American Children Suffer From Lack of Exercise
The culture of our country has changed dramatically in the past 100 years. Along with the inventions of modern conveniences and more electronic gadgets than a person can count, we have, in many ways, lost the blessings of hard work and a healthy diet.
Poor eating habits and lack of exercise is fueling childhood obesity. The number of children with Type 2 diabetes linked to bad diet and lack of exercise is also increasing. Doctors say lack of exercise is one of the key risk factors for serious illnesses, such as diabetes and pediatric hypertension.
Today childhood obesity is considered the top concern of parents and a high percentage of children are suffering from diabetes and other serious illnesses.
America 100 Years Ago and Today
There was a time when families lived off the land. Everyone, including the children, worked hard to survive. They grew and handmade most of their food, clothes, and whatever else they needed.
Exercise was a by-product of their lifestyle. I don’t expect they ever had scheduled exercise programs in the gym to stay active. Young and old alike got their share of work with chores around the house and farm. Even in play, exercise was a by-product of their lifestyle.
Today the lifestyle of many children in our country has changed. They get very little exercise and spend many hours watching TV and playing video games.
A study released in 2008 found that roughly 32 percent of American children were overweight but not obese, 16 percent were obese (defined as 30 pounds or more overweight) and 11 percent were extremely obese. This means one in two American children is overweight or obese.
Parents Must Take a Stand
So what can we do to protect our families from the dreaded consequences of lack of exercise? It is your responsibility as parents to take control of your lifestyle. It must begin with a vision to work together as a family and make opportunities for physical activity. Arrange your lifestyle as a family so that exercise becomes a by-product.
One of the most effective ways to reduce obesity is to reduce (or eliminate) the time your children spend in front of the TV and give them work to do or opportunities to be physically active on a consistent basis. Put your children to work around the house and yard.
The easiest place to do this is in the country with room to run and play, explore the woods, grow food in the garden, raise a few animals, and other things that give your children physical activity.
If this ideal is out of reach for you, think of opportunities you can make to work together as a family or play with your children. A backyard wood swingset, a nice deck or patio with a barbecue grill and some attractive outdoor furniture, a few backyard games, and some landscaping shrubs and flowers can turn an otherwise boring backyard into a refreshing retreat. A setting such as this can provide an excellent place to spend many evenings together with your children.
The Healthy Benefits of Exercise for Your Children
Exercise has many benefits to offer you. Besides helping to reduce diabetes and other serious diseases, proper exercise that raises your heartbeat increases your ability to think. Exercise also helps a person sleep more soundly.
Train your children to exercise by giving them the wonderful opportunity of growing up in a setting where exercise is a by-product of their lifestyle.
Help your children get the exercise they need, and they will be able to think more clearly. They should also sleep more soundly, which will make them more alert in their studies. Couple exercise with a healthy diet, and you should be on the right track for strong and healthy children.