Battling Childhood Obesity is a Family Affair

1: Let Kids Have Fun

Adults who design children's physical activity programs should be aware of a few things. First, children and adults differ with respect to physical activity patterns. While adults are active for 30 or more minutes continuously, children are much more sporadic in their activity.

Children get bored easily and the activities should be fun. Kids should be encouraged to be creative and to progress at their own pace. Adults may need to do push-ups or run for fitness, but children need to be active doing things that get their heart rate up but are not repetitive. They should be in the context of game-playing.

The children in our program are involved in games that make them sweat and they work hard, but they don't consider it "exercise." They consider it a great way to play outside after a long day of school. It's a chance to have fun with friends. - Lenny Wiersma, assistant professor of kinesiology and health promotion

2: What Parents Can Do

Parents can play a very active role in reducing childhood obesity:

• Pay attention to your child. Show them that you care. Kids get teased often enough. A good family support system is essential.
• Don't focus on "weight." Focus on a healthy lifestyle. Good eating habits and physical activity are important for long-term behavioral maintenance.
• Limit "screen" time. There are several studies that indicate a direct relationship between time spent watching TV and degree of overweight. Portable video games and other electronic gadgets also take away from active playtime.
• It's never too early to start. Breastfeeding for at least a year is highly recommended and has been linked to a reduction of obesity in children.
• Finally and most importantly, be a good role model. Show how important it is for your family to make healthy food choices and exercise together! - Shari McMahan, chair and professor of health sciences

3: Recognize the Problem

One important factor in tackling the childhood obesity problem is to address parents' perceptions of how risky obesity is to their children. Parents need to understand that having their children being overweight has serious consequences-not just down the road, but right now-for their kids' physical, social and emotional development.

Health professionals, through proper education efforts, can help parents realize the immediacy of the problem, and hopefully this will motivate parents to implement some changes in the way their families eat and participate in physical activity. Parents and health professionals can work together to figure out some simple changes that families can incorporate into their lives. For example, making even small changes in one's diet, like removing one soda or sugary snack a day, can make a difference in a person's weight.

Also, recognizing opportunities for physical activity as they arise, like dancing to a song on the radio or running up a flight of stairs, can provide a person with some amount of exercise if done several times over the course of a day. It is important that the whole family, not just the child, works toward making these improvements. Parents teach their children about nutrition and fitness not only by instruction, but by modeling their own behaviors, and children are more likely to sustain new, healthier habits if the family environment supports them. - Jessica N. Gomel, assistant professor, child and adolescent studies

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