| Youth Fitness by Tracey Estes | | | | you can about youth fitness. Talk to your family |
| In these days of exciting video games and other | | | | about it. Find an activity such as walking or riding |
| popular technologies such as television and | | | | bikes that the whole family can enjoy. |
| computers, kids aren't getting enough exercise. | | | | The challenge is to get kids active with exercise |
| According to the Center for Disease Control, | | | | that they want to do. Kids will not like exercising |
| CDC, childhood obesity has jumped 30 percent. | | | | unless they want to do it. Youth fitness should be |
| The CDC goes on to say "children and | | | | an important part of their lives. How can we |
| adolescents who are obese are at greater risk | | | | accomplish this? Talk to your kids and ask them if |
| for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and | | | | there are any sports that they would enjoy at |
| social and psychological problems such as | | | | school. Schedule an appointment with your child |
| stigmatization and poor self-esteem". | | | | and some of the coaches at their school. If your |
| Busy families are eating more fast food then they | | | | child doesn't want to get involved with sports at |
| should so combining that with no exercise means | | | | school, then that doesn't mean they don't want to |
| overweight kids turning into overweight adults. In | | | | watch it on television. Watch sports as a family |
| order to raise a healthy child, they need to learn | | | | and who knows, maybe they might change their |
| proper nutrition and better food choices. The | | | | mind. |
| whole family needs to watch what they eat. | | | | If they don't want to join a sports team at |
| Children won't learn about a healthy diet if they | | | | school, ask what they want to do. Talk about |
| see their parents eating unhealthy food. That is a | | | | youth fitness with the gym teacher at school. |
| warning that a sedentary life leads to very | | | | The teacher might be able to suggest fun |
| serious health problems. Combining a healthy diet | | | | activities. Martial arts are fun to do and your child |
| and exercise will soon have your child feeling great | | | | will burn a lot of calories while doing it. How about |
| and being confident. An overweight child is often | | | | tennis or golf? Just get a conversation started |
| ridiculed at school and that can lead to emotional | | | | and your kids will soon be on their way to being a |
| problems. Youth fitness is crucial to a healthy kid. | | | | healthier, more confident child. Youth fitness needs |
| Make it a part of their everyday life. | | | | to be an everyday activity that they enjoy and |
| You need to get involved and learn as much as | | | | look forward to. |