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Getting Fit With Furry Friends
How the Family Pet Can Get Your Kids in Shape
By Teri Brown
Consider the following: The American Academy of Pediatrics ranks obesity as the No. 1 health risk affecting our children. Twenty-seven percent of children and 21 percent of adolescents are classified as obese or medically overweight. That is one-quarter of our children! As the obesity numbers rise, so do the numbers of children with diabetes and heart disease.
With childhood obesity statistics become more alarming, parents everywhere are looking for new and innovative ways to keep their children active and in good physical shape. One of the best ways is something that your children want anyway: a family pet!
As adults, we know how much easier it is to stay motivated when we have a buddy with whom we can exercise. So why not get our children a permanent exercising buddy? From taking walks to playing tug-of-war, kids can get plenty of exercise playing with Fido and Fluffy.
Animals and children are a natural combination, and children who have the responsibility of exercising their family pet are getting a great deal of exercise. Linda Sherwood, a Michigan mom of four, agrees. "They can go outside and run and jump and roll together on the grass without either one of them slowing down," says Sherwood. "But I would be really careful about getting an animal just to help a child become more physically fit. Animals require a lot of care and attention, so really think hard before deciding to get one. It's a long-term commitment."