Grand Magazine - July/August 2008 - (Page 39)

prosper dId you know tHat over tHe span of tHe last two decades tHe obesIty rates Have more tHan doubled for young cHIldren and trIpled for adolescents? In 2003–2004, the Centers for Disease Control found that 19% of children ages 6-11 years were overweight, 17% of adolescents ages 12-19 years were overweight, 66.3% of adults ages 20 and older were either overweight or obese, and 32% of adults ages 20 years and older were obese. How does being overweight or obese place our grandchildren at risk? Many health studies show that overweight and obese children and teens are at increased risk for • cardiovascular problems • high blood pressure • elevated cholesterol • type II diabetes • respiratory problems • arthritis • gout • blemished complexions • orthopedic problems • low self-esteem • depression • being ridiculed and bullied by their peers and treated as social outcasts • becoming overweight or obese adults who are at risk for premature death How do our grandchildren benefit from being physically active? Physical fitness brings increased stamina, strength and suppleness. The President’s Council on Fitness and Sports tells us: “…regular physical activity protects cardiovascular health by reducing the risk for obesity and its associated illnesses, builds strong bones and helps maintain bone density, increases self-confidence and self-esteem, and provides a healthy outlet for reducing stress.” Students who exercise regularly have improved cognitive skills and concentration; they learn more easily and achieve higher academic performance than their sedentary peers. What’s the first step? After considering safety stuff, we join in! Remember when we tied on capes and leapt from rooftops, shooting arrows at our siblings, or splashed in creeks alongside snapping Is It just “baby fat” or an unHealtHy body mass Index (bmI)? We can discreetly assess whether our grandchildren are within their healthy weight limits by using the interactive Childhood Obesity Pediatric Assessment Measurement Tool offered by Shape Up America! Healthy Weight for Life. www.shapeup.org/oap/ entry.php JULY AUGUST 2008 GRAND 39 http://www.shapeup.org/oap/entry.php

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Grand Magazine - July/August 2008

Grand Magazine - July/August 2008 Contents Grand View: Love Is All That's Left Isn't It Grand?: Reassessing the Postponed Life Grand Central Just So We Know: One Mixed-Up Lemon Long-Distance Love: Cuttings Ask Grand: Stuck on Stuff Grand Gestures: "Thanks for the Ugly Gift" Tips on Teens: All That Doesn't Meet the Eye Live Long and Propser On the Cover: Peter Yarrow Presents of Mine Thicker Than Water? Reunions: White Water, White Knuckles The Grand Gourmet So We Are Not Alone Looking Grand: Suit-Able Grandbloggers: Why Watch TV When We Can Talk? Grand Bazaar Resources Grand Finale: What Boat

Grand Magazine - July/August 2008

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