Kids
The Shocking Facts
Statistics from the most recent large-scale survey in the UK shockingly reveal that 25 % of boys and 33 % of girls aged between 2 and 19 years are overweight or obese.
Overweight young people have a 50% chance of becoming overweight adults.
Obesity currently costs the country around £2 billion annually and shortens lives by nine years, due to the associated health problems. Some health experts even believe we will soon see parents outliving their children.
Equally worrying is the fact that parents are getting so used to seeing overweight kids, they do not recognise their own children are obese.
Risks of Obesity in Children
Health experts are particularly worried about this in view of the health risks linked with obesity, which include heart disease, certain cancers, high blood pressure, joint problems, psychological difficulties and diabetes.
An American study in the 90s showed that overweight teenagers were eight and a half times more likely to develop high blood pressure and almost 2 and a half times as likely to have high blood cholesterol levels.
Meanwhile, in recent years there has been an alarming rise in the number of children being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, a condition that’s typically seen in overweight middle-aged adults.
Why are our children getting so fat?
Unfortunately, there is no mystery! Quite simply, many children do too little exercise and eat a diet that’s packed with junk food and high levels of saturated fat.
So how can we stop our children from piling on the pounds?
Unsurprisingly, most health experts agree one of the most important factors in the fight against childhood obesity is to encourage healthy eating habits from an early age. In addition, children need to be active! Whether that means kicking a football around, swimming, walking to school, or participating in an exercise class, they need to be active rather than just sitting down with a play station or watching the TV.
For further information visit: www.foodcomm.org.uk and www.patrickholford.com
Our specialist team will help motivate & inspire your kids to feel better about themselves, through fitness, education, and motivation.
We run classes in schools and the community, to help provide and educate the kids of today with a healthier lifestyle and the knowledge to assist them in making the right decisions about their future.
If you would like to know more about our school & community program please contact us.