Obesity is a growing epidemic for children in America. Today kids spend the majority of their time playing video games and performing sedentary activities for their entertainment. Eating healthy is important, but engaging in physical activity is just as critical for children's health.
Obesity Statistics
According to the American Obesity Association, more than 30 percent of children ages 6 to 11 are overweight, and over 15 percent are obese. Adolescents ages 12 to 19 show similar statistics. According to the CDC, obese children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults. For example, one study shows that approximately 80 percent of children who became overweight between the ages of 10-15 years were obese adults at age 25 years. Another study found that 25 percent of obese adults were overweight as children. The latter study also found that if you are overweight before the age of 8 years, obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe.
Link Between Video Games and Obesity
A significant amount of a child's life is spent playing video games and sitting in front of the television. Health professionals have determined that a great number of children are influenced by gaming obsession, leading to a lack of physical activity. When children engage in video games, they are likely to increase their snacking and food intake, and are also more prone to make unhealthy food choices. This leads to a lowering of the child's metabolic rate, making weight gain more likely.
Physical and Psychosocial Risks
Children who are obese have an increased risk for developing serious health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea and asthma. Not only does obesity cause physical ailments, but obese children are frequently ostracized by their peers. They tend to feel like social outcasts and often have low self-esteem and feelings of low self-worth. This can be detrimental to their education and social skills.
How to Help Your Child
Early prevention is ideal. However, if your child is already overweight, you can still reverse the negative effects of obesity and help him to lose weight. Reducing your children's time spent playing video games and engaging in physical activities with your children, as well as setting an example with your own lifestyle habits, is the first step in redirecting your child's path. Planning and cooking healthy meals and sitting down at the table together will prepare them for a healthy lifestyle that will carry on into adulthood.
