Think our kids aren’t picking up our unhealthy eating habits? Think again. I read recently that childhood obesity rates in the U.S. have tripled in the last 30 years… yes, I said tripled. Even scarier is that some experts predict this might be the first generation that doesn’t outlive their parents.
According to the Washington Post one third of all American children are overweight or obese. What does that mean for our kids? A laundry list of adverse health effects—everything from increased risk of heart attack and stroke to hormonal changes, liver damage, and yes, shorter life spans than ever before. Wake up, America! We need to start making a change!
If you’re as concerned as I am, you’ll want to check out this eye-opening interactive diagram from the Post’s website on childhood obesity. The organ-by-organ summary lets you click on different organs for details about the damage that obesity can do over time. And get the kids involved—the diagram is a great visual learning tool for adolescents and teens as well as adults, and it’s really important that we increase awareness about the dangers of an unhealthy body weight. It may be a small step, but it’s an important step!