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Fit Kids promotes fitness and a healthy
weight by guiding children and their families to set their own realistic
goals for nutrition, activity patterns, and lifestyle.
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In 1977-78,
one in 10 children’s meals was purchased at a fast food restaurant;
in 1994-96, this proportion rose to one in three.
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Less than
one-third of children ages 6 – 17 meet minimum standards for
cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and abdominal and upper body
strength.
-- Fit Kids, Kenneth Cooper, MD, 1999
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Greater
parental knowledge about nutrition correlates with lower prevalence
of overweight among children.
-- Food Review, Vol 24
Rewards of
Exercise
- Along with increasing stamina and muscle
strength, exercise helps improve motor coordination, dexterity,
balance and flexibility.
- In addition, physical activity prevents bone
loss, decreases the risk of some cancers and lowers the risk of
heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.
- Participation in organized activities teaches
valuable lessons about discipline and sportsmanship.
- Being physically active boosts self-esteem and
improves mood. Teenagers who feel good about themselves are less
likely to have problems with drugs, gangs and alcohol.
Statistics
- Obesity is the most common health problem facing
children in the United States.
- Obesity may soon kill more Americans than do
cigarettes.
- 300,000 Americans a year die from illnesses that
are caused or worsened by obesity.
- 61% of adults are overweight or obese.
- 13% of children are overweight or obese
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Adolescent girls and young
women, who have a high risk of developing eating
disorders, benefit from improved body image,
which can be achieved through fitness and
fashion.
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We all know how important it is for us to exercise and be
physically active most days of the week, but do you know how
important it is for your children to be physically active,
too? Here are some alarming U.S. statistics:
- The average child watches 20-30 hours
of TV each week.
- 30% of children and teens are
overweight, and the number keeps climbing.
- The number of overweight children has
more than doubled in the last three decades.
- An overweight child has a higher risk
of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
70% of 10-13 year-olds who are overweight now will be
obese as adults.
Feeling too self-critical about appearance can interfere
with body image. And poor body image can hurt a child's
overall self-image, too.
Visit the fashion tips page. |
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