Statistics on the rate of obesity in children today are alarming. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, obesity generally begins between the ages of 5 and 6 and during adolescence. A child who is obese has an eighty percent change of being overweight as an adult. One in five children are overweight with many of them being diagnosed as obese. Teaching children at a young age, preschool or even younger, to be physical active is one of the most important aspects for ensuring they live a long and healthy life.
Babies and toddlers are constantly in motion so how does obesity develop? Besides poor nutrition, lack of physical activity is a major cause. According to a report done by Nielson in 2009, children between the ages of 2 and 5 watch more than 32 hours of television a week. That averages out to 4 1/2 hours per day, which means there is less time to play outside or do fun physical activities.
Dr. Stephen Sanders, author, professor, and director of the School of Physical Education and Exercise Science at the University of South Florida is a member of the Primrose Schools Education Advisory Board. He says that children do not necessarily learn physical skills on their own. He has found they need guidance and help from adults, challenging activities, and opportunities to practice and refine physical skills. So, not only are children missing out on the physical aspect when they are not active, but they are also missing the opportunity to grow and develop their fine and basic motor skills.
Dangers of Obesity in Children:
Obesity can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease, trouble sleeping, and breathing issues. It can also cause emotional issues for children by lowering their self-esteem, which may lead to depression and eating disorders.
Doctors recommend at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise for children every day. The National Institutes of Health states that by the age of 15, kids are getting less than the recommended amount of daily exercise.
Besides physical health, exercise can increase mental health for children. Regular exercise helps them to get better rest at night, which allows them to think more clearly and retain more information for better test scores. Besides increasing their concentration, exercise also helps them to retain information longer and become less disruptive in class.
How to Get Your Family Active:
Increasing your child’s physical activity level will be done best in family activities. Children, especially younger ones, learn by watching and following their parents’ example. If they grow up with active parents, they will be more likely to be active adults.
It’s never too early to start encouraging your child to be active. Parents can take their babies for walks in the stroller and toddlers can go on short walks on hard surfaces. By the time the kids are in school, they can go hiking at state parks or on trails.
Swimming is another activity that can begin when children are toddlers and will continue as they get older. It’s a fun family activity that can be enjoyed year-round with indoor swimming pools. Riding bikes together as a family is another option to increase everyone’s activity level and will work well with kids of different ages.
Invest in low-cost equipment such as balls and jump ropes. It has to be age-appropriate to be safe but fun toys encourage kids to be active. For young children, old-fashioned songs that come with actions like Let’s Do The Hokey Pokey can provide fun exercise. As they get older, hopscotch and jumping rope will develop motor skills, strength, and balance.
Children start out life being active and it’s up to parents to continue that interest by developing age-appropriate activities that are fun while teaching them to be healthy. Participating in those activities together as a family will create a strong message that will last a lifetime.
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