Obesity has such a negative tag attached to it. If your child is overweight or obese, you probably have a lot of concerns about how the world will perceive him or her. It’s a shame, really, that all we see when we look at somebody who is obese or overweight is their imagery.
The fact is that obesity is a disease like any other disease and we need to start perceiving it that way. When we make it a superficial problem, we end up breaking down a child’s self image and self esteem. The key is to understand the health issues that surround obesity and why it’s so important that you find adequate help and support in fostering your child’s weight loss efforts. Our fitness camps are great ways to get started, but ultimately the problem must be addressed in daily life.
Cardiovascular health is by far the primary concern when it comes to obesity. The heart and its ability to function is affected largely by our diets and activity levels. Study after study proves a link between obesity and many contributing factors to poor heart health.
Arteriosclerosis (clogged arteries) results from a diet high in saturated fat. The prevalance of high blood pressure in people who are obese is high. Cholesterol levels can usually be decreased when adequate weight is lost. Excessive weight in the abdominal region is a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease, as is a high body mass index or BMI.
The risk of developing type II diabetes is also very high in children and adolescents who are obese or overweight. As a matter of fact, it’s been estimated that nearly 25% of kids born today will eventually develop type II diabetes as adolescents or adults. Type II diabetes poses a huge threat to developing cardiovascular disease because of the sticky consistency of the blood in diabetic patients.
All of this is scary stuff, I know. But the good news is that it can all be reversed! This isn’t something that is a life sentence written in stone for your child. Weight loss, even moderate weight loss, can reduce all of these risk factors.
Through your own efforts and your child’s as well as the advice and guidance of counselors at a summer weight loss camp, dieticians and physicians, you can help your child lose weight and reduce this risk.
Not only that, but consider this a learning opportunity for you and your child. Take comfort in the idea that you’ll not only be helping your child lose weight, but with the knowledge he or she will gain through the weight loss program, chances are that your child will learn to eat and live healthier than most of his peers.
It all goes along with that image problem. We tend to think that people who are thin or even at a normal weight are healthy just based on their appearance. The fact is that if they are not eating right or exercising, then they may be very unhealthy. Your child will have the benefit of learning about a healthy lifestyle while they are still young leading to a lifetime of good health!
