Our Over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years. At present, approximately nine million children over 6 years of age are considered obese.

In horse racing, "handicapping" is the practice of adding extra weight to a saddle — it slows a fast horse down to make the race more competitive. The extra weight that makes a horse work harder to cross the finish line has the same effect in people — carrying extra weight makes physical activity more of a challenge. Being overweight puts stress on the body, so that the joints, muscles, and cardiovascular system all have to work harder.

That's why it's important to keep your children's weight in mind when you're establishing a family fitness plan. Exercising is actually harder for overweight kids than it is for kids at a healthy weight, and as the family coach, you need to be sensitive to that.

That doesn't mean you should coddle them — your kids do need to get moving if they're going to reach a healthier weight. But you should be aware that they may need to take things slow at first. You should also take them to your family doctor first to make sure they're healthy enough to exercise, and to identify any activities that they may need to avoid or participate in with care. Once your kids have the green light from the doctor, get them out there and exercising! 

Do your kids have early signs of heart disease? If they're overweight, they just might. "I'm seeing high blood pressure in children as young as eight years old," reports Dr. William Muinos, a childhood obesity expert at Miami Children's Hospital and the doctor who looked after the health of the kids on Shaq's Big Challenge.

He isn't the only one who sees signs of trouble. A 1999 study of weight and heart health found that one in four children between the ages of five and ten has high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or some other risk factor for developing heart disease later in life. Among the overweight children in the study, more than half had at least one heart disease risk factor. Compared with kids at a healthy weight, overweight children were more than three times as likely to have elevated cholesterol and more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure. The researchers who conducted the study concluded that curbing overweight and obesity in kids could help them avoid problems like heart attack and stroke down the road.

What can you do to steer an overweight child clear of heart problems? For starters, pay a visit to your family doctor, who will check cholesterol and blood pressure levels to evaluate your child's risk. If it's been a while since his or her last checkup, schedule an appointment today! 

 

Are you eating well when you go out for a meal? Probably not if you eat a lot of fast food. Studies have shown that people who eat at fast-food restaurants consume more fat and fewer vegetables and have a higher body mass index (BMI, a measurement of weight that takes height into account) than people who do not eat at fast-food restaurants.

With these findings in mind, you should limit the amount of fast food you and your family eat so that you can keep your weight in check. When you do find yourself at a fast-food restaurant, you can still make relatively healthy choices. This means choosing grilled chicken over "crispy" fried chicken, a single hamburger over a double cheeseburger, water or low-fat milk over regular soda and milkshakes, salads with light dressings instead of fries and full-fat dressings, and fruit instead of cookies and other rich desserts. Enjoy your time dining out, but remember: If you don't choose wisely, it won't help your waistline, and you may not enjoy the results! 

Can you remember when you really wanted to take out the trash, wash the dishes, or do some other chore? We didn't think so. As adults, we learn to roll up our sleeves and get the job done, but your kids probably aren't quite that jaded yet. For kids, anything novel can be fun — and if it's fun, they'll do it.

That's why your job is to make physical activity fun, and you might as well get some help around the house out of it! Young children are especially eager to help, so enlist your team in a family car wash, or call the kids away from the TV long enough to help you do some painting or gardening.

Older kids can't be fooled quite that easily, but if you find an activity they enjoy, you won't have to twist their arms to get them to do it — in fact, you'll probably find that they're champing at the bit. So plan activities that are fun for the whole family: Take the dogs for a hike, ride your bikes to the creek and back, or compare your strokes at the local pool. Set up the badminton net in the yard and establish a nightly tradition. Ask your kids what they would have fun doing, and then try it! 

 

Can you remember when you really wanted to take out the trash, wash the dishes, or do some other chore? We didn't think so. As adults, we learn to roll up our sleeves and get the job done, but your kids probably aren't quite that jaded yet. For kids, anything novel can be fun — and if it's fun, they'll do it. That's why your job is to make physical activity fun, and you might as well get some help around the house out of it! Young children are especially eager to help, so enlist your team in a family car wash, or call the kids away from the TV long enough to help you do some painting or gardening. Older kids can't be fooled quite that easily, but if you find an activity they enjoy, you won't have to twist their arms to get them to do it — in fact, you'll probably find that they're champing at the bit. So plan activities that are fun for the whole family: Take the dogs for a hike, ride your bikes to the creek and back, or compare your strokes at the local pool. Set up the badminton net in the yard and establish a nightly tradition. Ask your kids what they would have fun doing, and then try it!

If your children seem uninterested in exercise or not motivated, have you considered that they might actually be afraid of it? Kids that are scared exercising experience panic attack and almost quit the program.

Dr. Carlon Colker, the physician and trainer who worked with the kids says that a child's fears are often created in the home. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," he advises parents. "If a kid has an issue like fear, chances are you have it, too. Your own issues need to be addressed." To get over your fear, start small. Shoot for a walk or jog around the block with your children. When you see that you've survived that, go a little bit farther each time you exercise until you reach your goal.

But the key is that you have to be at ease for your children to feel the vibe. "You tell them, 'It's just a sit-up; here, let me show you,'" Dr. Colker suggests. "You show them that they can do it." You are the most important influence in your children's lives, so work out your issues by working out. After a little bit of exposure to exercise for everyone, those fears will be a thing of the past. 

 

When that school bell rings at the end of the day, many kids can't wait to get home and park on the couch to watch TV, play video games, and eat junk food. That doesn't mean you have to let them! When your kids get home from school, encourage them to get out in the yard and run around. They've been cooped up all day in a classroom and will probably welcome the chance to let some energy out.

If you're home when your kids get out of school, make some time to exercise together, whether outside or in the house. Doing an exercise video is better than playing a video game! If your children are latchkey kids, try to find an older kid in the neighborhood who will play with them until you get home. Your children will appreciate the company as well as the activity.

Frank Angelucci, PE teacher for the kids on Shaq's Big Challenge, says that children today have schedules booked so solid, there's no time for them to keep fit. He urges parents to leave some room in their kids' schedules for heart-pumping activity in the afternoon or evening. "Encourage independence — riding bikes to the park, hiking around the pond," he advises. "Even if you're preoccupied with making dinner, let your kids roam." It can be structured exercise or fun physical activity — just make sure your kids are using their after-school time to move around and be healthy!