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Tags: health, wellness, obesity, teen obesity
 Obesity rates are rising to alarmingly high proportions, and this is a cause for concern. This condition can affect anyone regardless of age, status and gender, and this goes to say that children and teens can suffer from it as well. Take the case of teen obesity whose rate has basically tripled since the 1980’s.
Fifteen percent of the total population, or about 9 million children and teenagers are obese, specifically those under the age of 15. As much as obesity statistics are quite discouraging, it is expected to become worse in the coming years. When a person is obese, it means that they have an excessive accumulation of fat in their body.
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Obese people are generally those which are 20% heavier than their body weight. The problem of obesity needs to be addressed promptly, especially as it’s expected to increase by 20 to 30% from 2007 onwards. How can the problem of childhood and teen obesity be dealt with? Parents have a crucial role and responsibility when it comes to this.
Primarily, they have to teach their children good habits, especially good eating habits and physical activity. Habits which children learn are basically acquired from parents. And it’s best that parents teach by example- by being healthy eaters and physically active people themselves. Children should also be made aware of the importance of being physically active and of having good eating habits.
The concept of good health and a healthy lifestyle should be brought into their awareness. Whether kids become healthy or not is mostly due to how the parents have molded and conditioned them. And eating fast food- the most convenient way of becoming obese- ought to be limited or controlled.
There may be times when parents would be too tired to cook or prepare dinner, and their immediate substitute would be to buy fast food. Fast food is loaded with much calories as well as harmful fats. It’s one of the major contributors to teen obesity. The average daily calorie intake of an individual is around 2000 calories.
But one meal of fast food alone contains about 1200 calories. When one does the math, the results would actually not be a good picture. Parents should take time to be healthy people themselves. Health and fitness is the best legacy that parents can give to their children. And when their kids become obese, they should be there for support.
Obese kids have to be taught to be emotionally strong, especially as they can be objects of ridicule among their peers. But even more so, these kids have to be motivated to exercise and eat healthily. They ought to be encouraged to engage in a weight loss program. Obese children may turn out to be obese adults, but obesity should be stopped before it reaches that point.
Not only do cosmetic issues go with obesity, but more so, health problems. One is posed to increased risks for threatening conditions and diseases when they are obese. Emotional and psychological issues may also come up. These are the saddening consequences of obesity. It is only crucial then that obesity is combated and for those concerned to take action.
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About the author
The author of this article Rose Windale is a Health and Wellness Coach who has been successful with several natural health programs for many years. Rose recently published a step-by-step guide on how to lose weight the EASY way and become totally healthy and happy. More info on her life-changing eating habits plan HERE.
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