Why We're Killing Our Kids

In the UK our children are getting fatter. Contrary to popular belief this is not just due to the fact that they are eating more (many studies have shown that they are actually eating less) but in fact because they are exercising a lot less. There are a number of reasons for this including the fact that schools allocate much less time to physical activity than they did 20 years ago. Child safety is a major reason why children don’t walk as much,and opportunities to exercise are few and far between unless your child wants to specialise in a particular sport such as rugby or football. Some children don’t have the ability or interest in these types of activity and there is therefore a lack of activities for them to participate in.

Physical activity is very important because it promotes optimal growth and development, helping to prevent obesity which reduces stress and anxiety about body shape and helps to enhance self esteem. Physically active children have been proven to be more likely to become physically active adults thereby reducing their risk of serious life threatening diseases such as coronary heart disease and diabetes.

Tackling obesity must start in childhood for a number of reasons
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• Firstly, it is much easier to prevent obesity than to correct it.
• Secondly, it is far easier to adopt healthy eating and physical activity patterns when children are younger than to change in adulthood.

Some sobering facts are coming to light following recent studies which show that at nine years old, obese children have higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels than their non obese peers.

So what can we do to encourage our children to be more active?

Recent recommendations are that children should perform at least one hour’s moderate intensity activity each day and at least twice a week activities should be performed that enhance and maintain muscular strength, flexibility and bone health. Most parents want the best for their children, saving for university fees, sending them to the best schools, hoping they’ll be healthy and happy.

The truth of the matter is without physical exercise in their lives these children will grow up in to unhealthy adults later to be at risk of illnesses brought on through inactivity and obesity.

This is not looking after their welfare. Lead by example by becoming more active yourselves. Children are extremely impressionable and always look to their parents for leadership. Simply telling them to be more active wont work. We need to instil the aspect of ‘do as I do, not as ‘I say’. Studies show that children who have parents that drink heavily are more likely to drink heavily themselves, children from parents who smoke are more likely to smoke themselves, and children that have active parents are much more likely to exercise themselves.

So set them the best possible example you can and start exercising regularly. Let them see you drinking less and eating well and see what effect it has on your children.