CA Kids Face Perfect Storm for Obesity

CA Kids Face Perfect Storm for Obesity

The number of overweight children in California and the nation has reached epidemic levels. In the United States, the proportion of young people who are overweight has tripled since 1980. In 2005 a California Department of Education analysis of 2004 FITNESSGRAM data found that over 32 percent

of youths are overweight and close to 74 percent are unfit. Today's children and youths are less active, consume more fat and sweetened beverages, and eat fewer healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables, than their predecessors.

Overweight children and youths are developing serious health problems now and are facing worse health problems in the future. The Surgeon General states that children who have an unhealthy diet and low levels of physical activity are at a greater risk of developing chronic health problems, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, and heart disease.

The economic burden of overweight children is high. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in one two-year period, U.S. taxpayers spent $127 million on hospital costs associated with caring for overweight children and adolescents. California paid nearly $25 billion in health care costs and lost productivity in 2000 due to overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity.

“Our nation’s children have entered a perfect storm of consuming diets that are high in fat, sugar and salt, while engaging in an increasingly sedentary lifestyle where television, video games and computers have replaced biking, swimming, slides, swings and monkey-bars,” said Daniel Altchuler, DPM, President of the California Podiatric Medical Association, a podiatric physician in private practice in Santa Monica, California.  

Kids NEED TO MOVE!  The simplest, most user-friendly and cost-effective means of achieving physical activity is WALKING.  Fun, easy to do, and free makes walking just about the best health bargain around, and just about everyone can do it.  And a great way to get kids walking is by walking to school.

Each October, millions of children, parents, teachers, and community leaders across the globe walk to school to celebrate International Walk to School Month. Communities can choose to celebrate for a day during Walk to School Day on October 8; Walk to School Week October 6-10; or the entire month of October with International Walk to School Month.

Sponsored by the US Department of Transportation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Partnership for a Walkable America (a national coalition working to improve the conditions for walking in America and to increase the number of Americans who walk regularly), Walk to

School Day was first established in the U.S. in 1997 with the purpose of promoting health, safety, physical activity and concern for the environment.  It has grown from one day in October to a week, to the entire month.

“There are plenty of great reasons to walk to school – less traffic, cleaner air – but one of the best is that children and parents will be healthier.  With obesity rates skyrocketing and only one-quarter of Americans are currently getting the Surgeon General's recommended daily dose of exercise (just 30 to 45 minutes), it's an ideal time to encourage children to walk to school for their own health and well-being,” Dr. Altchuler continued.

How to Participate:   Students are encouraged to walk for all or part of their way to school. If a student’s commute is too long or not pedestrian friendly they are encouraged to take a walk after lunch around the track or school grounds.

The Goal:  Add Healthy Steps to Your Day:  Walking for 30 to 60 minutes a day greatly reduces your risk of developing, and/or dying from heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. By finding a way to make walking part of each day, like walking to school, you are giving yourself proven health benefits.

Shoes:

Proper shoes are critical.  If your shoes hurt your feet then you won’t want to walk.  Walking shoes should be comfortable for walking for 30-60 minutes at a stretch.

“Care should be taken when purchasing shoes, especially children’s shoes,” said Dr. Altchuler.  The California Podiatric Medical Association offers the following tips for buying shoes for children:

• Ask if the assistant is a trained shoe fitter.
• Buy shoes in the afternoon.  Feet tend to expand throughout the day.
• Examine the shoe itself. It should have a firm heel counter (stiff material on either side of the heel), adequate cushioning of the insole, and a built-in arch. It should be flexible enough to bend where the foot bends—at the ball of the foot, not in the middle of the shoe.
• The child’s foot should be sized while he or she is standing up and fully weight-bearing.
• Always have both feet measured for length, and if they are two different sizes, shoes should be chosen that fit the larger foot best.
• A newly fitted shoe should be approximately ½ inch longer than the longest toe.  The child should be able to comfortably wiggle his or her toes in the shoe.
• Have the child walk around the store for more than just a few minutes wearing the shoe with a normal sock. Ask the child if he or she feels any pressure spots in the shoe.  Feel the inside of the shoe for any staples or irregularities in the glue that could cause irritation. Examine where the inside stitching hits the foot. Look for signs of irritation on the foot after the shoe is worn.
• Avoid slip-on shoes. Shoes should be held on the foot with laces, straps or Velcro fastenings.
• Heel height should be no more than 1.5 inches, lower for younger children.
• The heel should have a broad base and be made from a shock-absorbing material.
• Natural material uppers are best, i.e., leather.
• The toe area of the shoe should be foot-shaped, and also deep enough to allow the toes to move freely and not be squashed.
• If your child wears prescription orthotics - biomechanical inserts prescribed by a podiatric physician—you should take them along to shoe fittings.

 Use a Pedometer:  To promote weight loss and prevent weight gain use a pedometer:  Studies have shown pedometers to be great motivators for adults and children alike for logging steps (kids make a game of it). Experts say if we all added 2000 more steps to our day, we wouldn't gain another pound.

”Our aim is to have all Californians, especially kids, incorporate walking into their lives by making it a pleasure, not a chore. A walk can be an invigorating way to start the school or work day,” Dr. Altchuler concluded.

The California Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA) is the state’s leading professional medical organization for foot and ankle specialists and represents more than 1000 California doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs). Since 1912 CPMA has served the people of California by promoting the science and art of podiatric medicine, protecting the public health, and elevating the standards of medical education.

CPMA; Committed to Keeping Californians on Their Feet – Healthy, Active and Productive!