Are Your Kids Active?

by Christine Buske | More from this Blogger

06 Oct 2006 05:20 PM

Adults regularly attribute weight gain to a largely sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits, for good reason. However, the sedentary life style is starting earlier and earlier. Studies have shown that obesity in kids has been attributed to more TV time, and less physical activity (i.e. playing a sport, playing outside with friends, etc) in young children. Now, you may have read in the news recently that another study was performed suggesting more activity does not lead to less obesity in young children.

As a researcher, here is my take on this study as it was portrayed in the media. Keep in mind that I have not read the research paper itself yet, so I am not sure for how long the children in the study were followed. From the article, it does not seem that they were tracked for a long time though. Basically the study was conducted on nursery school children, although obesity on average really starts setting in when kids start to make more food choices of their own, i.e. around age 8-10. That's the age where they get snacks themselves and probably receive some pocket money they can buy snacks with. Personally, I do not believe nursery school kids are a good group to study obesity on: they are naturally more active to start with, do not make most of their food choices themselves and have high metabolisms (on average). This study would probably have shown a dramatic effect on primary or high school kids!

The scientists did realize that their study could send the wrong message. The prevention and care director, Mike Knapton, said the following about the study:

"It's absolutely vital for young children to be active. Although this study suggests that the benefits of a small amount of extra exercise for nursery children are not visible immediately, we know it's crucial to encourage good exercise habits from an early age. Children get less active as they get older so it's vital that youngsters get regular physical activity to lay the foundations for good health as they grow up."

The morale of this story is to take some research results with a grain of salt: there are always additional factors that cannot be controlled for in human studies and in this case I believe there was simply a fallacy with the choice of age group. Truth is: an active life style is healthy, and starting kids young increases the chances they will continue to be active in later years. I'd say we should keep our tots, youngster and teenagers physically busy, educate them on how to make good food choices and set an example. If we can manage to do that, they will be fine and we will be giving them a great start to life-long good health!

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Fatherofeight (2475) 25 Nov 2006 12:20 PM

I have discovered by accident a technique with my children that is really working. I was driving to the grocery on Saturday morning and some sports fitness expert recommended that you always start your children out with fruit in the morning, just leave an attractive bowl of it out before breakfast. He said that if they eat fruit first, they will crave it for the rest of the day instead of junk food. Well, we have done that, and it is working really well. As they are getting up, I put a large bowl of fresh fruit on the breakfast table. All of it is eaten rather quickly. To my surprise they eat the same amount of food for breakfast that they always ate on top of and after, they ate the fruit.

And now, they want fruit out during the day and that is what they snack on. I can't believe how well this is working. Ed Paul.