I was so active as a kid that I couldn't gain weight. I went into the Army at 17 and weighed 135 lbs.
I first thought video games when thinking of the obesity epidemic in youth today. But then we had D&D which is also a big time investment. So no, it isn't video games making kids today fat. It is poor nutrition and the lack of physical activity.
And this just isn't a big problem for them. Their increased healthcare costs over their lives is going to harm society.
Couch potato kids can develop high blood pressure by the age of SIX! - Study Finds
Unhealthy lifestyles — or being a “couch potato” — can lead to health problems at any age. However, a new study finds children as young as six could develop high blood pressure because of this inactivity.
According to researchers, overweight youngsters are spending too much time on their sofas and not enough in the park playing sports or just staying active. They add that parents are often to blame, as obesity can run in families. Instead, study authors say children need to get outside together to shed those excess pounds at an early age.
“Parents are significant agents of change in the promotion of children’s health behaviors,” says first author Professor Giovanni de Simone of the University of Naples Federico II in a media release.
“Very often, high blood pressure and/or obesity coexist in the same family. But even when this is not the case, it is desirable that lifestyle modifications involve all family members.”
Inactivity, eating too many sugary and salty foods, and excess weight account for nine in 10 cases of high blood pressure in children and teens. The international team’s findings were based on six to 16-year-olds with hypertension across Europe.
Dietary recommendations for treating the condition include increasing consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables and other high-fiber foods, cutting down on salt, and avoiding sugary drinks and saturated fat. The latter is abundant in ultra-processed foods such as burgers, pizzas, chicken nuggets, chips, and ready-to-eat meals.
How can kids stay in shape?