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ELEVATE YOUR
JOIN THE BATTLE AGAINST
CHILDHOOD
OBESITY
Ending childhood obesity starts
with a family commitment to
healthier habits.
SAFE FROM OBESITY IT’S NO SECRET that kids today eat more junk food and spend
AND BULLIES less time playing outside than ever before. This high-calorie,
low-activity lifestyle is hurting their health. Children who are
Bullying can take a toll on children’s bodies overweight have a greater risk for heart disease and diabetes now
and minds, and when they’re trying to get healthy, and in the future.
that’s the last thing they need. Try these tips to
boost confidence and prepare your kids to deal IT’S ALL ABOUT HEALTH
with bullies:
»» Get involved. Ask questions about your kids’ Doctors gauge children’s overall wellness during appointments,
and one tool they use is body mass index (BMI). Physicians use
school days and friends. Encourage them to talk height and weight to determine BMI, a measure of body fat. They
with you or a trusted adult if they feel threatened. map the BMI on a growth chart to see how it compares to the BMIs
»» Let children try new things. Learning new skills of other kids who are the same age and gender.
fosters independence and self-confidence.
»» Teach kids to take 10. Many bullies make hurtful “Children who are overweight or obese have a greater chance of
remarks to get a response. Instead of reacting with carrying excess weight into adulthood,” says Antoinette Adjowa
anger, school-age kids and teens should take a Walker, MD, leader of the Healthy Me Clinic at Children’s Hospital,
deep breath, count to 10 and simply walk away. Navicent Health. “Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver
disease and sleep apnea are all complications of obesity. If we can
4 navicenthealth.org | FALL 2015 instill in children the importance of maintaining a healthy weight,
we can prevent these things from happening in the future.”
Obesity is also an immediate concern. Some related diseases once
associated with adulthood are becoming common among kids.
“Children are developing high blood pressure and insulin
resistance,” Dr. Walker says. “Our hope is to reverse these conditions
