I recently posted an article dealing with obesity and being overweight in Florida.  I know that almost everyone is familiar with this subject.  I have yet to find a person that did not know about weight, food, healthy choices of food compared to poor choices in food.

Everyone knows that exercise and eating nutritious food is critical.  We are bombarded with marketing campaigns on the latest diets and how they are better than all the others.  One suggests you eat all meat, one suggests you eat no fat, one suggests you eat no carbs, one suggests you eat all of it.  I suggest you forget it all and approach this with some basic research and common sense.

Everyone seems to know what to do.   Most make a choice to take the more natural path of doing nothing and continuing with current lifestyle choices.  Your current health care practitioner can help direct you on this journey to healthier choices and making a difference in your health and life.

I recently worked at an expo at the local mall where we provided the opportunity to have your BMI calculated.  Of all the people who responded a small percentage were in the normal weight range, and a majority fell into the overweight if not obese weight range.  Some refused even to do it because they knew where they were on the scale.  Everyone I spoke with had the answers to weight reduction and better nutrition.  What I find is that people are not willing to discipline themselves to make the changes.  Everyone wants to eat what they want, drink what they want and take a pill that will make them the perfect weight and keep them healthy.  Guess what?  “IT AINT A WORKIN.”

If you have parents, who are overweight most likely the children are overweight.  This is NOT due to genetics.  This is due to LEARNED behavior.  This gives credence to an old saying, ”monkey see, monkey do.” Our children today will bring new challenges to the healthcare system tomorrow.  We see children now with obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol.  Why is this so?  They become what they eat.  What are they eating?  French fries, sugary drinks, cakes, candy, cookies, potato chips, fast food hamburgers, sandwiches that are loaded with calories and poor nutrition.  Next time you go to the grocery store pay attention to what people put in their grocery cart.  The next time you stop at a convenience store notice what the parents are buying their children.  You will be amazed.

Due to our fast-paced lifestyles and both parents are working we have turned to quick and easy to prepare for dinner.  It is easy to fix a hot dog, buy a pizza, and open a box of macaroni and cheese.  We pack our lunch with sweets, potato chips which over the long term creates more calories than are necessary and not healthy calories at that.

I recommend you look at health.gov/dietaryguidelines to better understand what nutrition is all about.  I would also refer you to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations on media use, nutritional support.  Children and adults are not meant to spend hours a day with their face stuck in front of a computer or phone screen.  There should be stringent limits on this and especially if your child deals with any Attention Deficits.

Please remember to work with your Primary care provider regarding these issues so many health problems can be prevented rather than endured.