obese children may not live longer than their parents – a depressing thought!
What’s causing this trend? Simply stated, Dr. Wood suggested too many calories and too little activity, although it is more complex than that. The mainstream media is marketing fast food and sedentary activities to our children. Consequently, here are some of their unhealthy options:
* Easy access to fast food for stressed out parents.
* Schools offer sodas and candies in their vending machines.
* Children are increasingly exposed to inexpensive, processed food choices.
* Since
introduction of cable TV and remote controls, Game Boy, home personal computers, among other things, more sedentary options are available than ever before.
* Food companies are taking advantage of
time children spend in front by marketing directly to them.