I feel there are a number of things that can be done to help solve the problem of childhood obesity. For starters, we need to understand the difference between the lifestyles of the current generation and past generations.

Children Growing Up Today Vs Growing Up In The 80’S:

1. Today they play video games, we went outside and played baseball
2. If we were hungry, we ate a peanut butter sandwich, today they have a wide variety of fast food to choose from.
3. There are hundreds of cable channels, most of us didn’t even have cable
4. The internet didn’t even exist we had to occupy ourselves
5. Parents seem less involved with their children and as a result, seem only to seek harmony between the child and themselves, thus permitted a non-active lifestyle
6. Just these 5 items (I know there are more, but I would end up boring everyone by harping on the problem vs finding a solution) have created a situation in which minimal calories are burnt while presenting an opportunity to consume a lot!
7. My proposal for a solution would be to start with the educational system. The involvement of parents is essential for the success of this problem and if the parents are not disciplined, then it will be more difficult for the children to be. Step 1, would be to eliminate the sugar beverages / candies. These are treats, and should be tried as such, not an everyday thing or a substitute for lunch.

Step 2, as we have learned a great deal about childhood obesity and health in general, as part of the standard classes, such as math or science, a physical fitness class, health, home eco (healthy eating), and even bodybuilding should be included more often. Physical fitness to at a minimum, gets people moving (similar to the 10,000 steps a day program). Health to cover the effects of obesity and general health issue. Home economics to present healthy meals that can be prepared easily at home. This will involve the child with the parents and both parties benefit from a good healthy meal. Bodybuilding or muscle fitness to present how muscle mass is reduced as you age.

I remember weights being an important part of playing sports, but I had no basic understanding. There was no education on sets or reps, just the definitions of each. Now I understand the importance of maintaining muscle as I get older. I just wish I would have known this 15 years ago, I would be closer to my goals.

Lastly, I would like to cover the computer and video game craze which has consumed hours of time. The Wii maybe on to something, so I gave it a try. Some of the games are very intense. Boxing and tennis for example, are super calorie burners. I never thought I could break a sweat playing a video game, but I did. I have also noticed that a larger number of adults have tried Wii vs any other video gaming system. Perhaps Wii should capitalize on this because again it could involve the parents and children in an activity.

In conclusion, education and parent involvement are the key to solving the problem of childhood obesity.

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