As an educational and obesity prevention method, schools in California have started sending letters to parents of overweight children, identifying the risks children face when battling the bulge. To give you an idea of what an impact this may have, about 200 out of 900 parents received these letters. About the expected since 1 out of every 3 kids is overweight.
Statistics show that overweight children are much more prone to being overweight as adults, and as a result, are at high risk of facing complications like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and substance abuse. But physical symptoms are only part of the equation.
This Little Kiddy Comes Crying All the Way Home
The mental health risks bullied children face lead to “depression, anxiety, suicidality, [and] a whole host of outcomes that…wreak havoc on adult lives.”
According to the New York Times, overweight children are 60% more likely to get bullied. And the effects of being bullied aren’t so easily out-grown. The damaged self- confidence and self-worth affects people well into their adulthood.
As They Say, Eating Healthy Starts at Home
September is National Childhood Obesity month and while there are several wonderful organizations working to reduce childhood obesity, we found a project on Indiegogo aiming to reduce childhood obesity and bullying by teaching kids to eat and be healthy, instead of being fat or skinny.
Precise Portions is crowdfunding an educational line of children’s dinnerware, activity placemats, and flashcards to complement their adult line, whose designs are based on nutritionist-suggested portion sizes.
The goals behind the project are to develop children’s healthy eating habits and a conscientious understanding of what health means to them, so that what they look like is less of a concern.
In addition to waging a war against bullying, Maxim Hygiene supports healthy living. Eating healthy isn’t only about limiting portion intake, but eating the rights foods in the right proportions. (So it’s probably best you keep your favorite ice cream bowls for special occasions like girls-nights and breakups)!
Head on over to Indiegogo to check out the fabulous kids’ line, great for moms and mommies-to-be and tweet us your favorite healthy recipes to be featured on our Pinterest boards!