By Michael Walton

Childhood obesity is a hot button topic that I’ve touched on before through my blog but I believe it is worth revisiting.  This is the first in a series of three posts that I will be making on the subject.  During the post I will address the cause, effect, and solutions to childhood obesity.  I’d also love to hear from parents and children alike on your opinions/beliefs as to why this issue is occurring at an alarming rate and what you feel the cause and solutions may be. 

Statistics show that 17.2% of boys and 24.8% of girls ages 6 – 11 in the African American community are overweight.   Also 17.7% of boys and 23.8% of girls ages 12-19 are found to be overweight.  To assist me in discussing various causes for this issue I have enlisted the help of Keith Mitchell of “To Be Fit” Personal Training and Fitness.  Keith has worked with young people in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area for many years.  Here is our take on what causes children to be unhealthy at a young age.
 
-          In my discussion with Keith regarding three symptoms that he believed to be key in causing childhood obesity he revealed the following reasons:  Poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, and through hereditary genes.  Poor eating habits are nothing new when it comes to children.  When I was growing up I would’ve taken residents in McDonalds if they would have allowed me to.  However, the lack of physical activity is something that I believe is new.  Those backyard kickball and games and lamppost relays have seemingly all but ceased to exist.  Today they are replaced by video game consuls, 200 television channel options and cell phone banter between seven year olds. 
 
-          So what is the appropriate age to have children begin to engage in physical activity?  Keith and I both agree that the earlier the better.  Not to say that the child’s first steps should be taken on a treadmill but at as early as 4 years of age we agree that it would be a good idea to begin engaging them in activity.  If nothing else it will help establish a routine that will grow to like and look forward to. 
 
I look forward to hearing some of your ideas and feedback on this subject.  In my next blog we will address some of the effects that are attached to these underlying causes. If you are interested in how to determine if your child is indeed overweight you can do so by calculating their Body Mass Index.  You can visit http://www.bmi-calculator.net/ and enter your child’s weight and height and it will let you know their standing.
 
Thank you to Keith Mitchell of “To Be Fit” Personal Training and Fitness (http://www.tobefitptf.com/). 
Until next time, stay focused.  I have my eye on you!

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