A Guide to Recreation for Kids

According to statistics gathered by the Center for Disease Control, childhood and adolescent obesity is one of the biggest problems facing families today. The CDC reports that nearly 14 million children between the ages of 2 - 19 years old are considered to be obese. That total represents over 18% of the population in that age group.

These children, if allowed to continue to be obese, run health risks now and in the future. Studies show that obese children run the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Other potential problems include running the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, joint problems, and health concerns with other organs. But problems are not just physical, it can also have an affect on mental wellbeing. Being obese can cause anxiety, depression, low self esteem and bullying among children and adolescents.

To combat the problem of obesity among children and adolescents' families need to ensure they are doing their part to battle the problems. There are many things that parents can do. They include making sure that children have proper nutritional meals. Ideally meals should include items from the various food groups to have a good balanced meal. Also, parents should make sure that children limit the number of snacks that do not have nutritional value. Food items that are high in sugar are ones to watch for.

But equally important is that children should get exercise. Recreational activities are a great way to get the body moving and reducing the chance of children being obese. Even if your child is not a great athlete, getting them moving will be beneficial to their health. To help parents getting children involved in the recreation act that is right for them, we have listed a number of resources for you to review.

• Child Obesity Facts and Statistics
• Obesity and Overweight Fact Sheets
• Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in the United States
• Child Obesity Causes
• Child Obesity Symptoms and Causes
• Childhood Obesity
• Tips to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Weight
• Childhood Obesity Prevention
• Obesity Prevention
• Nutritional Management in Childhood Obesity
• Nutrition and Obesity
• Exercise in the Treatment of Childhood Obesity
• Health Risks of Overweight Children
• Why Does Childhood Overweight and Obesity Matter?
• Overweight and Obesity for Parents
• Physical Activity and Play in Children Who are Overweight
• Exercise for Children
• How Much Physical Activity Do Children Need?
• Simple and Easy Activities for Kids
• Easy Activities for Kids
• Kids and Exercise
• Fun and Simple Outdoor Activities for Kids
• Fun Family Activities for Kids