Over the past year, I've covered a variety of health and fitness related issues, from healthy eating habits and the importance of regular exercise to surviving the holidays and disease prevention. One thing I have not yet discussed, however, is obesity in children. Perhaps this is because I don't have any of my own; but all anyone has to do is look around at our young people to and it will be obvious that children are getting heavier.

This is a subject that every parent and teacher should be concerned about, and I felt it was high time I helped bring this issue into the light of day. Let's face it, no-one wants to say it, but our kids are getting fatter. And it's not just a local issue. US Government statistics indicate that since 1960 the incidence of obesity in American children between the ages of six and 11 has increased 54 percent! And amongst young adults between the ages of 12 and 17, there is a 37 percent increase in obesity. These are sad statistics, and they do not just apply to America! Look at the increase in overweight children here; we may not be able to put a number on it, but it's obvious.

Anyone who has ever struggled with their weight is well aware of all the negative consequences of being overweight. Self-esteem and self-confidence suffer; our ability to participate in sports and physical activities is affected; overweight people are often subject to discrimination in various arenas in their lives. And we all know, the older we get the harder it is lose weight. So what are our overweight children being set up for? And children can be very cruel! I just read about an overweight 10th grader in Georgia who stood up in class, cried out that he couldn't take it anymore and shot himself in front of the classmates who had taunted and teased him about his weight.

Now hopefully, nothing this extreme and tragic will happen in Bermuda to any of our kids, but it makes the point that being overweight can be even more painful for children than it is for adults.

So why are our children getting heavier? Well that is an easy one -- too little activity and too much food!! Just like us grown-ups. When I was young, all the neighbourhood kids played `stick-in-the-mud', tag, hide and seek, touch football and any other games we could come up with. And we protested when it was time to come in for supper. Nowadays, many children consider watching TV, playing computer games and surfing the net more fun than interacting with other kids and getting exercise. Our recreational activities have changed. Then of course, there is the death of family dinners. Parents often have to work long hours to support their families, and either aren't home in time to sit down to supper with the kids or are too tired to cook a nutritious meal and just pop something in the microwave. The result? A far less healthy diet for the family. Convenience foods might be quick and easy, but they are generally full of fat and/or sugar, sodium and extra calories! Now, the answers should be obvious from reading about the problems. Help our kids get more activity each day, and ensure proper nutrition through a sensible balanced diet. I do realise that this can be easier said than done, especially coming from a non-parent! But consider the alternatives. Overweight and obesity are major contributing factors for the development of coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, adult onset diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, congestive heart failure, gallstones, osteoarthritis, sleep disorders and several types of cancers. They also inflict the emotional pain of loss of self-esteem and a feeling of social rejection. I may not be a parent, but I do know that no parent wants any of these things for their children! So do whatever it takes, no matter how hard, to make achieving a healthy balanced lifestyle a priority in your family! Your children will thank you! The next column will continue in this vein to provide you with some practical tips to help improve your child's health!