Childhood obesity is a rising tide that is endangering young children. This isn’t a scare tactic to get you to hire me, because the data suggests that as more and more adults (read: parents) become obese themselves, their sedentary lifestyle is seeping over into the lives of their children even as young as five years of age. It’s easy to see how this cycle is created and repeats itself.
Children growing up in a household with guardians who do not model a respectably healthy lifestyle, will grow up being taught that unhealthy lifestyle choices are normal.
A child who is obese may not find the importance in adopting regular exercise and healthy eating as a key component to a happy life. Unhealthy adults raise unhealthy children who themselves likely grow up to become unhealthy adults themselves. It’s a dangerous cycle that is literally killing more Americans per year than any other causes of death.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that from 2011-2014 for children and adolescents aged 2-19 years1:
- The prevalence of obesity has remained fairly stable at about 17% and affects about 12.7 million children and adolescents.
- The prevalence of obesity was 8.9% among 2- to 5-year-olds compared with 17.5% of 6- to 11-year-olds and 20.5% of 12- to 19-year-olds. Childhood obesity is also more common among certain populations.
As a father to three children, I desperately want to do what I can to break this cycle. I want to make playing outdoors and breaking a sweat fun again for children of all ages. The more kids play instead of sitting in front of a screen, the better. This isn’t about fat shaming or body shaming children; this is literally about helping them live longer, more fulfilling lives.
Whether it’s teaching new active games to young children or helping teen athletes become better and more conditioned at their chosen sport, I can help.