Childhood Obesity.......A Growing Problem

Hi Everyone,

This isn't really a postnatal exercise issue, but for those of you with babies and young children it's a very important one. So let me have a quick rant and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear your comments.

You may know by now that the childhood obesity problem really bothers me. What some of us are doing to our children borders on child abuse, and if we aren't careful we will see a lot of young (30ish) people going blind with diabetes in 20 years time. Today there were two related articles in the press and you can see them both below. An attitude shift along with a lifestyle change is needed by many, along with lots of Government investment in educating people about the importance of good nutrition coupled with activity/exercise. The Government always talk a good game regarding these issues, especially when elections are looming, but I know from first hand experience how difficult it can be to get funding. No money seemed to be available for our postnatal exercise classes and they were for the families who really needed them, so this is a major challenge. Then again, as a very clever newspaper advertising campaign recently stated, "If our children die at 50 that's the pension crisis solved"

How to get your kids fit - Sun

The Sun offers advice to parents following a recent study from the British Heart Foundation which found most children are not doing enough physical activity. The article gives exercise suggestions for children of different ages and offers tips on how to keep children active. It is pointed out that parents should also get involved in order to motivate the children.

Quarter of toddlers overweight or obese – Mirror & Mail

An Institute for Child Health study of 14,000 children born 2000 - 2002 found 18 per cent were overweight and five per cent obese at the age of three. Tim Cole, one of the researchers, said: “It’s extremely important and indeed distinctly worrying that children as young as this are as fat as they are and getting fatter. Being fat now, these children are more likely to be fat later. There are now young adults and, increasingly adolescents and even children with type II diabetes. These people are going to require medical input for the rest of their lives.” The research also found that those from poorer areas were more likely to be overweight or obese than those from better off backgrounds. Among ethnic groups, Indian toddlers were the fittest, with only nine per cent being overweight or obese. Carol Dexateux, professor of Paediatric Epidemiology at the Institute of Child Health, said: “The concerns were already there, but this confirms that messages to parents of very young children about diet and exercise need to be re-enforced.”

What do you think? Am I overreacting?

Healthy Regards