Healthy Youth

OBESITY IN CHILDREN

The causes of obesity are complex and include biological, behavioral and cultural factors. Obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body burns up. They need a change in diet.

Childhood obesity is a major public health problem.  Children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of unhealthy eating pattern and a lack of physical activity. However children are at high risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure later in life.  The following is a list of common causes of obesity:

• poor eating habits
• overeating or binging
• lack of exercise (i.e., couch potato kids)
• family history of obesity
• medical illnesses (endocrine, neurological problems)
• medications (steroids, some psychiatric medications)
• stressful life events or changes (separations, divorce, moves, deaths, abuse)
• family and peer problems
• low self-esteem
• depression or other emotional problems

How can obesity be managed and treated?
Obese children need a thorough medical evaluation by a pediatrician or family physician to consider the possibility of a physical cause. In the absence of a physical disorder, the only way to lose weight is to reduce the number of calories being eaten and to increase the level of physical activity. Lasting weight loss can only occur when there is self-motivation. Since obesity often affects more than one family member, making healthy eating and regular exercise a family activity can improve the chances of successful weight control for the child or adolescent.

WORKOUT EXERCISE FOR KIDS

Kids exercise means playing and being physically active. Kids exercise when they have gym class at school, during recess, at dance class or soccer practice, while riding bikes, or when playing tag.

One of the best ways to get kids to exercise is by finding ways to get them active without making it feel like actual exercise. Thanks to video games and computers, today’s kids live a more sedentary life, so it is more important than ever to get them moving whenever possible. From fun games to trampoline tricks and even yoga, here are 10 steps you can take to get your kids to play hard and thus get exercise without even knowing it!

Nutritious meals for kids provide the vitamins nutrients and mineral needed to meet the daily dietary guideline for children.

Children use a lot of energy to maintain a high level of concentration, increased brain power and a healthy lifespan. So exercise throughout the day will prevent energy high and low. A healthy daily diet for kids should Include three meals and two healthy snacks.

Teach your child to eat a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables.

Healthy Meals for Kids

Good things come in small packages and mealtime is no exception. These healthy meals are perfect for popping into little mouths or picking up with tiny fingers. Your kids will delight in these bite-sized meals and snacks. Each meal is low in calories, provides a variety of healthy ingredients, and is so tasty even the big kids (a.k.a. Mom or Dad) will like them.

With each recipe, find suggestions for the parents to help make prep easier, to involve the children in the kitchen, or to add a unique, adult-friendly spin to the recipe. Best of all, you can feel good serving these healthy recipes to your children.

Chicken Fingers

Chickens don’t have fingers! I think the name comes from how you eat them. This part of the chicken is the loin, which comes from the breast. The loin has a little yellowish-white tendon at one end that is sometimes tough to chew. You can cut this tendon off after you wash and dry the meat, but I usually leave it on. Hey, I’m lazy!

Yields: 3 to 5 servings

Oven Temp: 375

Ingredients
1 pound(s) chicken tenders (The package might call them “loins”)Chicken Fingers:

• 1 cup(s) flour
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 egg
• Cooking spray

Honey Baby Sauce:

• 1/4 cup(s) honey
• 1/4 cup(s) spicy brown mustard

Directions

1. Preheat the toaster oven to 375 degrees. Rinse the chicken under running water in the colander, and blot it dry with the paper towels. The drying part is important because the coating won’t stick to wet chicken, so don’t skip it.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in one of the shallow dishes. (Since this recipe uses baking powder, you need to measure out the dry ingredients carefully.) Use the fork to mix them together.
3. Use the fork to beat the egg lightly in the other shallow dish. Now the fun part: dredge each piece of chicken first in the flour (shake off any extra), then in the egg, and then back in the flour. Finally, place the chicken on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops of the dredged chicken with oil.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces over with the tongs. Lightly spray them with oil, and bake another 5 minutes until golden brown.
5. To make sauce: Combine honey and mustard in a small bowl. If you’re sharing, let each person have their own little bowl of sauce.
6. Let the chicken fingers cool before you dip them in Honey Baby Sauce. Chow down.