A Wake Up Call for Today’s Parents
Posted by Michael Byrd on Aug 20 2008 | Tagged as: Healthy Eating Habits
How could you be a more responsible parent?
Well, there are many ways. Raising them well and providing for all of their needs such as food, shelter, and clothing count. But how would you know that what you are giving them is right for them?
Let’s take food for example. Millions of today’s youth are suffering from many health problems like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and serious self esteem issues. Could we be causing the problems without ever knowing it? What could we be doing wrong?
Research proves that these health complications are caused by poor childhood diet and lifestyle. Can you believe that some parents even serve soft drinks to their babies? Now, can you call that responsible parenting?
Here’s more – recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that many of today’s babies and toddlers are eating terrible diets such as Big Macs, fries, potato chips, cheese curls, cookies, candies, and other junk foods. Are you doing the same with your kids?
And if this doesn’t horrify you enough, take a look at this. Researchers from Tufts University of Medicine found that one third of the children they surveyed haven’t even eaten a single piece of fruit and vegetable all their lives!
It doesn’t surprise me at all to know that more than 25% of preschoolers are overweight or obese. And the worse part is that the percentage continually grows at an alarming rate! Based on statistics, this condition will be much worse in a matter of years. And it may increase cases of heart diseases and diabetes by 80% and 90%, respectively.
See, what comes out of poor lifestyle and unhealthy diet, and how can we solve that problem? We, as parents, have the chance to do something about it, but it should start within ourselves.
Let us be good role models for our children. Let us develop a healthy and active lifestyle, and then teach our children to do the same. Do this and you can be sure that later on, your children will greatly appreciate all the good habits you instilled in them.
