Understanding Weight
Ruth
Photo Credit: Amy Moss / Flickr.com
You've probably been hearing a lot of things about weight lately. All over the news there are things about health, childhood obesity and nutrition. But what is that even supposed to mean? Why is this stuff a big deal? Childhood obesity is serious because it can cause Type 2 diabetes. That's not like Type 1 diabetes, which a person is born with. Type 2 is caused by lifestyle habits — choices people make every day about what foods to eat and how much to go outside and be active. Diabetes is a medical condition that prevents the body from making insulin, a hormone that processes sugars in the blood that give energy to cells. Words like overweight and obese mean the body has more weight than it needs — which can be very difficult on joints (like knees).
There are all sorts of numbers, tests and fancy definitions that determine if a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese, but all the recommendations, charts and numbers boil down to helping you with one of the most important things: being healthy. The best way to do that is to get plenty of sleep to grow (and get better if you're a little under the weather), to eat healthy foods and to play outside. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with having potato chips, sodas and candy. After all, they're tasty foods. But those things have lots of ingredients that aren't as good for you as fruit and veggies are. I'm sure you've heard that from your parents a few times.
There's so much you can do when you're not feeling worn out! In school, you can focus better and think quicker. During games, you don't tire out as easily if you've eaten a nutritious meal versus candy which only gives little bursts of energy.
Sounds simple, but there's more to it. Being thin doesn't necessarily mean being healthy. Having some extra body fat is good — it helps to keep you warm and it provides extra nutrients when you need them. However, it's incredibly important to have a balance. For example: Yes, apples are a healthy food, but you can't live on apples just because they're healthy. Your body needs lots of different things to stay healthy and happy, so it's all in the mix. It's way more fun to be running around outside and playing games with your friends than it is to be tired and grumpy.