We have the highest rates of obesity among adolescents and children today than at any other point in the world's long history. Much of the blame for this lies with the fast food, low energy society we have become. Too often we feel that it is safer to keep our children in our homes than to be out and about. The things we do to protect our children are actually harming our children's health.
However, there are things that are being done to address this issue and to get our children more involved, more active and better educated about good food choices, nutrition, fitness and overall health. The problem for most teenagers is getting them away from the computer, phone or TV long enough to be active.
Even video games are getting involved in getting kids up and active, with games like the Play Station 2's Dance Party Revolution and the new Nintendo Wii gaming system seeming to be taking the market by storm. These systems allow consumers to actively participate in a gaming adventure rather than sitting and playing a game in a static environment. It's a great way to get teens out of their seats and active. These games are also fun for adults and will have the same effects when it comes to activity. Who would have thought that we actually encourage playing games for exercise?
Get outside and be active
Teens learn by example, and whether they want to admit it or not, they usually like to do things as part of a family. Go rock climbing or rock climbing. Ride your bike as a family. Set up camp in the great outdoors and go hiking, boating or biking again. Learn a new sport together. It's amazing how much fun you can have learning how to scuba dive, and neither of you will be consuming empty calories while you're at it. Even if the sport you play together doesn't involve a lot of physical activity, it's probably more active than sitting in front of the TV.
Ask your teen to join a recreational sports team. We have all kinds of sports teams available in our community for our teens to join. Even those with no skills at all can join and play in some leagues while other leagues are competitive. Getting outside to play softball, soccer, and even volleyball can be a great way for the family to do something together, and games and practices are opportunities for your teen to be active.
Working on the lawn is another way to get outside and be active with your teen. The key, as always, is that your teen burns more calories than consumers. This is often easier said than done, but it is quite possible if you work at it to get them out. However, find and focus on the things that will interest your tween, rather than torturing them with activities that don't interest them at all (maybe not gardening). In any case, filling their time with activities also allows time for them to not take in calories as well, and that's something worth considering.
Encourage your teen to eat healthier foods. Remove calorie-packed sodas, fruit juices and energy drinks from the pantry shelves and encourage your teen to drink plenty of water each day. Include as many vegetables as possible in your teen's diet and ditch the prepackaged treats that teens are notorious for consuming in one sitting. Also, having your teens actively involved in preparing and cleaning up food will help them pay more attention to the things they put in their mouths, as well as the messes they make while doing so.
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