Obesity in children

Obesity leads to not only bone and joint injury, but type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, low self-esteem and a variety of other things. I'd suggest to his parents to put him on a healthy diet and get him in a regular exercise program. Not for the appearance aspects, but for his health.

I blame their parents. In the never-ending quest for more material possessions to load upon our kids we have deprived them of the one thing they need the most - real parents. Parents who are there to guide them - not just deliver them to their next social event. Parents who allow them to have a healthy childhood, not just buy them the latest childhood lifestyle. Parents today are tools of a system the does not work for them, and their kids suffer for it.

There are few places where children can actually play, these days. Concerns about liability for injuries makes most vacant lots off limits for a pick up game of baseball or softball, and the government keeps adding requirements for education that really pushes out the PE that was present in the 50's. Another factor is that the future will not require physical prowess but greater ability to sit for long periods of time. I bet that, as things continue to develop, we will hear less about childhood obesity and the charts will just be changed to reflect the new norm. Ideal weight categories will change and there will be other health issues focused on.

It is a very alarming situation, but I do not feel we can blame it entirely on the PE classes in our school system. We as parents have to make sure that our children grow into healthy individuals. We need to make sure our children have the activities needed to keep them healthy. The school systems do all they can. Laws and regulations change constantly and it gives the teachers and school officials even less control of our children. That is why we, as parents, must take charge of our children. We are the ones that feed them fast food, we are the ones who allow the video games and television. I am not saying that we are bad parents because we allow such things, but I am saying we need to control how much of one thing and not enough of another.