little kids with big problems

what’s in the news

You can’t go long these days without hearing another study about the obesity epidemic in North America.  Canadian and American adults and children are bigger than ever.  Last year, Statistics Canada announced that 16% of Canadian adults are medically obese and another 32% are overweight.  Bigger parents means bigger children, and now a staggering 26% of Canadian kids are overweight. If you’ve ever been teased (yes, you… shoved in a locker? called names? picked last for kickball?) you know that being perceived as different can be emotional torture for a child.  An overweight kid might as well have giant neon arrows surrounding her.  But what about the physical consequences of childhood overweight and obesity?

Heavy kids are at risk for most of the same complications as heavy adults: depression, sleep problems, asthma, headaches, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, type-2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, chronic infections, fatty liver disease, gallstones, constipation, acid reflux, joint pain, fractures and a generally decreased quality of life.  Not the future you envisioned for your little one?  The good news is that simple lifestyle changes like increasing physical activity and improving family nutrition habits have a big impact on little bodies.  A recent study showed that overweight children can lose several pounds just by exercising 20 minutes per day.  Easier said than done, you say?  Well, the gestappo you are not.  If you want to change your kids’ attitudes toward exercise you must understand what’s stopping them from being active in the first place.  A 2003 study determined the top five perceived barriers to exercise among overweight and obese children.  Below are the top 5 reasons that overweight kids, especially girls, feel they can’t be active and five strategies to break down these barriers and get your kids moving:

Top 5 Perceived Barriers to Exercise… and Solutions for Parents

1. Barrier: too much homework and not enough time for physical activity.  Moms & Dads can: suggest short bursts of exercise as homework breaks and build exercise into the daily schedule by encouraging biking or walking to school and activities, if possible.

2. Barrier: Self conscious about looks and when doing physical activity.  Moms & Dads can: shift language to emphasize strength, health and fitness instead of appearance, and choose activities that encourage performance but don’t focus on how to make bodies look better.

3. Barrier: No one with whom to exercise.  Moms & Dads can: schedule family activities on weekends and evenings, and find age-appropriate group activity programs (perhaps not school-based if your child is being ridiculed or left out or feels self-conscious with classmates).

4. Barrier: Feel too overweight to do physical activity.  Moms & Dads can: show kids that work and play activities such as walking the dog, cleaning, frisbee and dancing are all activities of which they are capable and which can help improve their health and fitness.

5. Barrier: Chosen last for teams.  Moms & Dads can: introduce kids to individual sports or sports that are less focused on skill level such as biking, jogging and cross-country skiing.  Encourage strength training to help build coordination and focus; strength training may also help build self-esteem as overweight children are often quite strong.

Children are meant to be active.  In a gentle way, teach your children that exercise is not an option.  Daily activity is as mandatory as daily teeth brushing and exercise, in its absence, is a powerful threat to your child’s health, now and as an adult.  Understanding your child’s attitudes about her body and about exercise can start a conversation between you that will allow you to strategize and come up with solutions to get the whole family a lot healthier and happier.

children’s fitness tax credit

family fitness

Okay, it’s not the sexiest subject, but tax season is upon us.  The Canada Revenue Agency has offered a tax credit since 2007 to moms and dads who pay to enrol their children in programs of physical activity.   To read more about the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit, visit the CRA website and find out how you can claim up to $500 per child per year.

Yet another reason to build regular blocks of physical activity into your child’s days and weeks….

Family Activities to Keep You Fit

family fitness

As fall starts to set in and the days become much cooler – and shorter – we find ourselves as parents scaling back our activities during the week to cope with a busier schedule and a sleepier body.  So why not take advantage of those lovely autumn weekends and get out in the sunshine with the whole family.  You can make up for lost time in the gym over the course of the week and enjoy some great bonding time.  After all, the family that plays together…. you get the drift.  Here are just a handful of the ways you can mix fun and fitness.

1. Gardens & Gorges

OK, not exactly a gorge but a valley.  Load yourselves into the car and park (for free!) at Edwards Gardens where you can see the last of the year’s gorgeous flowers and head downhill, straight into the Don Valley trail system.  You can walk as far as the lake or turn back around whenever your littlest hiker starts to tire.  Why not be adventurous and hike uphill on one of the trails less taken?

Edwards Gardens

2. Backyard Soccer

There are few games as uncomplicated and requiring as little equipment as soccer.  Team up and designate nets on either side of the yard (or a quiet neighbourhood park).  A little fuzzy on the rules?  Check out this great Soccer for Parents free rulebook. Be sure to include a family warm-up; try jumping jacks and pushups or a quick game of tag!

3. Family TV Night

The next time you settle in for your Friday night TV and popcorn bonanza, add a little challenge to the mix and burn some calories while you’re at it!  Each commercial break, assign one family member to choose an exercise or activity (squats, pushups, jumping jacks, or a silly dance) and challenge everyone to do that movement continuously until the commercial break ends.

4. Run Away with Me

Charity runs are a great way to instill two crucial values in your children: the desire to care for their bodies and the desire to serve their communities.  Sign up for a family fun run such as the Toronto Zoo Run 5K or 1K Cub Run and share in the spirit of healthy competition.

5. Nature’s Jungle Gym

It’s worth the drive to the Scarborough Bluffs.  At the east end of Toronto’s magnificent Waterfront Trail, Bluffer’s Park is the perfect spot for a weekend picnic and hike, not to mention a great way to reinforce those gradeschool geography lessons.  Hike just a bit up the cliffs and enjoy an unobstructed view of the lake not seen in many other parts of the city.

Bluffers Park