WAYNE'S WORDS
November 2, 2004
Topic: Our Kid's Fitness

I'm an Elementary PE Teacher, and for the past 10 years or so I've noticed an alarming increase in the number of kids who are overweight or obese.
Obesity in kids is now epidemic in the US.
25% of our kids are obese. Obese kids now have diseases like Type 2 Diabetes that use to occur only in adults.
Overweight kids have a 70% chance of becoming overweight adults, which puts them at a greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.
While genetics plays a role, genes alone can't account for the huge increase in these rates over the past few decades. The main culprits are the same as those for adults: eating too much and moving too little.
A recent report from the U.S. Surgeon General calls on schools to provide daily PE for all grades.
Parents (you) can get involved by making sure that your child's school has healthy food options and provides daily PE.
I try to be a role model to my students. I tell them about my swimming, biking and running. I tell them about my racing and how much fun it is to exercise. Hopefully, they look at me and see that, for an old guy, I'm in relatively good shape, and that I'm in good shape because I exercise a lot.
But, what is more important, is the fact that you are a much more influential role model for your kids.
Kids form habits from their parents and usually maintain them into adulthood.
If your kid sees you reach for a banana instead of a bag of cookies then they are more likely to do the same.
If they see you run for fun, they'll do the same.
If they see you bike and get a good workout, someday they'll do the same.
If they see you swim and love doing it, they'll be like you someday.
If they see you involved in training and racing and see your joy and satisfaction with your commitment to a healthy lifestyle, they'll do the same.
Multi sport athletes are probably one the healthiest groups of athletes around. Hopefully your kids will pickup on these healthy values that you have instilled in your life.
So, I know I'm preaching to the choir, because I'm willing to bet your kids won't follow the patterns of obesity and unhealthy living that we see in our general population.
Your kids see you eating right and exercising and not smoking and having fun with movement.
SO, keep up the good work with your kids.
Take them to swim practice, little league and soccer.
But, don't forget the simple joy of playing with your kids.
Playing for the simple goal of fun and silliness, where no one keeps score and there are no winners or losers, only happy fit kids playing with their happy fit parents.
Kids stay fit and healthy not only by being in organized sports but also by running and jumping and hopping and skipping. They exercise by playing hide and seek, by jumping rope, and chasing you around the backyard.
Little by little, we as role models for the next generation can hopefully reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity and keep our kids on the right track to an active and healthy lifestyle that they will someday pass down to their kids.
For more information on childhood obesity go to the National Institutes of Health website:
www.nih.gov

Train smart, live right.

Wayne

whuckshold@yahoo.com