In addition to relieving stress, creating memories, and building bonds of friendship, just 10-15 minutes of laughter a day burns approximately 50 more calories a day. So grab a friend and enjoy a chuckle.
For mor funny videos visit Youtube or find jokes submitted by kids.
Six tips for parents to create a healthful environment
1. Stock up on good food
Fill your house with foods that are both delicious and nutritious (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, fish, lean protein, reduced-fat dairy products) and cut down on the junk food (such as cookies, cakes, sweetened cereals and sugary drinks) you bring home. For healthy snack ideas see suggestions from Family Fun, Mayoclinic experts, and the Family Corner.
2. Make sweets a treat
Save treats for special occasions. You don't have to give up sweets entirely, but go out for them instead of having them at home, he says.
3. Ditch the drive-through
Avoid fast food, he says. Ludwig did a study that showed overweight teens consume about 400 more calories on a day when they consume fast food compared with a day in which they don't.
4. Turn off the TV
Make physical activity the focus of the home instead of television. Don't allow TVs in the kitchen or bedrooms.
5. Equip for exercise
Give older children the basic tools to be active: jump ropes, balls, baseball gloves, Frisbees.
6. Shake it!
Encourage them to dance. Dancing is an excellent activity, he says. "Kids love to dance in a non-judgmental setting. When they are having fun, they are not thinking about it as exercise."
Do you think these tips are practical? Do you think they will make an impact?
Active Video Games
"With childhood obesity rates on the rise, "Active Life: Outdoor Challenge" is a great way to motivate children to be more physical. And it does it in a format that kids love: by playing a video game."
Nintendo's Wii and Wii Fit have been storming American homes and getting children and parents moving again. A new product "Active Life Outdoor Challenge" further increases the activity-levels. With the mat on the floor and the Wii remote in your hand, you will jump on a trampoline, slide down a slick pipe while avoiding obstacles, leap hurdles, sprint across a path of raised stones, speed skate through an obstacle course and much more. And all of these sweat-inducing activities happen from the comfort of your living room.
Children spend hours of time playing video games each day, and these types of sedentary activities are contributors to the rising rate of childhood obesity. New products such as Wii and Active Life incorporate physical activity into the video game.
However, why do children need a video game to do things they can do in reality? Why spend hundreds of dollars on a video game that creates a virtual scene where you can jump rope when you can go outside your back door and jump rope for virtually no cost at all?
What do you think are the positives and negatives of these active video games? And do you think they are a good idea to help children lose weight?
For more information read 'Active Life' challenges kids to get moving with Wii.
Nintendo's Wii and Wii Fit have been storming American homes and getting children and parents moving again. A new product "Active Life Outdoor Challenge" further increases the activity-levels. With the mat on the floor and the Wii remote in your hand, you will jump on a trampoline, slide down a slick pipe while avoiding obstacles, leap hurdles, sprint across a path of raised stones, speed skate through an obstacle course and much more. And all of these sweat-inducing activities happen from the comfort of your living room.
Children spend hours of time playing video games each day, and these types of sedentary activities are contributors to the rising rate of childhood obesity. New products such as Wii and Active Life incorporate physical activity into the video game.
However, why do children need a video game to do things they can do in reality? Why spend hundreds of dollars on a video game that creates a virtual scene where you can jump rope when you can go outside your back door and jump rope for virtually no cost at all?
What do you think are the positives and negatives of these active video games? And do you think they are a good idea to help children lose weight?
For more information read 'Active Life' challenges kids to get moving with Wii.
Parents or Food Industry?
To read the whole article go to www.sitnews.us. Here is a summary of his main points.
By Rob Holston
March 17, 2006
Friday
"Childhood obesity will almost double in the next four years! That is the chilling report recently published in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. Their prediction is that by 2010, nearly 50% of all children in the U.S. will be overweight. Their study sates that "only significant changes in diet and lifestyle can change this prediction." The report goes on to state that the results of childhood obesity will be heart disease, diabetes, liver disorder & high cholesterol (for starters). In my opinion this is a Katrina sized national crisis in terms of medical costs, lost production and lost potential and we simply must avoid this catastrophe. Dr. Philip James of the IJPO describes the situation as "epidemic" and blames Western worlds food industry as the cause. This author primarily blames parents."
Percent of Obese (BMI > 30) in U.S. Adults
To watch the rate of obesity prevalence in the U.S. visit the CDC website.
"Parents do have a choice and as children become older, the choice becomes theirs. An ancient Proverb (22:6) says, "Train up a child in the way he is to go and when he is old he sill not depart from it"
Dr. James blames the food industry for creating what is collectively called "junk food." However the demand for the junk food is what gives the industry the financial incentive to produce it.
...The lesson to learn here is that, Fat, Salt and Sweets, the most desired of all tastes are not to be totally eliminated from the human diet. I believe these tastes were created for our pleasure...but in the hands of the giant food corporations of America, [childhood obesity ensues].
So what do you think? Who holds the greater responsibility for the growing rate of childhood obesity, the food industry, or parents? What are some ways we can teach and support mothers to encourage healthy eating habits?
$ 10 Challange
KFC has recently come out with a new ad challenging consumers to feed a family of four for under $10. It is true a family wouldn't be able to make that meal (7 pieces of fried chicken, 4 biscuits, and a large side) for under $10 because of the initial cost of the ingredients. However, USA Today asked four dietitians to come up with healthy and creative ways to feed a family of four for under $10. They readily met the challenge, and this is what they came up with:
Dawn Jackson Blatner makes a pizza dinner for $9 using pre-made refrigerator crust, tomato sauce, low-fat cheese, a green pepper and a pint of mushrooms. Serve it with broccoli.
Or, if you are in the mood for the advertised chicken, make an oven-fried chicken recipe or buy/make a roasted chicken. Remove the skin so you consume less fat. Serve it with a dark green salad or fresh vegetables and brown rice with garbanzo beans.
One of Elizabeth Ward's favorite meals for about $10 is Sloppy Joes, milk and fruit. Her recipe: Brown three-quarters of a pound of lean ground beef or 100% ground turkey breast ($3 to $4), drain fat off meat, add one can of drained and rinsed black beans ($1) and one can of Manwich Sloppy Joe sauce and cook. Serve on whole-grain rolls.The beans do double duty — serving as a protein source and vegetable, she says. "It only costs a quarter for about 8 ounces of milk, and it's an incredibly cost-efficient source of calcium and vitamin D."
Make your own large sandwiches using fresh baked whole-wheat bread, sliced turkey, cheese and dark green lettuce. If you want to have a hot meal, turn it into a panini, she says. Side dish: Seasonal fruit.
Serve veggie burgers on whole-wheat buns. Top with lettuce, tomato and onions and serve with fruit.
Other suggestions to cut on cost include shopping with a list, cook big and freeze the leftovers, look in ads before going to the store and buy on-sale items (buying extra if you can and freezing the extras), and incorporating left-overs into the next night's meals. Bonnie Taub-Dix suggests adding leftover vegetables and chicken pieces to spaghetti sauce and serving it over whole-grain pasta, or topping a dark green salad with leftover meat, vegetables and cheese.
One man took the challenge on himself; he made the same meal for just over seven dollars. Check out how he did it by clicking here.
For more recipes and cost saving ideas see Frugal, healthy: Feed 4 for below $10.
**Also feel free to share any cheap and healthy ideas you use in your own apartment or family. **
FAQ about Childhood Obesity
What is obesity?
Obesity is defined as an excessively high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass (muscles, bones, etc). Both the amount of fat and its distribution throughout the body need to be taken into account. Body fat distribution can be estimated by skinfold measures, waist-to-hip circumference ratios, or other techniques.
How is childhood obesity measured?
BMI is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight problems for children. BMI stands for Body Mass Index; it is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height. For children and adolescents, BMI is also determined by age and gender because their bodies change as they grow.
What factors contribute to obesity?
There are several categories that contribute to childhood obesity:
Lifestyle: Amount of sedentary activities engaged in, food choices, etc.
Genetics: Genes that make your more prone to gain weight.
Environment: High density of fast food restaurants, unhealthy food options available, cost of healthy foods vs. unhealthy foods.
Culture: Religious, social, governmental practices and norms.
What are some ways to become more physically active?
There are many ways to increase levels of physical activity; they can be as simple and short or as hard and long as you want. Even small things like dancing in your kitchen while making dinner, using the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator, and parking farther away will increase physical activity. Below are some ideas of organized physical activities:
For more ideas visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Obesity is defined as an excessively high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass (muscles, bones, etc). Both the amount of fat and its distribution throughout the body need to be taken into account. Body fat distribution can be estimated by skinfold measures, waist-to-hip circumference ratios, or other techniques.
How is childhood obesity measured?
BMI is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight problems for children. BMI stands for Body Mass Index; it is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height. For children and adolescents, BMI is also determined by age and gender because their bodies change as they grow.
| Weight Status Category | Percentile Range |
|---|---|
| Underweight | Less than the 5th percentile |
| Healthy weight | 5th percentile to less than the 85th percentile |
| Overweight | 85th to less than the 95th percentile |
| Obese | Equal to or greater than the 95th percentile |
What factors contribute to obesity?
There are several categories that contribute to childhood obesity:
Lifestyle: Amount of sedentary activities engaged in, food choices, etc.
Genetics: Genes that make your more prone to gain weight.
Environment: High density of fast food restaurants, unhealthy food options available, cost of healthy foods vs. unhealthy foods.
Culture: Religious, social, governmental practices and norms.
What are some ways to become more physically active?
There are many ways to increase levels of physical activity; they can be as simple and short or as hard and long as you want. Even small things like dancing in your kitchen while making dinner, using the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator, and parking farther away will increase physical activity. Below are some ideas of organized physical activities:
For more ideas visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
| Examples of moderate amounts of physical activity | ||
| Common Chores Washing and waxing a car for 45-60 minutes Washing windows or floors for 45-60 minutes Gardening for 30-45 minutes Wheeling self in wheelchair 30-40 minutes Pushing a stroller 1½ miles in 30 minutes Raking leaves for 30 minutes Walking 2 miles in 30 minutes (15min/mile) Shoveling snow for 15 minutes Stairwalking for 15 minutes | Sporting Activities Playing volleyball for 45-60 minutes Playing touch football for 45 minutes Walking 1¾ miles in 35 minutes (20min/mile) Basketball (shooting baskets) 30 minutes Bicycling 5 miles in 30 minutes Dancing fast (social) for 30 minutes Water aerobics for 30 minutes Swimming laps for 20 minutes Basketball (playing game) for 15-20 minutes Bicycling 4 miles in 15 minutes Jumping rope for 15 minutes Running 1½ miles in 15 min. (10min/mile) | Less Vigorous, More Time  More Vigorous, Less Time |
information retrieved from CDC and Minnesota Department of Health
Introduction to Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is becoming evermore present and common in the United States. Children above the 95th percentile for Body Mass Index (BMI) or weight to height ratio, are considered overweight. In the past 20 years obesity rates among children ages 6-11 have more than doubled, and for adolescents ages 12-19 the rate have more than tripled. Obesity, the result of eating more calories than are burned off, has many contributing factors such as behavior, environment, and genetics. Some of these factors include not getting enough active play, increasing hours of television and video game consumption, poor diet, large amounts of fast food, increasing portion sizes, fear of crime and increased number of single-parent households or homes where both parents are working, which prevents outdoor exercise.
Prevalence of Overweight* Among U.S. Children and Adolescents
(Aged 2 –19 Years)
National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys
(Aged 2 –19 Years)
National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys
*Sex-and age-specific BMI > 95th percentile based on the CDC growth chartsChildren who are highly overweight bare greater risk for many physical, social, and psychological problems, such as bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and poor self-esteem during childhood, and heart disease, type 2 disbetes, stroke, cancer, and osteoarthritis in adulthood if they remain obese.
Childhood obesity not only increases the risk of health problems, but decreases the individual's quality of life. Although there are many factors leading to obesity, the healthiest and most efficient way to lose weight and decrease health risks is through increased activity and incorporating a more balanced and varied eating plan.
information retrieved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov)
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