You see your child playing with their educational toy outside in the sandbox. Their friends poke his little tubby stomach, laughing at him. He drops his toy and comes running inside, clinging to your arm and crying his eyes out. Childhood obesity is no joke. It is a serious medical condition which affects millions of children around the world. Obesity at such a young age is an especially harrowing situation as diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol [which were all once confined to adults] are now becoming more and more widespread in children of all ages. The only way to prevent childhood obesity is by raising the fitness and health levels of your entire family. By combining a healthy diet with an everyday fitness routine, you can save your kids from a lifetime of weight-related problems. What is needed is action. Figures in authority such as teachers and doctors should always preach the importance of diet.

As children develop and grow, their bodies add kilograms in proportion to their weight and height, therefore any extra weight gained from over-eating and lack of exercise which is not burned off, can contribute to an overall bigger build. Other contributing factors include hormonal and genetic diseases such as an under-active thyroid gland which can make certain children as wide as they are tall. Yet children seem to have a never-ending appetite and this is because they need the calories and nutrients in food to fuel their constant development. If you are worried that your child is putting on more weight than normal, it is best to seek medical assistance as the extra weight could most likely be caused by an aforementioned disease or genetic condition.

What are some of the other factors which contribute to the risk of early onset obesity? Most importantly, diet. Kids plonk down in front of the TV after a long day of school or playing and snack on packet after packet of chips, sweets and chocolates. They love sweet, crispy and fatty foods as the additional energy keeps them going and going. These are foods to limit or avoid completely. Sitting in front of the TV all day is another massive factor regarding obesity, namely inactivity. Getting your young ones to get up and move is not a challenge, as most kids are used to running around at speedy paces. As for the children who are slumped in front of a video game console all day, I suggest to get them up and about- go for a fresh walk in the forest and let them enjoy outdoor activities. Once they have the correct mindset regarding exercise, a good habit like that will most likely carry on throughout their lives.

The first step in determining your child's accurate weight loss should be a BMI test. BMI indicates the correct body mass of a individual according to their current height and weight, which then gives us an indication if the subject is at risk for obesity or not. BMI is different for children however, as the sexes are not separated into categories as the adult BMI chart is. Children's history of obesity, eating habits, and activity level and health conditions are also measured to give an ideal reading.

The best tool you can utilise is patience. Be patient and recognise that most children still need to take the time to grow into their developing bodies. An overly intensive emphasis on diet and exercise is going scare any child from actively pursuing a healthy lifestyle. Push too much, and your child could end up eating more then they began with. Start walking to the shops with them and get them out of the car. Toys which emphasise activity should be embraced, letting children gently develop a passion for sporting activities. Most of all understand their condition and provide all the support you can. Obesity is a terrible disease which has afflicted almost half of our population. Change can happen and it begins with the steps you make. Take action. Figures regarding child obesity increase daily.