Teen Obesity
By: Aiste Leskauskas
Effects of Teen Obesity
The effects of teen obesity are dangerous. With the rising number of obese teens in America it's important to know the effects of it. There are long term effects and short term. Obesity can cause diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and osteoarthritis.
Childhood obesity can also lead to:
-high blood pressure
-high blood sugar
-high cholesterol levels
-liver and gall bladder disease
How to Prevent It
Teen obesity starts early so it's important to stop it early. Some ways kids can avoid teen obesity is by exercising daily, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, playing sports and giving up junk food and fast food.
To help prevent teen obesity you should:
-Drink plenty of water. Limit sodas, juices, and other beverages.
-Excercise. At least an hour of active exercise daily, preferably outdoors.
-Less TV. Regular, quiet study and reading times to replace the hours spent watching TV.
-Plenty of rest. Many children are chronically tired. Put them to bed early enough so they awaken naturally, in time for a healthy breakfast.
-A wide range of interests. How about library visits, music lessons, arts and crafts, and family outings.
-Three meals a day. Eat at regular times with lots of whole grains, legumes, fresh fruit, and vegetables.
-Control the cupboards. Get rid of tempting junk foods. Offer fruit and fresh veggies for snacks.-Drink plenty of water. Limit sodas, juices, and other beverages.
-Excercise. At least an hour of active exercise daily, preferably outdoors.
-Less TV. Regular, quiet study and reading times to replace the hours spent watching TV.
-Plenty of rest. Many children are chronically tired. Put them to bed early enough so they awaken naturally, in time for a healthy breakfast.
-A wide range of interests. How about library visits, music lessons, arts and crafts, and family outings.
Read more at: http://www.chiphealth.com/health_topics/topics/obesity-proofing_your_child.php
Main Causes of Teen Obesity
One of the main causes of teen obesity is junk food or fast food. With low nutritional value and high calorie count, junk food can add pounds very quickly. Junk food appeals to teens because of all the ads and cheap prices. It's time for them to take responsibility of their own health and make a homemade salad instead of getting a big mac from McDonald's.
Genes also play apart in obesity. It's more lightly for a child to be obese if the family is obese. Heart disease from obesity can also be passed down. Not sleeping also lets your genes play a bigger roll in how much you weigh. If you sleep more, your genes will play a smaller role in your weight.
Eating Healthy
There are many healthy meals out there for you to eat. It's always better to eat home cooked meals though because the food is not processed as much as it is in the stores. Another way to get healthy fruits and veggies is going to your local farmers market. Usually each neighborhood has one. A farmers market is were farmers bring their home grown food to sell. This way it's not processed and doesn't have chemicals or bad ingredients added to it and it's all organic. There are healthy stores too, though. Whole Foods and Trader Jo's are great stores to buy healthy food from. Make sure to read the ingredients or look that it's organic. Instead of eating bacon you could try turkey bacon. Instead of normal bread, get whole grain bread. These are just a few of many ways you can be healthy.