WHAT ABOUT OUR CHILDREN?
I read an article in the newspaper a few weeks ago about a study that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) conducted. It was a very disturbing news article about the health of our nation’s children. In the US right now 16.3 percent of children and teenagers are obese and an additional 15.6 percent are overweight this means that approximately 32 percent of our nation's children are overweight and/or obese. The direct impact of this information is that there is a dramatic rise in Type II which was once called adult-onset of diabetes. It is now simply called Type II diabetes because of the number of children that are now Type II diabetics. Another direct impact is that these same children have both high cholesterol and artery damage which will result in heart disease and strokes in their 20’s and 30’s.
A full third of our national treasure, our children, our future will be having open-heart surgery and strokes at a time in their lives that they should be sowing wild oats, graduating from college and starting families. It is easiest to point a finger and say well the government should step in and do something or the schools or our community when in reality it is first and foremost up to the parents to be good role models. After all who is buying unhealthy food? The kids? They might buy some but the adults in their lives are the ones responsible for providing a healthy balanced diet for them. Another straight forward solution is getting more active as a family. Our children really DO listen to what we say and watch what we do. They are mirrors of us and they reflect back to us both the worst of us and the best of us.
When all is said and done it really is up to all of us to create change. Part of that change is telling our government that we want healthier food choices in schools, we want healthier food choices in our grocery stores, we want more affordable organic food. Devote more tax dollars to physical education and community fitness programs or better yet give tax incentives to families that are involved in either private or community fitness programs.
Jennifer Malocha CEO of Winner Circle Coaching
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