We are not talking a little chubby here, we are talking clinically obese - at age 4!

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D97D5VNG0&show_article=1

On the one hand, I give him credit for finally telling the truth. I understand he had his back up against a wall, but there are quite a few other ball players who keep denying it, all evidence to the contrary.

But seriously, what do we expect?

We want our heroes to be bigger, faster, stronger - larger than life.

We pay professional athletes millions of dollars to perform, and when they can’t or don’t any longer, we move on to the next big thing.

Is it any wonder they go beyond the limits to keep on top of their game for as long as possible?

Is it any wonder that our kids want in on that?

The truth is that many performance enhancing drugs DO give an athlete an edge in performance, recovery ability, or both.

And kids know that.  And too many of them don’t care that they are either illegal or banned in their sport, and can have huge health consequences down the road. 

All they are worried about is the here and now.  Can I run a little faster, can I jump a little higher, can I win the next game - Can I be the hero?

Whose fault is that?

• In a society that wants something for nothing
• Where winning is the only thing that matters
• Where mom and dad live vicariously throught their kids achievements
• Where long term athletic development is a little known concept
• Where high school coaches have to win or get fired
• Where a child’s self-worth is totally predicated on how many points she scored

Don’t think it can happen to your kid - mom and dad?

Don’t think anyone on your team would use - coach?

A University of Michigan study showed that 1 out of 30 high school males throughout this country are using anabolic steroids.

That means some kid you know - some kid I know - is using.

Some kids who could seriously damage their health all in the name of victory.

As parents, teachers and coaches we, and I include myself,  must realize that we are a big part of the problem - and resolve to do something about it.

As a coach, my part of the equation is to make sure that the best interest of the athlete is my only focus. To do my best to make sure they are healthy, well conditioned and injury free. To never let it be about me, but about their goals and aspirations. To make sure they understand that drugs are a dead end in the end.

What’s your part?

I talk to a lot of parents who just don’t seem to get it.

Mom and Dad, if your child is overweight or obese, whose fault is it really?

Do your kids do the grocery shopping? Did your 6 year old buy his game system? Does he control how long he can sit and watch tv?

You need to take control.

You need to educate yourself on what it takes to be healthy - and then you need to pass that on to your kids.

Here is something you may not know that can make a difference:

We are built as human beings with four basic tastes - sweet, salty, sour and spicy.

Did you know that the taste for FAT is not genetic, but learned?

You learned to crave cheeseburgers, french fries, fried chicken, and creme puffs - and so did your children.

And if you learned it - you can UNlearn it!

We are built as human beings to move, and when we don’t, we see the result - overweight, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Mom, Dad - do you get the regular exercise you need to keep your body in good shape?

Are you being a good example to your kids?

Who are you relying on to teach them good habits - the schools? the government? Is it really their responsibility?

I’m a parent - I’m responsible.

It starts at home, it starts with parents, it starts with us!

http://www.parade.com/health/2009/01/fit-kids-better-grades.html

The link above is a story about Elena Delle Donne, a supremely talented and hard working basketball player who just walked away from a scholarship at UConn because she was burned out and lost passion for the game.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who is an excellent coach, doesn’t understand how someone who is that good at something could just walk away from it.

Parent. Coach. Can You?

Can you understand that most kids, even the “most talented” like to play when it’s FUN.

Is it fun to win? Absolutely!

Should winning define who a 10 year old, 14 year old, or even 18 year old really is?

Is it reasonable to expect a 13 year old to tell her coach she is “burned out” or “tired of playing” when so much expectation is thrust upon her?

I’ll tell you this - kids who play the same sport for 12 months out of the year from a very early age are LIKELY to get tired of it. Even if they are good at it.

There needs to be balance.

Parents and coaches need to take charge and MAKE SURE our kids or the athletes we are responsible for have time off - time to be kids. Even if they don’t “want to”.

Elena Delle Donne makes headlines because she is a high profile athlete at a high profile school.

How many kids do we come in contact with feel the same way?

I am sure there are some times that these drugs are medically necessary, but Dr. Renee Jenkins of the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that many of these children get better with no treatment or lifestyle (dietary) changes. The article also reveals that many parents are demanding these drugs, due in part to drug companies effective marketing strategies. No big surprise there.

Why are these drugs being prescribed more often? I’m guessing because we feed our kids garbage, they are unhealthy and overweight, and rather than take care of the cause, it’s “easier” to treat the symptom. I assure you most children do not have an antacid deficiency that needs to be supplemented. It’s time we woke up and do our very best to make sure our kids are being fed healthy and nourishing foods, and getting the activity they need to stay healthy. That goes for you and me too!

If we as parents don’t take responsibility, who will?

Ok I admit it, this one really ticks me off. I was reading an article on children and the growing number with risk factors for heart disease. A new study (Note: I originally wrote this post in 2006) has found that kids with these risk factors are showing signs of narrowing and hardening in their arteries.

Pretty scary stuff, but not real surprising given that society as a whole is a lot more sedentary and nutritional habits are pretty bad compared to days gone by. The study called for more thorough testing of children with these risk factors, which makes a lot of sense. But here’s the part that got me fired up - the article suggests that statins might be the answer - and calls this course of action prevention!

Now I am not a doctor, but to call this prevention seems like a bit of a stretch. What these kids (and their parents) need is to be shown what a healthy diet is and to get off the couch and get active! The primary cause of hardening of the arteries is not a lack of drugs in our bodies.

• 30 billion dollars a year is spent on dieting
• 1/3 of children under the age of 17 (~25 million) are overweight or obese
• 24% of the total US population (~72 million men, women and children) are considered obese
• 46.1% have high cholesterol
• 8.8% have diabetes
• 58.3% are not physically active
• Because of these trends, and if habits don’t change, this children’s generation will be the first that becomes sicker and dies younger than their parents
• 14 billion dollars a year is currently spent in medical care to treat overweight children (Thanks to Jayson Hunter for these stats)

A good question to ask would be “Why are we seeing these trends in the younger generations, and what can we do about it?”

The truth of the matter is most kids have little control over their diet. They pretty much eat what mom and dad put in front of them (except maybe lima beans).”Food in a Box” is generally much easier to prepare. It doesn’t take much effort to pour milk into cereal, and with today’s busy lifestyles frozen dinners and the drive-thru is more common than not. But at what price?

It does not take long for kids to develop a taste for high-carbohydrate foods. Face it, sugar tastes good!I realize it is unrealistic for most people to never allow junior a cookie, but do we really have to feed them “Frosted Crunchies” for breakfast, hot dogs and chips for lunch and pizza for dinner?

I can hear the protests now - “But that’s all he will eat!”. That may be the case, but I would submit that tastes can be changed over time. If we try to change everything at once in our kids diets we are fighting a losing battle. Most will find the constant struggle too much to take. Small changes made over time is a much better strategy.

What might some of these changes look like?

• Add a hard boiled egg into the mix at breakfast. Most people (including kids) eat no protein until much later in the day - not good.
• A piece of fruit in the lunchbox. Ask your kids what kind of fruit they like and start there.
• Same thing with veggies. Most kids I know will eat carrot sticks if they have an option. My kids love salads at dinner as well.

Realize these are just a few ideas to start. The truth is minor modifications such as these will not make a long term impact if the rest of the diet consists of garbage. Soda, twinkies and anything other than the occasional sweet treat should be eliminated. As unrealistic as it may be for many, the general rule in my house is if it comes in a box, it ain’t good for you! I have six kids, and I can attest to the fact that kids will eat good food; the earlier you start the better. My kids will eat just about any vegetable (even mashed rutabega) you throw at them without complaint. Chicken and fish are A-OK! They absolutely love fruit, even the economical frozen stuff.

The other factor in the equation is movement. We as a society just don’t do it enough! Long gone are the days when kids ran out the door after breakfast, came back for lunch and were out the door again until dinner. I realize for many reasons this isn’t possible or even wise anymore, but do we really have to let our kids plop in front of the TV or play video games all day? The human body must move or it will degenerate and lose function. Who would have thought 30 years ago that so many kids would need an exercise class? Is there something you can do to get the children in your care more active?

We are at a crossroads in this country when it comes to our health and the health of our kids. Waiting for the government to “do something about it” is not going to solve the problem. If there are children in your life, what action can you take to change these trends? If you are a fitness professional, what are you doing to get the word out to make a difference?

If not now, when? If not you, who?

Adolescent obesity increases future coronary heart disease risk

The effect of adolescent obesity on future adult heart disease risk has not been clearly established. In a recent publication, researchers estimated the prevalence of obese 35-year-olds in 2020 on the basis of adolescents overweight in 2000 and historical trends regarding overweight adolescents who become obese adults. A state-transition computer simulation was used to project the annual excess incidence and prevalence of heart disease, the total number of excess heart disease events, and excess deaths from both heart disease and other causes related to obesity from 2020 to 2035.

The number of overweight adolescents is projected to increase the prevalence of obese 35-year-olds in 2020 to a range of 30-37% in men and 34-44% in women. As a result of this increased obesity, an increase in the incidence of heart disease and related deaths is projected to occur in young adulthood. By 2035, it is estimated that the prevalence of heart disease will increase by a range of 5-16%, with more than 100,000 excess cases caused by the increased obesity.

Although projections 25 or more years into the future are subject to numerous uncertainties, based on current data it is a reasonable assumption that adolescent obesity will increase rates of heart disease among future young and middle-aged adults, resulting in substantial increases in disease and death rates.

Researchers concluded that aggressive treatment with currently available therapies to reverse obesity-related risk factors may reduce, but not entirely eliminate, the calculated increase in the number of heart disease events.

N Engl J Med. 2007 Dec 6;357(23):2371-9.

Source: USANA Health Sciences

Why does this happen?

At risk of oversimplifying - I suspect in the vast majority of cases it just isn’t FUN anymore.

And if you think about it, if it stops being fun, particularly from a kids perspective, why do it at all?

Now don’t get me wrong, I know life isn’t all fun and games, and that sport teaches valuable lessons about overcoming challenges, teamwork, sacrifice, and perseverance.

But think about it - Why do most kids get involved in sport to start with?

To have fun, of course!

And then all too often we adults come along and suck all the fun right out of it!

How?

• By having practices and games almost every day.
• By putting all our emphasis and praise on the “natural” athletes while patronizing those we perceive as less gifted.
• By trying to train all young athletes the same and not recognizing that kids motor and cognitive skills develop at a different rate.
• By putting an undue focus on winning and losing at too early an age.
• By using training methods that wear kids out and not taking into account what else is going on in their lives.
• By not making fitness and youth sports available to every child that wants to participate.

Not an exhaustive list by any means, but you start to get the picture.

I believe the vast majority of kids quit because we adults practically force them into it. They just don’t want to deal with the hassle.

So what can we do to get and keep more kids involved?

• Implement a practice and game schedule that recognizes that sport is not the only activity kids do on a daily basis.
• Make sports as inclusive as possible for every kid, even the ones we think have less talent. (Can you really tell at age 10?)
• By using training methods that enhance the way kids naturally learn and play in order to enhance overall development and skills - not just put the ball in the net better.
• Recognize winning for what it is and is not. It is fun to win and a worthwhile goal. It is not the only goal worth pursuing.
• Design a training program that takes into account that kids have a limited amount of time and energy, and that they need rest, just like adults.

Get Fit NH Kids is dedicated to training not only kids, but helping coaches and parents work together to create an environment that will build lifelong habits of fitness, and keep kids involved in sport.

Coaching children and adults is not the same. The ability to recognize and understand different stages of development in a child and play to their strengths in order to improve weaknesses is a crucial part of the training process.

As a company we take training kids and youth sport seriously. We feel that specialized training in youth fitness is necessary for physical preparation coaches serving the youth sport and fitness community.

To that end we are proud to team with the International Youth Coach Association (IYCA.org) as part of our professional development, in order to serve each child, parent and coach in the best way possible. Each member of our staff holds certification with the IYCA.

For more information on “Get Fit NH Kids” and how we are working to make youth fitness better, please use our Contact Form. We look forward to hearing from you.