By Julie Reade
There is a lot of talk about how many overweight children there are in the United States. Statistics show 1 out of every 3 children is overweight or obese. And the number doesn't seem to be going down. Books are written about it. Magazine articles have been written about it. Even the First Lady of the United States has gotten

involved. While there has been much said and written, finding solutions is the key to helping kids change.

Studies show that children follow the example they see in the home. If Mom eats healthy, they will eat healthy. If Dad is active, they will be active. The reverse is also true. Parents who do one thing and say another are not very effective examples. Kids tend to be very good observers. They are also very good at noticing inconsistencies. So for healthy kids, we need healthy parents.

Another solution is improving school lunches. Many lower income families rely on free or reduced fee lunches. While this is good financially, it can be bad for a student's health. The problem with school lunches is not necessarily what the students get, although that could be improved. It's what the students don't eat. Many students throw away all the vegetables and some of the fruit and are only left with highly processed carbohydrates. This has to change too.

Limiting video game playing is also helpful but more difficult. With many parents working, children use video games to occupy their time. More "active" video games that require physical involvement need to be developed and more parental control is necessary.

It is estimated that children spend an average of four hours a day on computer games. As the computer games become more sophisticated and attractive to an even larger audience, more children will join this already huge group. It's not that video games themselves are bad. But if you are sitting in front of a computer, you are not outside running around. You are not riding a bike with the neighborhood kids. You are not building relationships and breathing fresh air and seeing nature. Instead, you are sitting and probably snacking, as the two seem to go hand in hand.

On Saturday mornings, kids used to get up and do chores and play with neighborhood friends. Now they watch cartoons. There are entire television networks devoted to cartoons! The worst part of this is that these cartoons are mixed with advertisements that are directed to kids. The products they are advertising are usually sugar coated and have little nutritional value. So while the kids aren't moving and playing, they are cataloging their desires for what will cause more of the overweight issues.

Getting our children out of the house and doing more outside will combat this problem. It doesn't matter if their outside time involves gardening or playing with neighbors or being involved in an organized sport. Doing something with movement is the key.

By Julie Reade
Obesity is a physical ailment that affects many Americans. It is something that can sneak up on someone. One day they may be just a few pounds overweight. And before they know it, they don't fit in any of their clothes. Theories about obesity are as wide and varied as the people it effects.

Some lay people and experts alike believe obesity is the result of waning willpower. People believe that if the overweight person made better food choices, they wouldn't have the weight issues. This theory is just perpetuated by television shows that show the extreme. It's usually someone who eats four pizzas and three cheeseburgers for one meal. Rather than gaining understanding for the obese, this adds fuel to the fire.

Another suggestion of why people become obese is genetics. And when you see a family picture of parents, grandparents and grandchildren who are all overweight, it gives good evidence to this theory. Obese people appreciate this theory because it gives them less responsibility for their current condition.

A third suggestion about the cause of obesity is food cost. Anyone who grocery shops can tell you that eating healthy is more expensive than eating junk food. Someone who is on a limited food budget does not always have the option of choosing the healthier version of a particular food. So they buy what they can afford. And the cycle continues.

In general, our diets have shifted away from healthy eating towards convenient eating. We value price and how fast something is over how it will affect our bodies. Children are particularly prone to this, as so much advertising is directed at them. If parents want to guard against the obesity epidemic in their children, they need to slow down the food and encourage good choices.

Regardless of the reason a person is overweight, the solutions are generally the same. Proper eating and moderate exercise is the formula for losing weight. To be successful, making new habits is the name of the game. Experts agree that we all need to take 10,000 steps each day. Get a pedometer and watch your steps add up. Deny or reward yourself, depending on the number of steps you take each day. Make it a habit to always park at the end of the parking lot. Always use the stairs. Make a decision about how late you will eat each night and don't eat after that time. If you are consistent, you will get consistent results.

By Dr. Daisy Sutherland
We all know that it is essential to get the proper amount of sleep each night. It can certainly be debatable to how much is enough. But when it comes to children it is extremely essential. Setting an evening pattern that will teach them to go to bed at a certain hour every evening can ensure they get the amount required for their

little bodies to function. Conditioning them to stick to a schedule every evening will also give you the needed time to unwind after chasing them all day long.

As if sleeping the appropriate amount of hours to allow your body to regenerate and your mind to rest wasn't enough reason to follow a sleep schedule, now obesity comes into play. According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reduced sleep time leads to increased energy consumption in the form of snacks. They equate the reduced sleep time to be less than 6 hours of sleep, but in children it is less than 8 hours of sleep. In other words, children who sleep less, will tend to eat more and will not expend the energy during those extra hours they are awake.

You're probably wondering what these children are doing that they are unable to burn off any energy. Perhaps they are studying for an exam, but more often than not, they are texting, playing video games, on the computer or watching television. All of those activities I just mentioned are sedentary, which simply means they are laying around and not expending the energy they should be expending. Snacking and sedentary activities are not a good combination and will not only lead to chronic overeating and weight gain, it can also lead to irritability, mental fatigue and reduced performance all due to the lack of sleep.

So what does this all mean? Quite simply ~ reduced sleep will lead to more snacking, which may result in obesity. This of course does not only apply to children, as adults we need at least 6 to 7 hours of sleep in order to function. So, let's put away that remote control and video games and let's set a schedule to get more sleep.

Remember we are the role models for our children, we must not simply say and not do. Practice what you preach and get some sleep.

Dr. Daisy Sutherland, aka Dr. Mommy is a doctor, mom, wife, author and speaker. Her love of helping others has branched to blog talk radio and syndicated radio shows.

By Denise Brandon
Times have drastically changed. As a young child, I remember going outside to play with my friends. We would run around for hours and have a great time; however, children cannot play outside like this anymore. It is simply not as safe. This has caused our children to sit on the couch watching television, playing video games or

surfing the internet. They have become very sedentary which has led to the obesity epidemic.

Exercise is a great way to prevent childhood obesity; however, children cannot exercise like adults. If your child is between the ages of 6 to 13 years old you should be very careful with the types of exercises your child does.

Even though children look like miniature adults, their bodies and minds cannot handle intense exercise like adults. Physically, a child's bones are not mature and are still growing and they are highly susceptible to growth and overuse injuries. This could ultimately affect the overall health of their bones for life. On average, a child's bones are not fully matured until about 14 to 22 years old.

During exercise, children do not sweat like adults. This can cause a child to become overheated and suffer from heat exhaustion or heat stroke very quickly. Since their muscle mass and hormone system is not fully matured, it can be harder for them to increase their endurance, speed and strength. Therefore, in the case of children, working out harder is not better and can actually damage their overall health and self-esteem. You should also keep in mind that a child's cardiac and respiratory response is much slower than adults which could lead to severe over-exertion and is potentially fatal. Their little hearts and lungs simply do not recover as quickly as adults.

Weight and strength training is excellent for children. As long as your child does not lift too heavy weights and stays between 8 to 12 repetitions per set. Simply make sure your child gets adequate rest and water and spread their strength training over the course of the week. They should have at least one day rest in between sessions.

Before your child starts exercising, make sure they warm up and stretch out their muscles. This will prevent workout related injuries; however, before starting any exercise regimen, be sure to consult and get full approval of your child's pediatrician first.

When it comes to exercise, you should become a role model to your child. Your children are watching you. If you are sedentary, then your child is more likely to be sedentary. You should promote a healthy lifestyle by showing them how it is done.

Learn exactly how to balance work, family, nutrition and exercise with an easy to follow step-by-step plan.

By Laura Sherrard
Recess is the time of day children and teachers look forward to the most. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, children need about sixty minutes of physical activity every day. Unfortunately, the weather does not always permit this. While planning alternate indoor activities, try activities that allow children to be active.

Set up four stations-- one station in each corner of the room. Split the class into groups and have each group go to a different station. Have each group rotate to a different station every five minutes.

1. Station One - Hula Hoop
Set station one up with five hula hoops. Monitor and make sure each child gets a few minutes using the hula hoop. If a child does not know how to use the hula hoop, show them the technique and encourage them to keep trying until they get it right.

2. Station Two - Treasure Chest
Have a large chest or box filled with shredded newspaper. Hide several objects in the chest. Have a checklist of objects for each group. Make sure each child gets an opportunity to find some treasures.

3. Station Three - Build a Fort
Supply the station with several cardboard bricks. Have each group build a fort using all the bricks at the station. Encourage teamwork and creativity.

4. Station Four - Workout Video
Watching a movie is a typical rainy day activity. Instead, use the television to play a workout video made for kids. They will love mimicking the moves on the video and jumping around to fun music.

After the groups have completed each station, gather everyone in the center of the room. Play a quick game of "Freeze Dance." Play upbeat music and allow kids to dance around the room until the music stops. The last one to freeze is out and has to go sit at his or her desk. Once the game is over, every child should be in their seat and well exercised.

By Julie Reade
According to recent data, obesity is on the rise. In fact, it has grown enough to be called an epidemic! In years past, it was something rare and always occurred in adults. That is not the case anymore. This debilitating condition is affecting the young and old alike. It is not uncommon to see elementary school students who have

trouble running in gym class or high school student who is having trouble finding clothing that is stylish and big enough to fit them. This unhealthy trend affects male and female equally and doesn't seem to have a racial preference. Something obviously needs to be done. But what should be done? Several solutions have been brought to the table in hopes that one will work.

Exercise is also a good place to start. It just makes sense that if you use up more calories that you need, you will lose weight. Walking programs are emerging. Company incentive programs are starting. Some larger companies even pay for gym memberships to entice people to exercise and get physically fit. For woman who feel uncomfortable exercising with men around, new gyms have opened that are "women only."

If you are looking to lose weight, you needn't look further than your local grocery store to find the latest diet on a magazine cover. For a time, the grapefruit diet was thought to be the way to shed the pounds. From there, we've had Atkins and several off-shoots of that type of diet. Some people try being vegetarian. Others go gluten-free. Each diet is based on a certain principle. Each can produce varied success. The problem with most "diets" is that you can't stay on them forever. And usually once you go back to your usual eating pattern, the weight comes back.

Another way that many, many people try to lose weight is with diet pills, both over-the-counter and prescription. The problem with diet pills is twofold. First, they have so many side effects that taking them long term and relatively impossible. Second, since the pills didn't address the real problem of calories in vs. calories out, once you stop taking them, you will gain all of the weight back. If there was truly a diet pill that worked long term, everyone who know about it. There are no miracles.

By Julie Reade
Obesity has been around for a long time. Today, rather than being called a problem, it's grown into an epidemic. It's been blamed for everything from low self-esteem to high blood pressure. The obese (and their supporters) fight right back with their type of blame game. They blame the fast food industry for tempting them with super-sized products. They blame a lack of labeling when things contain a disproportionate about of fat. And it doesn't stop there. Obese people blame their predicament on their "fat genes" or even the Grandma who used guilt to get them to eat that second serving of pie. But whether these accusations are factual or not doesn't matter. In the end, obese people are unhealthier than average weight people.

But new research may shed some light on why obese people struggle with weight. The latest study shows that many obese people suffer from something called Body Size Misperception. In this latest study, 8% out of 2,056 obese participants were satisfied with their body weight or even felt they could gain more weight, according to data from the Dallas Heart study. Basically, body size misperception is the idea that people don't see their bodies as they are. The reason this is such a problem for people who are obese is that their health cannot afford to gain any more weight.

In the study, people were shown pictures of people of various sizes. When they saw someone who was approximately their size or a bit larger, they marked this as "average weight." When all of the research was analyzed, it showed that obese people do not see themselves as obese. In fact, they did not think they needed to lose weight at all. This was a striking finding. It showed that at least a portion of the obese population is the way they are because they don't try to lose. The way they see it, they are the average American. So why try to be smaller?

While this was the first time this type of study was done with obese subjects, the idea of body size misperception has been around forever. It is one reason so many young girls become anorexic and bulimic. They look at themselves in the mirror and see something quite different than their true self. For young girls who eventually become anorexic or bulimic, they see a body much bigger than they truly are. Similar to the obese, body size misconception causes a distortion in reality and leads to health risks.

By Julie Reade
It seems like every time you turn on the news or open up a newspaper, something is being said about weight. Tabloid magazines are covered with promises of weight loss through a certain diet. There's low carb, no carb, and specific food diets. And there diet pills that promise weight loss without "tiring, strenuous exercise." New

writers often accuse stars of being either too fat or too thin. So what is the standard? Is there one? Or is everyone so different that there is no standard?

Analyzing body fat isn't done by analyzing pure weight on its own. Hopping on a scale can give you one piece of information. But it doesn't tell the full story. Someone taller will inevitably weigh more than someone shorter. Someone with a smaller frame can weigh less and not be considered "too thin" simply because of their body make-up. The standard is called the body mass index or BMI for short. This takes into account both height and weight and gives a number that falls within a category. The categories are underweight, healthy, overweight and obese. Each category is a span of numbers. It's important to remember that this is an estimate of body fat. Only the caliper test can truly determine body fat percentage.

For instance, someone who is 5 foot 2 inches and weighs 120 pounds will have a BMI of 22. This falls in the healthy BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9. However, someone who is 6 foot 2 inches and weighs 120 pounds will have a underweight BMI score of 15.4. It's not just about weight. It's about weight is relation to the height of the individual.

BMI, however, says nothing about body proportion or how we feel about our bodies. It is quite possible to be within the healthy range and still have a stomach that sticks out further than you'd like. Or you can fall into the healthy category and be soft, with little muscle tissue. There are many factors to consider. Even more potent than a scale is comparison. We often compare ourselves to people we consider our peers.

Finding your BMI is just one piece of the overall health puzzle. Once you know that you can make some decisions about your food choices and fitness goals. Perhaps you'll decide to continue the course you are on. Or perhaps you'll want to make some adjustments and move forward. Either way, knowing your BMI can help with this challenging issue.