Childhood obesity rates are reaching epidemic levels. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 16% of children and adolescents from 6 to 19 years old are overweight and/or obese. The number has more than tripled since 1981.

That is over 9 millions kids that are heading for a life of lacking health, obesity diseases, thwarted self-confidence and limited enjoyment of life. In addition, there are another 15% of the age group that are borderline candidates for becoming obese and/or overweight.

Further, in the past three decades, the obesity statistics for children ages 2 to 5 have doubled plus some. It is known that children who are overweight/obese have a more than 70 percent probability for becoming overweight/obese adults. If these children have at least one parent that is also overweight and/or obese, then the probability increases up to 80%.

The causes for obesity in children are as follows:

• Parents that do not monitor their children’s food intake patterns
• Parents that do not take the time to plan and prepare wholesome meals at home
• Parents who allow their children to dictate their own food intake choices
• Parents who allow their children to eat fast foods
• Parents who allow their children to eat processed foods, bleached foods, foods high in saturated and trans fats, high sugar foods, high sodium foods and other nutritionally-void foods
• Parents that do not ensure that their children are physically active

 In other words, the responsibility to care for the children of the planet is rightfully placed upon these children’s parents – and those parents are failing miserably.

What can be done to lower childhood obesity rates?

Parents of obese or overweight children have to step up and take responsibility. Here are some suggestions to improve the children’s health and return them to normal weight and body fat levels:

Educate yourself about what nutrition is and what it means to you and your family;
 

Take the intentional time to plan and then prepare wholesome meals at home based on the following food types only:

• Whole grain cereals, breads, rice and pastas
• Vegetables and fruits, preferably uncooked
• Beans and legumes of all types
• Fish like salmon, lake trout, tuna, sardines, mackerel and more
• Only the leanest cuts of animal meat if any at all
• Only non-fat and low-fat dairy products if any at all
• Nuts and seeds
• Sprouts of any edible type
• Water, water and more water

Take the time to sit down with your children and educate them about the foods that you have prepared for them. Tell them why the family has stopped eating pizza and greasy cheeseburgers;

Eliminate the following foods from your family’s lives:

• Fast foods of any kind
• Processed foods, microwave foods, fried foods, high-sodium foods
• Animal organs
• High-sugar foods
• Foods with any degree of trans fats in them
• Foods with high degrees of saturated fats in them
• High-cholesterol foods

Make eating healthy foods a family affair. Care about the health of your family and always be the one to dictate the food intake regimen in your home.

Childhood obesity is an abuse of parental authority in most cases. Our children are not growing fat and unhealthy due to lack of choice. There are choices – but those choices must be made by parents.

Download The Fat Busters' Weight Loss Guide right now Free, and learn the fat loss secret that could forever change the way you look and feel!