Effortless weight loss is pie in the sky thinking. We get bombarded everywhere we cast our gaze with advertisements that promise us a magic pill, or elixir that will bring us easy weight loss. If there were not such a huge market for these products to be sold, they would not exist. When we think of weight management, we need to remember Newton’s Third Law.
“For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”.
Weight gain comes to us quite easily, therefore weight loss comes with difficulty.
If weight loss were easy, there would never be an excuse for anyone to become overweight or obese. However, that is not the world we live in. In todays world, even our children are suffering the effects of obesity. When we allow our children to become obese, we are setting them up for a lifetime of misery. If we consider the ill effects of our own weight problems, why do we not prevent this for our children? You have to understand, it is easier to keep them from gaining weight than to get them to lose weight.
Preventing childhood obesity should be a priority!
There is a woman on Instagram who is pushing the idea that weight gain is perfectly fine. The reality I would guess is this gal has failed every diet she has ever attempted. My assumption is that she has given up on weight management. I find her message to be deplorable not only for adults, but more so the message it sends to children. This is not a vanity issue, it is purely about health. Children watch the adults in their lives. They emulate their parents and all who have influence over them. If you do not care about your own weight, what kind of message are you sending to your child?
Loving your children and showing them affection is expected, but it is not enough. You must provide guidance to your child in all of life’s endeavors. Parents need to be responsible and set a positive precedent for their children. Sitting them down in front of a video game with sugary snacks is not a healthy precedent. Our children deserve better from us. We know that easy and effortless weight loss is not possible for us, do not assume it will be any easier for the kids.
Childhood obesity health implications.
Obesity in children causes them the same exact health issues as it will for adults. From the Center for Disease Control and Prevention:
Childhood obesity is a complex health issue. It occurs when a child is well above the normal or healthy weight for his or her age and height. The causes of excess weight gain in young people are similar to those in adults, including behavior and genetics. Obesity is also influenced by a person’s community as it can affect the ability to make healthy choices. (1)
We give our children the same junk foods that we ourselves indulge in. Often, there is little to no portion controls either. Today’s children are provided an over abundance of high calorie, low nutrition foods that can wreck their health and well being. Our children do not get outside and play enough in todays world. They often live sedentary lifestyles, when they should be physically active. Sedentary children who are fed too much junk food develop weight problems that can last a lifetime. It’s difficult for children to make healthy food choices and get enough physical activity in homes that do not support healthy habits. They deserve better from us.
More from CDC about how childhood obesity can harm the body in a variety of ways. Children who have obesity are more likely to have:
- High blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
- Increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.
- Breathing problems, such as asthma and sleep apnea.
- Joint problems and musculoskeletal discomfort.
- Fatty liver disease, gallstones, and gastro-esophageal reflux (i.e., heartburn).
Childhood obesity is also related to:
- Psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.
- Low self-esteem and lower self-reported quality of life.
- Social problems such as bullying and stigma. (1)
Obese children are likely to become obese adults which will lead their disease risk factors to become more severe.
Again, easy and effortless weight loss is not possible for most of us. How could we possibly expect it to come easy for our children? You know as well as I, easy weight loss will only be a pipe dream for them too. Remember, you can still be a beautiful person when you are overweight. However, the issue is health, not beauty.
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