Almost every day parents and others concerned with our children's health are confronted with the fact that we are allowing our children to become unhealthily overweight. Now, that hurts. It is difficult to accept such blame, but the time has come to be serious about the facts. Statistics are easy to find on the internet. Just Google, "Percentage of Overweight American Children." The facts are frightening; yet the numerous reports confirm the reality.
Approximately 20% of our children between five and seventeen are overweight. Even more startling is the report that one fourth of our children, ages two through five are overweight or obese. How can this be so? It wasn't a problem thirty years ago. Is there something wrong with the food we buy for our children today? Probably not. Although wholesome food is one of the issues in overweight, especially in socioeconomically deprived areas, food is not the issue to be discussed in this report. This is all about the "sitting syndrome" that has taken over the children and their parents. And we the adults have created this problem by example.
We are obsessed with our electronic goodies, and children emulate us. In an effort to provide our children with all the electronic equipment that they must have to keep up with the electronically changing world, we have forgotten just how valuable exercise is to health. Unless P.E. is required of a child, all of his or her free or even classroom time will be spent on the computer or cell phone. At home the schedule is filled with T.V. until time for homework. Then the computer demands attention for research or classroom work, sometime between the inconceivable time spent sending text. There is nothing wrong with any one of these gadgets that we all love, but it is the addiction to them that throws a child into the "sitting syndrome."
Caretakers, teachers, and parents must work together to pull children away from their electronic goodies. If it takes jumping rope with the children, we have to set the example. Exercise is not necessarily expensive. Adults in charge can organize activities, such as dodge ball, kick ball, basketball shoot-outs, tag football games, and hopscotch. Adults can encourage team sports. The competition creates excitement, and the exercise burns calories. Playing games is second nature to children, but they have been redirected to a chair or the sofa. It is our obligation to bring back children at play. When we do, we help save our children from diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. We help them improve their academic performance. And we help ourselves stay healthy while getting involved with the children.
Alice D. Kennedy, owner of ADK Marketing, encourages healthy exercise through basketball play. Click here to see the top-quality basketball equipment we offer: http://www.sports-goals.com. Make someone happy with a new basketball or a teaching pair of dribble gloves. Put in a complete basketball system and invite your neighbors for a friendly shoot-out. Shipping and handling are included in the price of all of our products. It is our pleasure to serve our customers well.
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