Childhood Obesity Programs Benefits
Along with the worrying statistics for the USA as far as obesity is concerned, a lot of childhood obesity programs have appeared in order to advice parents and prevent children from becoming overweighed. Unfortunately, studies show that over 25 million obese children live at the moment in the US and that obesity has become the biggest pediatric problem for doctors all over the country.
What special programs exist?
There are three main programs that fight against obesity and develop continuous campaigns to make people aware of the risks it involves. We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) is a national wide program created to offer an alternative for parents and even entire communities to help their children (aged 8 to 13) to pass over obesity and keep fit. They offer materials, training sessions and conferences to promote a healthy lifestyle, which combines an equilibrated diet with exercises and outdoor activities for children. The program is coordinated by the Department of Health and Human Services and collaborates with other four institutes: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Cancer Institute.
The second program is coordinated by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and focuses on the reversal of the obesity phenomenon by 2015. They’re hoping to succeed by increasing the opportunities for children to get physical exercises in schools and their communities, by implementing childhood obesity school programs and by facilitating the access to affordable, healthier food for their families.
The third important initiative of programs for childhood obesity belongs to the Center for Child Obesity that has put in function a program called Shapedown, which is meant to improve the wealth management in children and adolescents. It has different levels, depending on the age and everyone can order the materials and start right away improving their lives.
What can be done individually?
Firstly, parents should pay more attention to what their children eat and do in their spare time. If parents get to the conclusion that is already late and that their child tends to become obese, there are some tips to help him start loosing weight. They should discuss with him and explain the problem, listen to his opinion and try to emphasize with him. Parents should also explain him the risks involved by obesity and the disadvantages he will face in time. Not only they should keep a positive attitude towards the entire weight loss process, but they should get involved and make it look like a family action. Sometimes, overweighed children have a low self-esteem and parents can be of great help in improving it.
They can also send their child in a special summer camp where he can meet other persons that have already lost pounds or that have faced the same situation and he can learn a lot about his condition. Many children have said that childhood obesity programs are motivating and really made them realize they must solve the problem.