Summer School Vacations contributing to Obesity?

What they are finding is that children instead of running outside and playing with their friends, children are more likely to be pursuing sedentary entertainment such as computer video games and watching TV. On top of that, they reach for plentiful sugary snacks, instead of eating their more predictably healthy packed school lunches.

"Since the 1970s, the percentage of children overweight has tripled, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

So moms that chase their children away from the computer, instant messaging and TV watching to go and play outside are doing their children a big favor. However, how often it is true that moms are not there to supervise as they are working. The children are then left to their own devices and will typically choose lazy, leisurely junk food-filled activities. Sad but true.

Some people have enrolled their children in a gym to counteract the problem. I think that's great, but it is also vitally important that children, especially in northern hemispheres, get enough sunshine each day. The vitamin D is essential for building strong bones, growth and preventing all sorts of diseases later on in life, such as multiple sclerosis and cancer. They are now discovering that lack of sunshine in childhood is a big problem and in sunny countries multiple sclerosis is almost unheard of.

I guess watching all that TV can be a problem as well with regard to all the advertisements for high calorie, high sugar, high carbohydrate junk food.

School summer vacations can lead to weight gain in children is the take-home message and, therefore, steps should be taken to make sure children get enough physical exercise, sunshine and healthy food.

Read full article here:
Summer Weight Gain in Children