HOW TO: Prevent Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is a huge problem in this country and if we don’t do something soon, it will become an even bigger problem with terrible costs.

It is a big problem, but it doesn’t have to be a fact of life. We can take proactive steps to raise healthier children, and it doesn’t matter whether you are a parent or not. As SheerBalance.com founder Brett Blumenthal explains so clearly in her article listed below, the childhood obesity epidemic affects every single one of us.

 Check out our exclusive video starring Intent Voice blogger, nutritionist and mom Renay Matthews, who shares with us 3 fabulous kid-friendly recipes, and also gives her insight on what we can do to prevent childhood obesity within our own communities. 

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Exclusive Podcast: What We Can Do To Stop Childhood Obesity By Mallika Chopra

I struggle almost every day to get my younger daughter to eat fruits and vegetables.  Since she was a baby, she has just refused to open her mouth to certain foods, and I have tempted all sorts of games, rewards, punishment, tricks, bribes, you name it.

Kudos to Jamie Oliver For Leading the American Food Revolution By Tabby Biddle

As with many things in life, just a little effort can make a massive difference. If you want to make a positive difference in the health of your children and in effect, the health of our country, here are some simple things you can do.

4 Reasons We Should Care About Childhood Obesity By Brett Blumenthal. 

Today, 31% of Americans are considered obese and they estimate that if current trends continue, the number will rise to 43 percent by 2018. But even more staggering are the statistics around the prevalence of weight issues, including obesity among children.

Old-Fashioned Tip For Modern Weight Crisis: The Crock Pot By Dr. Deb Brown

So what’s a healthier alternative? One option is to pull out the humble crock pot. Throw in some fresh, healthy ingredients before you leave the house, and voila – you come home to the delicious smell of a home-cooked meal!

In Search of Healthy School Lunches By Meg Brown

Conscious parenting is about caring for the whole child: body, mind and spirit. Some days, the body needs to come first. Do you know what your child is eating for lunch today?

Seven Powerful Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat Healthy By Donna Gates

At the most basic level, everyone can agree that kids can benefit from eating healthier. Truth is, with all the glitzy candy and processed foods competing for your kids’ attention how do you get them to eat healthy meals?

Emotional Famine: The Root Cause Of Childhood Obesity By Debbie Mandel

In a highly demanding stress-filled world your children are battered by academic, social and enrichment demands. Grade-schoolers are already working on their college resumes. At the same time the media erodes self-esteem with images of idealized physical appearance and instills them with insatiable material appetites.

Peas and Carrots, Carrots and Peas! A Choice In Ending Childhood Obesity By Renay Matthews

 Here are some healthy lunch options that don’t take too much prep time and there tasty too! I prefer everyone to eat organic as much as possible, but I am not going to preach it in these quick meal combos. One step at a time makes progress towards healthy eating.

Sleep: The Missing Link In Preventing Childhood Obesity By Nancy Rothstein

Research is bringing to light the correlation of sleep to obesity, as expressed in this article by Dr. Judy Owens, a fellow member of the Board of Directors of the American Sleep Apnea Association.

Vibrant Healty Children: A Secret No Longer By Lauren Simon

 Hide veggies everywhere you can, such as in homemade pasta sauce. I called ours Secret Sauce and the children even requested it by name. Substitutes for fats, such as applesauce instead of butter while making cookies, is another easy, clever, proactive trick.

Kick Childhood Obesity In The Tush, One Household At a Time By Janice Taylor

I am on a mission to make health, wellness and weight loss and to end the pain of childhood obesity. Please join with me! Here are some simple tips on how you can be a part of the solution, as you end childhood obesity, one household at a time! 

Tackling Childhood Obesity One Kid At A Time By Tonic.com

The Fit Club incorporates nutritional education, daily exercise, and weekly therapy. All in all, it adds up to six hours per week. But more important, Yuhasz gets the whole family involved in the program, too. Fit Club volunteers and staffers will even go grocery shopping with parents, helping them learn which foods to buy and which to avoid.

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This series was inspired by the Belleville Food Market, winner of the Pepsi Refresh Project. To learn more about the Pepsi Refresh Project, visit www.refresheverything.com. To read about the Belleville Food Market and the initiatives they are doing in the Belleville community to decrease childhood obesity, read the story here.