Taking Control of Obesity Essay Example for Free

Taking Control of Obesity Essay What is being done about childhood obesity and how could parents improve good healthy habits? Parents should be mindful of the foods children eat and exercise routines. Childhood obesity is often a result of a lack of nutrition, exercise, and self control. Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. Parents are role models and should demonstrate healthy eating habits, exercise routines, positive self-esteem and teach long-term weight control to help maintain a healthy weight and good habits that will prevent obesity. Developing good eating habits as a child can reduce the risk of one becoming obese. Parents have control of what children eat, beginning at birth. Children need to eat fresh fruit, vegetables, fat free and low fat dairy products, whole grains, and seafood. To maintain good health one has to maintain a healthy body weight and meet nutrition requirements. Preparing home cooked meals is the best way to demonstrate healthy eating habits and portion control. Eating together at the dinner table give parents a chance to discuss why it is important to eat healthy and what healthy foods are. That gives the children an opportunity to ask questions and get answers. At snack time, parents should offer children snacks that are not loaded with sugar and fat. Taking children to grocery shopping is a good way to explain what healthy foods are and healthy eating habits. Therefore, if parents teach children how to make good food choices that are a positive start too healthy eating. Exercising regularly is vital in a child’s life. Overweight children are at risk of heart disease, joint problems, sleep apnea, diabetes and possibly long-term health problems. Adding exercise in a child’s lifestyle is as important as adding healthy foods. Therefore, when a child get accustom to that lifestyle they can benefit from it. They can lose weight and live a healthier and long life. Parents have to incorporate exercise into the children lives. They must encourage the children to go outside and play, instead of watching television and playing video games. Parents have to encourage children to play sports in school and during the summer, so they can be physically active all year. However, parents have to provide the right nutrition that will provide growth and energy for physical activities. In addition, some basic planning that includes sports; outside activities and many calories, being burn is a good way to maintain a healthy weight. Self-esteem plays a big part in a child’s mental health. Peers tease children and it tends to lower that child’s self-esteem and make them feel like they have no worth. That can cause a child to develop an eating disorder and become withdrawn from others. Therefore, the parent has to figure out a way to promote positive self-esteem. Identify and redirect the child’s inaccurate beliefs is a start to promoting positive self-esteem. Be a positive role model, exercise and eat healthy with them. The most important thing to do is let the child know they are love, no matter what the situation. Obesity affects a child’s self-esteem, because of what they hear in society. Parents have to speak up on behalf of the children, that being overweight is unacceptable. Even though, being overweight is unhealthy, but tearing down a child’s self-esteem is also unhealthy. Parents need to build up the child’s self-esteem by showing them eating healthy and exercise can help maintain a healthy weight. When the children and parents do these things together, the children will feel better mentally and physically, knowing that a healthy lifestyle makes a happy child. Parents should also let the children know that everyone is different and being overweight do not make one any less of a person. In order for children to control, their weight long-term is to continue what the parents has taught them about good eating habits, exercise, and positive self-esteem into their adulthood. The children need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and focus on the right things to do. The children need to keep healthy foods in the pantry and refrigerator. Always start the day with a good breakfast, which increases the metabolism. Reduce unhealthy snacking, especially before lying down. Exercise at least thirty minutes to an hour a day. Always get a good night sleep at least six to eight hours a night. Always keep a positive attitude and do not punish or reward oneself with food. Therefore, if the parents instill these good healthy habits into a child, they will continue to do these healthy habits as adults. In conclusion, helping obese children lose the extra pounds requires a change in their lifestyles. Parents should work closely with the children to teach them about healthy food choices.