{"id":2880,"date":"2013-03-06T15:05:27","date_gmt":"2013-03-06T21:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/?p=2880"},"modified":"2014-11-13T17:56:27","modified_gmt":"2014-11-13T23:56:27","slug":"childhood-obesity-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/childhood-obesity-prevention\/","title":{"rendered":"Childhood Obesity Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.backyardcity.com\/Images\/3L\/Vinyl-Playhouse-Article.jpg?resize=175%2C141\" width=\"175\" height=\"141\" \/>Entice Outdoor Play With a Vinyl Playhouse<\/h3>\n<p>Are you surprised to know that one out of three kids are now considered overweight or obese in the United States? In today&#8217;s society obesity is mainly cause from what we eat, from fat-laden fast food to microwave and prepackaged meals. It seems that with this generation, everybody&#8217;s daily schedules are so busy that there is a very limited amount of time to make healthier meals or to squeeze in some exercise. Portion sizes, in the home and out, are becoming dramatically larger in size. Plus, more than ever, life is sedentary and kids spend more time playing with electronic devices, from computers to handheld video game systems, than actively playing outside.<\/p>\n<p>Watching too much television is one of the most obvious reasons for of lack of exercise. Kids younger than 6 spend an average of 2 hours a day in front of a television screen. Older kids and teens spend almost 4 hours a day watching TV or videos. When computer use and video games are included, time spent in front of a screen increases to over 5 hours a day! Kids who watch more than 4 hours a day have a larger tendency to be overweight, compared with kids who watch 2 hours or less.<\/p>\n<p>Sadly, during their youth, overweight children and adolescents are more likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes) than are other children and adolescents. Overweight children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults. For example, one study found that approximately 80% of children who were overweight at age 10-15 were obese adults at age 25. Another study found that 25% of obese adults were overweight as children. The latter study also found that if overweight begins before 8 years of age, obesity in adulthood has a higher tendency to be very severe and morbid.<\/p>\n<p>Tips for parents to encourage healthy lifestyles in their children:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Set a positive example by being active yourself, and make physical activity part of your family&#8217;s daily routine. For Example, designate time for family walks or playing active games together.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Provide opportunities for children to be active by playing with them. Give them active toys and equipment, and take them to places where they can be active.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Offer positive reinforcement for the physical activities in which your child participates, and always encourage them to expand their interests with new activities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Make physical activity fun. Fun activities can be anything the child enjoys, either structured or non-structured. They may range from team sports, individual sports, and\/or recreational activities such as walking, running, skating, bicycling, swimming, playground activities, and free-time play.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensure that the activity is age appropriate and, to ensure safety, provide protective equipment such as helmets, wrist pads, and knee pads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Find a convenient place to be active regularly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Reduce the amount of time your kids are allowed to watch television or play video games to no more than two hours per day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Encouraging your children to play outside in your own backyard becomes easier by installing items such as swing sets, play gyms, and outdoor playhouses. Outdoor play equipment, toys, and games encourage both exercise and the use of your children&#8217;s imagination.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Swing-Set-Accessories\/Custom-Vinyl-Playhouse.htm\">Outdoor playhouses<\/a>\u00a0provide hours of fun for kids while promoting exercise and healthy habits all at the same time. Realistically, you do not have to spend a fortune on a new tree house or fancy club house when many existing backyard playsets can be easily converted to include a vinyl playhouse by simply having a vinyl enclosure custom made. Even on a rainy day, a custom outdoor vinyl playhouse can become a secret fort, a dollhouse, or a ship at sea.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Entice Outdoor Play With a Vinyl Playhouse Are you surprised to know that one out of three kids are now considered overweight or obese in the United States? In today&#8217;s society obesity is mainly cause from what we eat, from fat-laden fast food to microwave and prepackaged meals. It seems that with this generation, everybody&#8217;s daily schedules are so busy that there is a very &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/childhood-obesity-prevention\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Childhood Obesity Prevention<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&raquo;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,602],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-backyard-fun","category-swing-sets-play"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Nnyf-Ks","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1507,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/practice-makes-perfect-with-basketball-and-soccer\/","url_meta":{"origin":2880,"position":0},"title":"Practice Makes Perfect with Basketball and Soccer","author":"Trey Collier","date":"April 1, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Spring is a perfect time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Sports offer a great outlet to get some exercise while enjoying your time outdoors. Basketball and soccer are fun choices! If you already have an outdoor basketball goal, you know the enjoyment that they can offer. From a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Backyard Fun&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":212,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/keep-your-kids-moving-with-winter-outdoor-fun\/","url_meta":{"origin":2880,"position":1},"title":"Keep Your Kids Moving with Winter Outdoor\u00a0Fun!","author":"Trey Collier","date":"December 22, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"As the temperatures drop outside, our kids tend to be less active and spend more time indoors.\u00a0 Not only do they tend to\u00a0eat more\u00a0in the winter they also sometimes push us to our limits with \"I'm bored\" hours on end.\u00a0 Send them\u00a0on their way\u00a0with these ideas for fun activities outdoors.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Backyard Fun&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.backyardcity.com\/Images\/BWP\/NW912-Snowfort-Large.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1691,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/dig-up-summer-fun-with-this-ultimate-outdoor-toy\/","url_meta":{"origin":2880,"position":2},"title":"Dig Up Summer Fun with This Ultimate Outdoor Toy","author":"Sara May","date":"July 4, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Keeping kids active and busy over the long summer months while school is out can be a challenge.\u00a0 It's not always practical or possible to spend the day at\u00a0the local museum or zoo.\u00a0 Making sure that kids have access at home to plenty of safe and super fun toys is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Backyard Fun&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Outdoor Toy - Kettler Caterpillar Backhoe Loader","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/backyardcity.com\/Images\/Kettler\/Toys\/CAT-813001-BackhoeLoader.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":766,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/sandboxes-are-a-never-ending-classic\/","url_meta":{"origin":2880,"position":3},"title":"Sandboxes Are a Never-Ending Classic","author":"Sara May","date":"June 14, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Experts agree that the simpler the plaything, the more effectively kids are able to create and\u00a0imagine.\u00a0 Nothing is\u00a0simpler than sand, and nothing\u00a0gets a kid's creativity and imagination going\u00a0quite like\u00a0an old-fashioned sandbox. Kids of all ages flock to sandboxes\u00a0in parks and\u00a0at schools, and who can resist that ultimate sandbox --\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Backyard Fun&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/sandboxes.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1054,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/make-your-children-happy-and-healthy\/","url_meta":{"origin":2880,"position":4},"title":"Make Your Children Happy AND Healthy!","author":"Trey Collier","date":"October 15, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 While wooden swing set kits are amazing, they are not for everyone. You might not have the room, or the money, to dedicate to a solid wooden frame. If that is the case, I have got the perfect metal swing set for you! The BrittanyAll Inclusive Wood Playset is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Backyard Fun&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.backyardcity.com\/Images\/SAM\/Set-white-background.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1367,"url":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/get-your-family-outside-with-murbles\/","url_meta":{"origin":2880,"position":5},"title":"Get Your Family Outside With Murbles!","author":"Trey Collier","date":"December 10, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Family gatherings offer a fun, bonding experience for family members of every age. For my family, these gatherings often include outdoor games, such as horseshoes or volleyball. This year, I am adding a new game to the mix! The Murbles Game is a great way to get everyone involved and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Backyard Fun&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Backyard Fun","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/category\/backyard-fun\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/w3HH_2_7tsI\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2880"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2880\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2882,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2880\/revisions\/2882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.backyardcity.com\/Outdoor-Patio-Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}