The #1 THREAT to today's youth

This story really hit close to home for me. I, like roughly 17% of American kids, was an obese child and teen, and like 40% of parents of obese children ages 6 to 11, my parents saw that I was gaining weight too quickly for my height and age, but they still did not perceive me as being "obese."

Yet, I was obese and gaining at least 10-15lbs each year. They were not alarmed by my appearance because I was active and out going. But, I was still not healthy. This article exposed a real truth that I think is overlooked by so many parents. Its not just that kids today are eating too much junk food, its that they are eating too much of everything. For example, as a kid, I loved vegetables and fruits as much as I did Skittles and Gummy Bears, and if you put 3 portions of vegetables on my plate, I would finish them all, whether I was satisfied or stuffed and still eat 3 pieces of fruit for dessert. And when it came to candy or junk food, I never grasped the concept of just eating some, and save the rest for later. I just had to finish the bag, box, or package.

I strongly believe that, like me, this is how kids deal with their feelings like loneliness, boredom, and other emotions. Moreover, food is all around them, constantly being pushed on them at home, in school, and in the media. It is easy to get and tastes good. Without the right tools and encouraging role model(s), its no wonder why they can't reason well enough to find more productive ways to express their feelings and not depend on food to cope. I think a big part of leading a GREEN lifestyle is eating in moderation. We are all born with this healthy habit, but due to the stresses of life and our environment, we unknowingly create new, unhealthy eating habits to just deal.

It's important that families work together to repair their eating habits. Learning about portion sizes and calories is the first step. ALL KIDS LOVE TO LEARN, and they deserve the chance to learn about what they put in to their bodies and how these things affect their growth. EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT, so weight loss should not be their only measurable goal. Number of new food they try in a week, number of jumping jacks they can do in a minute, these are examples of non-weight-related goals kids should strive for as they master the components of living a healthier lifestyle.