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| Thursa Evens continues an exercise regimen that she began some 30 years ago. The Greencastle, Ind., resident was one of 600 in Putnam County who participated in Walking for Wellness, a fitness program sponsored by Purdue Extension. Photo credit: Tom Campbell |
Girth growth
Being overweight is a growing problem for kids. In fact, the significance of the obesity problem among youth is such that this nation may raise a generation with decreased life expectancy from that of their parents due to chronic disease, according to Karen Zotz, Purdue Extension consumer and family sciences program leader.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of overweight children has more than doubled in the last 20 years in the United States. In 2003, 13.5 percent of our nation's youngsters weighed more than they should, and, in Indiana, 11.5 percent of children were overweight.
Problems associated with children who are overweight include health concerns, school absenteeism, poor academic performance and depression. Excess weight has also been tied to the likelihood that a child will be bullied in school.
In addition to health concerns, obesity has other hidden costs, such as medical bills and a lack of productivity. According to a U.S. Surgeon General's report, the economic cost of obesity in this nation is about $117 billion. "Being overweight is not just a personal problem," Zotz says.
Shedding excess weight and keeping it off is a skill that can be learned. "Behavior modification is really what it's all about," Zotz says. "Research provides us with successful change models that can be used to motivate and teach young people about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle."
Healthy habits
The Kitchen Inventions contest is only one of several exciting health and fitness programs that Purdue Extension offers in counties across the state to educate youth and adults about the importance of good nutrition and physical fitness.
For instance, in Adams County, kids participate in a Purdue Extension program twice a week that helps them take off excess pounds and gain self-confidence. The after-school effort, Super Kids Dare to Be Healthy, targets kids and parents with behavior-changing advice.
"We talk about nutrition education, behavioral health, body image, self-esteem and physical activity," says Purdue Extension educator Trisha Hockemeyer. In addition, the two-hour sessions include activities such as sports and rock climbing.
Seventeen year-old Sarah Cearns participated in the program with her sister Shalynn and brother Cody. Sarah joined primarily for the encouragement she thought she would receive but found much more. "I had been overweight and trying to lose weight," she says. "The nutrition advice really helped, and now I read nutrition labels. You don't have to eat just veggies, veggies, veggies. There are some good food alternatives."
Sarah lost 15 pounds while in the program and continues the healthy habits that she learned. She and her 15-year-old sister set a New Year's resolution to lose more weight together and learned how to set reasonable goals from the Super Kids program. Their 11-year-old brother, who doesn't normally like sports, says he really enjoys the exercise portions of the sessions, and he now plays more outside. "I also liked learning that ice cream is not as bad as you think," Cody says.
And for those in the program, a better self-image helps complete the picture. Parents of children who have participated report seeing an overall increase in confidence among their children and report feeling more confident themselves in modeling healthier lifestyles.
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