Lazy Summer Days a Danger to Child Health
Summer is the perfect season for family vacations, picnics and games in the yard or at the park. But for this generation of children summer is a time for watching more TV, eating high-calorie snacks, and decreased exercise.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since the 1970s the percentage of obese children has tripled. This means that among children aged 7 to 11 the rate of overweight children has increased from 6.5 to 18.8 percent. And the time of year when most children gain weight? Summer. Less adult supervision means that children have more access to unhealthy snacks, along with mass advertising encouraging them to eat high-calorie, low-quality foods.
The increasing cost of food is forcing some families to skip fruit and vegetables and replace it with less nutritional options. This occurrence is most common among poor families, who in-turn are more likely to have overweight children for a number of other reasons.
Summer also provides children with 3 months of potential boredom. Without a regular school routine they are more likely to be lazy and spend a whole day on the computer. Also, school provides a regular routine of meals, and exercise, which is absent during the summer months.
Despite the potential danger zone of summer for children, more and more people are trying to reverse this problem by getting them involved in healthy activities during the long school break. A number of gyms and fitness centers have started summertime classes for children, to help them lose weight or just play games with their peers. It is hoped that by encouraging children to exercise and eat healthily over the summer months they are will be more likely to develop healthy practices as adults.