With the increase in the availability and lower cost of food in Western countries, all but the poorest individuals are at no risk of starving. At the same time, convenience foods, fast food establishments and snacks everywhere have made it all the more likely that many will consume too many calories.

At the same time, with the popularity of computer and Internet activities, children (and teens) spend a larger percentage of time being sedentary than in decades past. TV watching and talking on the phone, of course, have been popular for decades. But with the addition of the Internet, hours of physical activity per week has declined for many.

The result is that children today are on average heavier than they were a few decades ago. They also tend to consume more foods high in complex sugars and fat, and less fiber, fruits and vegetables. The net effect is, for some, obesity.

Obesity is measured somewhat differently for children than for adults, as a result of their rapidly changing bodies and metabolic rates that differ. Children often experience growth spurts that would skew any measurement that used BMI (Body Mass Index) primarily. Instead of using BMI alone as a starting point, BMI is combined with age and gender to create a more accurate picture.

Where an adult would be considered (borderline) obese with a BMI of 30 or greater, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) charts would designate a child as obese at the 95th percentile. The two are roughly equivalent, but it’s necessary to look at the charts for a more careful breakdown.

Percentage of body fat is another important measurement and here again the numbers differ by sex. An obese boy would be identified as one whose body fat was 25% or more of total body weight. For girls the number is 32% of body fat as a percentage of total weight.

One major reason for the difference is simply that females naturally have a higher percentage of body fat their entire lives. For adult males the number is roughly 15% for a healthy, fit individual. But for women the number is around 27%.

As with adults, the way to reduce body fat and excess weight involves the twin partners of proper diet and regular exercise. This will usually involve some lifestyle changes. These are often easier to implement for younger children, and have the added advantage of establishing good habits that typically carry on into the teen years and beyond.

Start on the road to good health young and it will be easier to maintain into adulthood.

Related posts:

1. Technology And Childhood Obesity: Get Your Child Away From The Television Pronto!
2. The Devastating Effects of Childhood Obesity
3. Fast Food and Obesity – A Strong Correlation

Because children are still growing it’s important not to significantly reduce their caloric intake. Their bodies need calories in order to develop properly. When helping your kids eat healthy it’s more important to focus on what foods they are eating rather than how much; they need to eat until they feel satisfied.

Not all fat is bad; but Trans fat are those that should definitely be avoided. If you regularly give your children food with high trans fats, cut that out of his/her diet and replace it with a healthy counterpart.

When serving breads and pastas, offer whole wheat for a healthier approach. If kids don’t like the taste at first, add another flavor to it and they’ll get used to the new bread soon enough. Peanut butter and jelly or low fat lunchmeat with light mayonnaise will help mask the flavor until their taste buds adjust. When you add spaghetti sauce or any other sauce to the pasta the kids will not even notice a difference.

Canned salmon is very good for your kids and makes for a healthy sandwich alternative; and if your kids like tuna, chances are they’ll like this too.

Fruits and veggies should be given to your children often. And don’t be afraid to vary the types of fruits that they eat. Be creative and let the kids enjoy these natural treats. Don’t forget about smoothies; they’re easy to make and most kids will suck them down.

Vegetables can be topped with cheese, served cooked, or raw for a variety of tastes for your little ones. If you have kids that refuse to eat veggies, here’s a sneaky trick. Grate some veggies up really small and add them to a dish. If the flavor of the dish is strong enough, the kids will never know the difference (but their body will).

Dairy products, of course, are good for your children. But they can be full of fat, so offer your kids low-fat yogurt and low-fat milk. (Kids love to put crunchy granola on top of yogurt, it tastes good and it changes the texture). Switching your kids to low-fat dairy will allow them to get the benefits from dairy while eliminating the bad fats at the same time. 

Every parent knows that kids like to snack. Many parents try to completely cut out snacking from their child’s diet. This usually ends with the parents and kids both being frustrated and tired from battle. It’s a more realistic approach to replace unhealthy snacks with healthy ones instead of eliminating snacking altogether.

Chips are a popular snack with children. The next time you go to the grocery store pick up a bag of baked chips instead of the traditional kind. Pretzels and rice cakes are also a great alternative.

Muffins and cookies are another snack that kids love to eat; remember to serve them sparingly. Also, if you make these snacks at home instead of buying them at the store, you can add healthy ingredients like fruit, oats, or nuts. They make a great addition to most baked goods.

Because food is an important part of life it’s essential to establish good eating habits while your kids are young. (If you’re starting late, that’s okay. It’s never too late to change eating habits). Eating is not just that; it’s a way of life. Get into the habit of planning ahead and making healthier choices for your kids; what you teach them now will follow them around for the rest of their lives.

Related posts:

1. Children and Running: Few Words
2. Choosing Kids’ Running Shoes
3. How Can We Combat Obesity in Children