The Sitting Disease

Recently I was thinking about how active everyone was when I was growing up. As a child, all the kids in my neighborhood would be outside playing until it was dark…even in the winter!! In fact, we hated it when our parents made us go inside for the night.

Today it seems that children (and adults) have adopted a sedentary lifestyle or “the sitting disease.” This has lead to an increase in obesity and health problems for our children.

Here are a few facts from the Center for Disease Control on childhood obesity:

• Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years.1, 2

• The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period.1, 2

• In 2010, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.1

• Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.5,6

Being overweight has put these children at risk for health concerns that used to be seen only in adults such as diabetes, increased blood pressure, excessive body fat around the waist, abnormal cholesterol levels and cardio vascular disease. Being overweight affects children emotionally as well. They may be bullied because of their weight, may not be able to participate normal activities such as sports, and may develop eating disorders.

As adults we have the power to change this.  Since obesity is the result of too few calories being expended for the amount of calories consumed, obesity can be changed through diet and exercise.  If we lead by example our children will follow.

Taken from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm

Rebecca LeSaffre is the owner of Lynnfield Boot Camp. She is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, a Fitness Nutrition Coach and a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant. You can contact her via her web site www.lynnfieldbootcamp.com