You've probably heard about the epidemic of obese kids in America.   About 32% of all children in the United States are either overweight or obese.  You've probably heard too the new push to put overweight kids on medications to treat heart disease, hypertension and high cholesterol.  Health experts worry that this generation of children may be the first to have a lower life expectancy than their parents.   It is a true concern across the nation.   

The American environment has changed in a way that makes gaining weight much less avoidable.  But the uneven distribution of the problem aruges that who you are, where you are, and how much your family has in the bank have a lot to do with whether your child will be claimed by the crisis or emerge unharmed.

So why are we getting so fat?  Historically, we've always had so much food and we're used to that.  Our bodies are designed to gorge, in anticipation of having to store food when we didn't know when we could get food next.  In fact, Sharman Russell reports that "We're not only programmed to eat a lot, but to prefer foods that are high in calories". 

The transformation of American homes into high-def, web-enabled, TiVo-equipped entertainment centers means that most children who come home after a largely sedentary day at school spend an average of three more sedentary hours in front of some kind of screen.  Because of budget concerns, schools are slashing physical education programs too.  Kids just do not exercise enough.

In 2007, the federal government cut all funding for a public education campaign which was aimed at kids learning good nutrition. 

Parents are challenged every week to provide nutritious meals when they are racing to after school programs and sports events.  It's easier when we don't have time to stop at Wendy's or Arby's for dinner.   

Your genes make a difference too.  Family history, genetics, and your racial or ethnic heritage will be factors in how easily it is to manage your weight. 

What about family income?  Yep, that makes a difference too.  Poor families and individuals from a lower socio-economic status have to budget their money for food, spending more on lower costing carbohydrates and less on meat, fruits, and fresh vegys.  Researchers also call poor neighborhoods "nutritional desserts" because they have few nearby supermarkets offering the produce nutritionists recommend, and they also have few parks and recreational opportunities. Indeed, in poor rural areas, it is difficult to ride bikes or walk to your destination.   

Luckily for us, Colorado has the second lowest childhood obesity rate in the United States.  And the CDC believes that obesity levels are finally leveling off.  What can we do?  Schools can help by eleminating vending machines, offering opportunities for exercise during the day, and revising what a school lunch looks like.  Local city government can help by supporting farmers markets, especially when they are placed in poor neighborhoods.   And what about limits that restrict the number of commercials a company  like sugar cereal manufacturers can display that target children? 

As parents, we can start by realizing when our kids are overweight and get sound medical advice to manage it.  Model for your kids.  Eat breakfast.  Get one hour of exercise every day.  Park yourself in front of the television for two hours or less.  Eat lots of fruits and vegys.  Teach kids how to tell when they are full, and when necessary, limit portions but encourage more vegetables.  Psychologists and nutritionist recommend not putting kids on diets.  They don't work and they allow all sorts of deprivation and unhealthy relationships with food to surface.  Have discussions with your children about the media and how men and women are portrayed in ads.  Help them develop a critical eye for what is normal.  Overall, we should be emphasizing healthy behaviors, not the numbers on the scale!