From Your Health Journal…..”I always try to support articles on childhood obesity, and hope to draw traffic to the original article. Today, I found a great one from the Southside Times by Wendell Fowler. Please visit their site (link provided below) to read the complete article. Chef Wendell hits the nail on the head by stating that obesity in ‘most’ children results from eating too many calories and not enough physical activity. He points to parent’s poor eating habits, aggressive advertising, and peer pressure as some of the culprits to this growing issue. As you read through the story more, you get to Chef Wendell’s Ten Commandments of Healthy Eating for Parents – where Chef Wendell gives help to parents about keeping their kids healthy. In a day and age where obesity is on the rise with both children and parents, we need to make change. Heart disease, cancers, type 2 diabetes, weak bones, and other health ailments are on the rise with children. So, please do not look at Chef Wendell’s article as anything but educational – to assist with a ‘healthy’ change. Sometimes, a gentle reminder from others is helpful to raise children with best intentions. Please visit the Southside Times web site for the full article.”

From the article…..

It’s not complicated. Childhood obesity results from eating too many low-grade calories and not enough physical activity. It’s difficult for today’s precious kids to make healthy food choices and get enough physical activity when they’re exposed to parent’s poor eating habits, aggressive advertising, and peer pressure.

Hallelujah! Sugar drinks and less healthy foods are disappearing school campuses. About 55 million school-aged children are enrolled in schools across the United States and many eat and drink meals and snacks there. Yet, more than half of U.S. middle and high schools still offer sugar drinks and less healthy foods for purchase. Students cam graze on sugary drinks and unhealthy foods throughout the day from vending machines and school canteens and at fundraising events, school parties, and sporting events.

Some people have less access to stores and supermarkets that sell healthy, affordable food such as fruits and vegetables, especially in rural, minority, and lower-income neighborhoods. Supermarket access is associated with a reduced risk for obesity. Choosing healthy foods is difficult for parents who live in ‘Food Deserts” populated with convenience stores and fast food restaurants.

To read the full article…..Click here