Lifestyle Choices Underpin Childhood Obesity

Until recently the battle of the bulge has been fought primarily by adults. Today, however, the largest growing segments among the obese are our children and adolescents. With this new epidemic comes grave health consequences for future generations. While scientists are busy looking at genetic factors, hormonal imbalances, and drugs to correct these problems, the greatest culprits are largely being ignored: namely poor nutrition and lack of physical activity.

Over the past two decades, rates of overweight and obesity have nearly tripled among Canadian children, according to a 2004 “Canadian Institutes of Health Information’s report. In fact, Statistics Canada now says we have one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the world.

Regular exercise and physical activity is critical for weight loss and overall health, yet with each passing year our children are becoming less active. Canada’s Physical Activity Guide advises 90 minutes a day of physical activity for children, it was found that only 13 per cent were meeting that target. Schools share some of that blame, as their programs have been dramatically slashed due to cutbacks. The Canadian Teacher’s Federation says that only one-third of all schools have formal physical education programs. And those that do offer them simply do not include enough vigorous activity for a long enough period of time to combat inactivity.

Also, the availability and popularity of television, video games, and computers has drawn children out of organized sports or after school fun and play into the house. According to a 2000 report by the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), the average Canadian child spends about three to five hours a day ogling the one eyed monster or “twittering” away on a computer screen. Combine that with six hours a day sitting in a classroom, and you have some serious inactivity.

Another obvious link in the chain is junk food! Most schools do not offer healthy lunches and other meal programs, according to the CMAJ study. And even when lunches are packed for children by parents, these kids seem to have an unlimited supply of soft drinks, candy, chips, and fast foods available to them.

The results are often disastrous. Poor eating habits may prevent children from reaching their full potential. Research now suggests that poor nutrition affects children’s intellectual performance. With decreased energy and cognitive ability, they are not likely to improve grades and their classroom behaviour, as well as psychological well being may suffer.

Combine inactivity and poor nutrition, and it’s no wonder our children are becoming supersized. Health authorities now warn that unless we do something fast, this generation could become the first to have shorter life spans than their parents. This is due to the risk of developing diseases previously only seen in adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, asthma and so on.

The obvious solutions

There are a number of things which can be done. Children love “grab and go” snacks, so stock your kitchen with veggies and dip; berries; yogurt; low fat cheese and apples; healthy trail mix; baked nachos and salsa; homemade popsicles and air popped popcorn.

You also have to eliminate sweet drinks. The average can of pop and or sugary juice (punches or cocktails) contains approximately 9-11 teaspoons of sugar. If one of the first ingredients listed on the label is sugar, glucose or high fructose corn syrup, the product is not likely to contribute to good health. Stick to water to properly hydrate your child without packing on excess calories, or 100 per cent fruit juices (in moderation and watered down).

Try to keep your child moving as well. It is prudent to have your children participate in 1 hour of physical activity daily. Whether it is joining a community center, team sports, bike riding as a family or swimming lessons – it all start with participation.

The federal government has touted its children’s fitness tax credit as one way to encourage parents to help their kids get active. Parents can claim a maximum of $500 a year for eligible fitness expenses, which must “include a significant amount of physical activity that contributes to cardio-respiratory endurance, plus one or more of: muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility or balance.”

Make them eat a healthy breakfast also. A recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology concluded that skipping meals and eating less frequently was linked with being four times more likely to be obese than those who ate breakfast daily.

A child’s diet should be filled with fresh fruits, vegetable, eggs, chicken, fish, whole grain bread, cereal and pasta, nuts, seeds and low fat dairy products. Processed and refined floury items, fast food, and sugar-laden products should be kept to a bare minimum, and saved for an occasional treat.

So you can see, there may be serious health and social consequences that come with being overweight or obese. By implementing the steps above, we can slowly turn the epidemic of obesity into one of healthy kids for life.

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Rekindling The Romance Of Your Waistline

How’s your waistline? Do you have a strained relationship with yours, or worse, has it left you? The signs can be subtle – one belt notch at a time.

So who did you cheat with? Was it those rich and gooey maple-fudge brownies, the elegant chocolate carmelicious shortbread bars, or that curvaceous tramp of a late night pizza? Which delicate pleasure gave a flirtatious twirl to that last bastion of defense, your willpower?

Relationships can be so transient and shallow, because we take them for granted don’t we? But now your waistline has gone AWOL, and has been replaced by a hostile entity which makes even loose clothing take on the look of mummifying garments. Don’t get used to it though. Not only is it unfriendly, it can lead to a big risk of stroke. That’s the conclusion of a 2006 Interheart study of almost 30,000 people from different countries showing that well-toned hips and a trim waist — not just the overall pounds you carry — may be your best protections against heart disease.

Researchers reported that a good waist-to-hip ratio (a measurement tool that looks at the proportion of fat stored on your waist, hips and buttocks – as if a second opinion is needed), is actually a better predictor of heart attack risk than the body-mass index, the current standard. Weight concentrated around the middle is often referred to as an “apple” shape; whereas, weight concentrated around your hips is referred to as a “pear” shape. The apple people are said to be at higher risk for heart disease and diabetes than their pear counterparts.

While we don’t need a degree in rocket science to figure out what food chain perpetrators were involved in the kidnapping of your waist, let me throw another twist into the plot – inactivity. A little bit of hard work and dedication will actually work wonders where faulty diets and spot-reduction machines fail miserably. I mean, how many actually know that 15 reps on the popular thigh master can’t undo the damage of a bag of chips and an early snorefest on the couch?

So contrary to everything that is anathema in some people’s lives, I am indeed suggesting a paragon of exercise and food discipline. Yes – gasp – there is willpower involved. Being a quitter no longer means getting satisfaction at turning away the dessert cart on the third trip around. It actually involves some sort of – dare I say it – denial. But if you want to rekindle the passion with your former waistline, you have to show it you can be trusted. Go on, let out some of that frustration on the elliptical trainer or treadmill, as you rehash your abandonment issues.

The good news is that you don’t have to spend eternity rekindling the flame. Yes, recklessness drove your waist into hiding, but some faithful diligence to a balanced lifestyle of good nutrition and basic exercise three to four days weekly can do wonders for your relationship. The overt matchmaker in this case is the ever present exercise. Sure, it can seem overly willing in getting involved in your business, but in the end it can unite you with your waist once again. And that – big sob – is just a beautiful thing.

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Do You Want Some Estrogen On Soft Drink?

It turns out a cold drink isn’t the only thing in your pop can. A Health Canada study of canned pop has found the vast majority of the drinks contain the chemical bisphenol A, a substance that imitates the female hormone estrogen and is now banned in baby bottles.

The highest levels of the chemical, known as BPA, were found in caffeine-loaded energy drinks, but the residue was also detected in ginger ale, diet cola, root beer and citrus-flavoured soda. Pop cans are lined on the inside with BPA in order to prevent the drink from coming into contact with the metal in the can.

“The emphasis has always been on canned foods, and the results are especially startling, given that the average person, worldwide, consumes more than 22 gallons of soft drinks every year. Yikes!” (thedailygreen.com)

Out of 72 drinks tested, 69 were found to contain BPA at levels below what Health Canada says is the safe upper limit. However, studies in peer-reviewed science journals have indicated that even at very low doses, BPA can increase breast and ovarian cancer cell growth and the growth of some prostate cancer cells in animals. Health Canada spokesman Stéphane Shank said there is no risk to Canadians. “The average adult weighing approximately 60 kilograms would have to consume over 900 cans per day” to reach the department’s safety threshold, he said. (www.cbc.ca)

The drinks tested came from a variety of sources, representing at least 84 per cent of the market share of soft drinks sold in the country. Despite this, the federal department did not reveal why this study was only published January in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and on Health Canada’s website. The reasoning? It wasn’t their intent to hide it. However, had they wanted to get this report out, which would certainly have been the case if it was more positive, more sources would have been included.

Like estrogen — BPA is active in very small amounts. The average soft drink contains levels of around half a part per billion, resulting in 500 times more estrogen in people than normal. Some experiments have found harmful effects in animals at BPA concentrations as low as 1,000 times below Health Canada’s marker. Given this information, we need to consider the cumulative effect of hormone-disrupting chemicals.

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Lack Of Education Leads To Compulsive Behavior

As a Nutritional Practitioner, I see a lot of clients who complain about being addicted to food. This addiction, according to them, is likened to what an alcoholic or mild drug user suffers from: compulsive eating behavior, binging, unnatural responses or actions, lying, etc. Most of this is said to be triggered by emotions, negative life events, boredom, or depression.

I agree that there are similarities with food addiction to other addictions; such as obsession with a substance to alter mood or outlook, overt or harmful behaviors, or lack of self-control. But rather than blame the substance, we have to look at what triggers the response to the condition.

Many people are on destructive (restrictive) dietary paths which result in nutrient deficiencies. Indulging in fractionated carbohydrates, junk foods, canned and boxed foods which contain either starches, sugars or simple carbohydrates, only sets up a further strong psychological drive for more of these foods. Why? Because they boost our immediate outlook through higher glucose conversion and temporary energy. But like other destructive substances, the end result is very short lived.

Refined Foods Don’t Lead To Good Health

As a society, we live for instant gratification. Rather than eating foods which give us long term energy, we desire a quick pick-me-up, even though we know the cycle has to be repeated over and over during the day, leaving us exhausted. Part of the problem is what manufacturers tell shoppers. Words such as diet, whole, goodness and so on are meaningless in light of what the food endures during processing.

In Canada, whole wheat is not “whole.” As much as 70% of the nutrients may legally be destroyed through removal of much of the kernel, which reduces shelf life. Whole wheat is not a whole grain – period. It is a product which, through loss of many of the nutrients (wheat germ and wheat germ oil), as well as bran and middlings, is now a fast absorbing energy food which spikes blood sugar. But still, our government says the end product remains good for us. In effect, manufacturers legally (yet immorally) lie to us, desiring profit more than our good health.

Educate Yourself

Much of this can be remedied by education. With the availability of the internet and more authors writing about whole food nutrition, we should be able to find proper information on the subject. However, the excuse I frequently hear is that, “I don’t have enough time.” My answer is always the same: “Do you have the time to get sick?” Because once a person is on their sickbed, they cannot earn money, nor can they enjoy the fruits of their labor. Balanced nutrition is not an option, but a necessity to “keep the ability to be busy.”

Another angle is our relationship to food. Do we understand that restricting nutrients sets us up for psychological cravings? Most diets are about weight loss, rather than good health. Authors care more for immediate results, because this brings in income. Yet most of the poor souls reading these books don’t equate their subsequent weight gain (once off the diet) with the diet itself. Diets are a sham, which is why your 20 pound weight loss ultimately results in a net 40 pound gain. This is a protective mechanism of the body to an unnatural restriction of needed substances – a sure plan for long term failure. It’s an addictive cycle: We desire the short term weight loss rather than thinking about the end result. This is somewhat like the steroid user, or the person taking diet pills. Yes, there may be immediate dramatic results, but in the end, we suffer even more.

Don’t Worry – Make Decisions!

Dietary rules also get us thinking too much about what should be an enjoyable experience. All this weighing and calculating is a drain on a pure pleasure – the enjoyment of wholesome food. We should be able to look at a food and immediately understand if it is good or bad. Has it been refined? Then there is a great chance it is not healthy. I don’t care at all about what we are told to the contrary. I have thousands of clients who have had success with this approach. It does not lead to worry about food, because it merely entails making in immediate decision. We do this daily with our jobs. If you do “fall off the wagon,” get up and try again.

Those who eat to manage compulsive behaviors or emotions need to realize that whole foods also satisfy. Sweet, salty or fatty foods may increase serotonin or stimulate dopamine receptors in the brain, giving a temporary feel good situation. But they always result in a subsequent crash. On the other hand, whole foods do the same, though not as strong in the short run. Wouldn’t you like to feel good in the long term, without getting depressed, run down, sad, or suffer anxiety? Fractionated foods WILL increase these feelings and set the person up for a vicious cycle of weight gain, ill health and and increased emotional disorders.

We Are To Blame

As a society, we are too dependent on psychological help. Everything is the fault of someone else, something or some situation. We don’t look at ourselves, our actions and our outlook on situations. Though some will define this approach as simplistic, it is because they have been taught to feel this way; are in the business of treating people affected by these situations, or profit from them.

You are not addicted to foods, and neither are you powerless over them and have to practice abstinence. We have been given a brain to use, but we don’t do so in many instances. The biggest predictor of weight gain (or ill health), is a level of self restraint. Don’t succumb to eating amnesia (unknowingly putting hand to mouth from a bag, box or plate). This is nothing more than mindless eating. Sit, relax and enjoy, but don’t stop thinking about what you are doing. You wouldn’t do it crossing the street (for fear of getting injured). Why do it through long term self poisoning?

Choose well, don’t diet, and don’t indulge in foods which injure the body. I have hundreds of articles on this blog which go into more detail about what I have written here. Read them and educate yourself about balanced nutrition.

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Five Unhealthy Dieting Consequences

Unhealthy dieting can result in numerous undesirable consequences. Going on an extremely low-calorie diet that is devoid of necessary nutrients can not only sabotage your dieting efforts in the long run, but it often results in unintended health consequences as well. Here are five consequences of unhealthy dieting.

1. Binge Eating

Unhealthy dieting can result in feelings of deprivation. If you cut your calories excessively, eliminate all of your favorite foods and eat very little food that delivers much needed nutrition, the consequence is often a need to make up for everything you missed out on.

Binge eating is sometimes the outcome of having gone too long without necessary nutrition and calories. If you consistently skip meals when on a diet, it is possible to feel deprived and eat many more calories late at night, especially if you’re unable to fall asleep from intense hunger.

2. Muscle Loss

Unhealthy dieting practices that don’t incorporate enough protein can lead to unwanted muscle loss. Your body needs protein to build and repair tissues, and carry out a large number of processes. When you don’t consume enough protein in your diet, your body will consume its own muscle mass.

3. Fatigue and Nausea

Some unhealthy dieting practices involve extreme calorie reduction. Juice fasts where you go for weeks without consuming solid foods often result in undesirable side effects. Fatigue, nausea, dizziness and headaches are common consequences of these unhealthy diets.

4. Eventual Weight Gain

The challenge with unhealthy diets is that they usually cannot be sustained in the long term. You may be able to survive on a short term basis on an extremely low-calorie diet, but eventually you will have to resume eating regular meals. When you go on an extreme diet, you don’t have the opportunity to gradually develop habits that will sustain you in the long haul.

It is much healthier and you will see greater results in the long term if you adjust your diet gradually. Instead of cutting thousands of calories on a daily basis, find ways to cut a few hundred calories each day. Combine that with daily exercise. When your body has energy, you can be more active and exercise will develop your muscles, which helps to burn off even more calories.

5. Challenge to Mental Health

Unhealthy dieting is challenging for your mental health. Many people feel grumpy and irritable when they are hungry. Not getting enough calories, not having enough energy to carry out daily tasks, feeling dizzy and nauseous can all combine to push some extreme dieters into feelings of deep sadness or even depression.

The best way to avoid the consequences of unhealthy dieting is to establish healthy eating patterns. Do this gradually. Identify aspects of your diet that you want to change and work on one component at a time. Reduce calories gradually. Exercise more. Address your emotional needs. Over time, you will see the pounds fall off and stay off in the long term.

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