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The Bad News About Couch Potatoes
An Excerpt
By Rae Pica
"What a disgrace it is for man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable." – Socrates
It seems you can't open the newspaper these days without reading about the abysmal state of children's fitness. A sampling of recent headlines pretty much tells the story:
"Heart Disease Begins in Childhood"
"As Children's TV Time Rises, So Do Obesity Rates"
"Growing Up ... and Out: American Kids Heavier Than Ever"
"Kids Urged to Turn off TV and Go Play: Couch-Potato Lifestyle Blamed for Obesity Epidemic"
"Obese Children Bound for Lifelong Health Problems, Experts Warn"
What's going on here? How can obesity be such a problem in childhood? After all, most of us probably only remember knowing one or two "fat kids" the whole time we were young. Now they're talking about a childhood obesity epidemic? And heart disease? Surely that must be a mistake. Although nowadays we do sometimes hear about people in their 30s and 40s having heart attacks (as opposed to the "good old days" when only people in their 60s and older suffered such fates), it seems absolutely preposterous that we should now be worrying about the hearts of children!
Unfortunately, it's all too true. And that's not even the whole story. As you'll learn in this chapter, there is much cause for concern about the health of today's children, about their future and the future of children to follow. In fact, it may already be too late for some of today's adolescents. However, if we smarten up now, it won't be too late for today's infants and young kids, and for future generations.
But, you may be thinking, my child isn't obese or overweight. It's a shame that other children are, but it's really not my problem. You would think not. But here are the facts: The estimated annual cost of obesity in the United States is about 100 billion dollars – 127 million dollars of which is related to obesity in children 6 to 17. This impacts healthcare and insurance costs for all of us. And even children who aren't obese or overweight can be unfit – and therefore at risk – if they're leading sedentary lifestyles.
But, you maintain, young children are anything but sedentary. They're always moving! Well, they may be the most active segment of our population, but let's look at that a bit more closely. According to the Surgeon General and the Centers for Disease Control, 60 percent of adults don't take part in enough physical activity to benefit their health, and almost 30 percent get no physical activity at all. In other words, we're a population of couch potatoes; so it really isn't saying much when we contend our children are our most active segment. And always moving? Not any more. Would you be surprised to learn that the only activity children do more than watch TV is sleep? Then read on for more startling information.
Want to see more?
- 7 (Sometimes Surprising) Secrets for Stopping Childhood Obesity: Tips From the Authors of Overcoming Childhood Obesity
- Get Moving! 5 Tips for Raising Active Kids
- The Terrible Dangers of Childhood Obesity: An Excerpt From The Highly Healthy Child by Dr. Walt Larimore
- Family Energy Magazine
- Talk about it!
