The question, is childhood obesity damaging your child can be answered with a resounding Yes. It is physically dangerous because it can lead to massive health problems for the future of your child. Apart from this obvious factor, there is also of psychological problems which can lead to your child growing up with low confidence and very little self esteem.



So what can you do about it? Quite a lot actually but it will have to be a process that will be used over a period of time, and not changed overnight. You can help reverse the effects of childhood obesity, although it will not be easy. However anything worth having is never easy but that's why it's worth having.

First of all you have to remember that most things that we do in our lives are through habit, and habits can be difficult to change, but they can be changed with a little hard work. Obesity in itself is not a habit but the actions that led to obesity will be habits. Things like diet, exercise, and daily activities are habits, regardless whether they are good habits.

When it comes to childhood obesity, the bad habits are the ones you need to work on as a parent. In the beginning your child will try to resist this change, after all when someone is used to living a certain way, change can be difficult to introduce. Through perseverance change can and will happen, it all depends on you and what you are prepared to do.

You need to make your child understand the value of different foods and the danger of others. Start to make gradual changes to the your childs diet. An important point to remember that whatever you changes you make for your child, you can't do the opposite. If your child see's that you are also making the effort, then he or she will respond better to those changes.

As for physical activity, it should be introduced slowly. Don't expect your child to run around a track 5 or 6 times in the first week. Start by doing fun physical activities like going to the park and playing with a ball, or other games that make your child run around. Just doing this will make a difference in your child's health.

Childhood obesity is not something we can wash our hands of as parents. We are responsible for our childrens safety, education, and well being. Our children's health lies in our hands, and as such is our responsibility. The worst thing we can do is to "get around" to doing something about it. Get around to it, doesn't work, we have to do it today or as soon as possible. If we don't do anything we are damning our children to a future of ill health and serious diseases, all because we didn't have the determination to do something about the situation when we had the chance to do so.

Worrying about childhood obesity is not a solution and there is nothing to be gained from it. Taking the bull by the horns and taking action is the key to any successful venture. I want to look at your child's face right now!

How will that face look in 5 or 10 years time? What condition will your child's body and health be in 10 years time? That face and those eyes see you as a protector and someone to look up to, and someone to turn to when things are bad. If you don't take action then things will get really bad. So do something about childhood obesity today.