Just like adults, children today eat too many refined carbohydrates in the form of cookies, cakes, chips, pretzels, energy bars, frozen waffles, sugary cereals, ice cream, puddings and soda. All this adds up to too many calories, extra pounds and a proclivity towards diabetes and heart disease.

A recent World Health Organization (WHO) report documented childhood overweight and obesity trends based on surveys conducted between 1969 and 2008. The results are alarming.

The WHO estimates that 43 million preschool children are currently overweight or obese and that 81% of these children live in developing countries. This number will increase to close to 60 million in 2020. Moreover, the number of children affected by excessive body weight has increased rapidly, and 92 million are at risk of becoming overweight. They conclude, "These findings confirm the need for effective interventions and programs to reverse anticipated trends starting from very early childhood; ... waiting for school programs to address this problem is probably too late."¹

Worldwide prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity was found to have increased from 4.2% in 1990 to 6.7% in 2010—a relative increase of 60%. Moreover, the researchers predict that this trend will continue, leading to a prevalence of 10% in 2020.  And the problem is more prevalent in developed nations than in developing nations. (11.7% compared with 6.1%).¹

What causes childhood obesity - Too many refined carbohydrates!

A recent study in California found that unless the excessive consumption of salty snacks, cookies, candy, and sugar-sweetened beverages is curtailed, other interventions focusing on increasing physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption will have a limited impact on obesity control.²

In other words, exercise and eating fruits and vegetables is a necessary ingredient in a healthy lifestyle, but the most important thing in controlling weight gain is to cut way down on eating high-fat, calorie-laden junk foods!

Soda is a major culprit

There’s a direct association between Americans' soda-drinking habits and the rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes in adults and children, with some experts claiming that soda is the absolute worst culprit contributing to obesity and diabetes in America.

A longitudinal study of non-Hispanic white girls (from age 5 to 15) and their parents, that began in 1996, discovered that if girls start drinking soda when they are five years old, they will continue to drink it throughout childhood and into adolescence. This habit influences their overall diet, which ultimately suffers from too many refined sugars, and a deficiency of protein, fiber, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium.³

Poor sleeping habits can lead to overweight and obesity

A recent study found that children up to four years old who don’t get enough sleep in early life are at higher risk for weight problems as they get older.⁴

Dr. Shaharad Taheri of the University of Bristol in England is an expert on this subject. He found that insufficient sleep at the age of 30 months was associated with obesity at the age of seven. He has said that lack of sleep is also a major problem for teenagers who need even more sleep during this critical developmental period.⁵

Other research on adults has shown that lack of sleep triggers the body to increase production of cortisol (the stress hormone), which makes it harder to fall asleep and stay in a deep sleep because on some level your body and brain think they need to stay alert for danger. A vicious cycle is created from lack of sleep. The adrenals increase gluconeogenesis, which provides the body with glucose from protein, rather than carbohydrates. This decreases serotonin and melatonin, which results in poor sleep and leads to food cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods in order to uplift mood, which releases more serotonin and insulin.

Insufficient sleep is also associated with lower levels of leptin, a hormone that alerts the brain that it has enough food, as well as higher levels of ghrelin, a biochemical that stimulates appetite. Consequently, poor sleep may result in food cravings.⁶,⁷,⁸ 

Preventing childhood obesity - eating together as a family helps!

The Center for Childhood Obesity Research at Penn State used data from a 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health to determine that having regular family meals seem to help reduce overweight problems in some ethnic groups, and is especially helpful for non-Hispanic white children and non-Hispanic black boys.⁹

10 ways to help your child maintain healthy weight

1. Reduce and/or eliminate junk food from your pantry and your child’s lunchbox.
2. Serve 2-3 pieces of fresh fruit each day.
3. Limit TV and computer time, and encourage your child to go outside and play like we did when we were young.
4. Give your child a healthy protein at each meal and snack, i.e. A sliced apple with a tablespoon of nut butter, or a deviled egg are healthy snacks. (Nuts contain essential omega-3 fatty acids, as do olive oil and coconut oil.
5. Serve at least 5 vegetables a day. Include carrot sticks, sliced Bell peppers, etc. in your child’s lunch. Serve a dark, leafy green vegetable and a yellow or orange fruit or vegetable every day to provide the necessary carotenoids for healthy eyes, skin and immunity). Remember the rule: the more colorful the better!
6. Whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, steel-cut oats, etc. contain the fiber, vitamins and protein we all need everyday.
7. Legumes (lentils, kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans) provide vitamins and necessary fiber.
8. Provide a re-usable, non-plastic, non-aluminum water bottle for your child to carry to school.
9. Make sure your child drinks plenty of filtered, purified water each day. Eliminate soda, and reduce the amount of fruit juice your child drinks.
10. Sleep is necessary to overall good health. Read to your child, sing a lullaby. Lights out, sleep tight!

References

Articles of Interest from Smart Publications Health & Wellness Update

• How to Eat a Low-Carb Diet And Still Enjoy Eating
• Keep the Pounds Off with Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
• The Insulin-Smart Life Extension Program