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Today, I’m sharing parenting advice on preventing childhood obesity. As parents, we want to do everything we can to protect our kids. We teach them to be careful around strangers. And, to wear helmets and kneepads whenever they ride their bikes. Furthermore, we monitor their time online and steer them away from offensive content. However, for all the threats we look for, there may be one hiding in plain sight.

Unfortunately, millions of children across the country are affected by childhood obesity. Your children may not been affected now, but they are not immune. The ages most affected are between 6 and 19. If you think there are bigger things to worry about, you may not fully understand childhood obesity.

Check out these tips on preventing childhood obesity:

What Causes Childhood Obesity?

The most obvious factors relating to a child’s weight are diet and exercise. But, there are others you may not realize. These causes may be more subtle. Unfortunately, they can have just as profound an impact on a young person’s health as what he or she eats.

For example, childhood obesity studies have found that family meals are important. When families eat together, children reduce the risk of developing obesity. This may be because family mealtimes are an opportunity for parents to model healthier eating habits. Parents can also control portion sizes. When kids eat on their own, they are less likely to be mindful of how much they’re consuming.

Neighborhood design is another contributor that does not receive enough attention. Because of the density of many subdivisions and rental properties, often there is not enough space for parks. Building communities around cars can also cause a lack of sidewalks or bike paths.

What Are the Consequences?

Beside weight, obesity can have serious effects on young bodies. These can include high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Both can lead to heart disease.

Children who suffer from obesity often report higher-than-average breathing difficulties. This includes sleep apnea and asthma. Overweight kids may also experience joint pain, heartburn and gallstones. Additionally, obesity has a strong correlation with Type 2 diabetes.

Also, it has been found that childhood obesity can have severe psychological repercussions. Overweight children have a higher chance of experiencing bullying and ostracization. This can lead to significant issues such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.

How Can You Prevent It?

There are a number of steps you can take to help your children make healthier lifestyle choices. First, focus on overall health. Our weight tends to fluctuate from day to day, and kids can become easily frustrated if it appears their efforts to avoid obesity aren’t working.

Make nutritious meals at home with fresh ingredients. This requires the elimination of processed foods. Most importantly, this will help control calorie and fat intake. Limiting screen time is another helpful strategy. This prevents kids from spending too much time on the couch or at the computer desk. Be supportive and reward your children for making healthy decisions.

Obesity is one of the dangerous threats to our children’s health. For more tips in preventing your kids from gaining too much weight, see the infographic.

Author bio: Kids Car Donations is a national organization that accepts vehicle donations to better the lives of children. The organization partners with a number of well-known nonprofits serving children and teens who are confronted with physical, mental and emotional challenges to provide the care they need.

We all know that staying healthy will make us live a longer and happier life. Today, I’m sharing empowerment tips on how to stay healthy on a budget. There are so many reports and articles on the subject. As a matter of fact, it can get a little overwhelming. Products get pushed in our faces, and many cost a fair amount of money. It can seem like you need to be wealthy to be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, that’s not the case. There are numerous ways to keep your health in check. In fact, most methods won’t break the bank, and your body will thank you for it.

healthy on a budget

Here’s a few ways to stay healthy on a budget:

Cook at Home

One of the best ways to make sure you are eating right and doing it on the cheap is to cook all or at least most meals at home. There are a number of organic, vegan, and healthy eateries around in the modern world, but they also tend to be expensive.

Vegetables and grains are some of the cheapest items at the grocery store. So why include them in your meals. Get creative, look up some recipes. You’ll be eating much better and saving a lot of money each month.

If you don’t have time to cook every day, start meal planning. Furthermore, why not make double batches? This way you’ll have enough for another family meal the next week. Most foods are freezable, and you’ll have your own microwaveable meals without all the unhealthy additives.

Don’t Waste Foods

The problem we sometimes face when we cook at home is that we throw away many unused ingredients. Freeze as much as you can and use overripe fruits to make smoothies. In a smoothie, they are just as good for you.

healthy on a budget

Skip the Gym

Not going to the gym doesn’t mean that you need to miss out on exercise. Gym memberships can cost a lot of your paycheck, and sometimes we don’t even go. Why not start a routine that costs you absolutely nothing?

There are many ways you can do this. Some people like to follow exercise videos that you can find online. Others want to go for a run in the park or along the beach. Taking your dog for a walk two or three times a day is already burning plenty of calories, so you don’t need to pay to use a machine or two.

Health Apps

Now there are many apps to track your health on your phones. Sure, you can invest in a watch that tracks your steps, but your phone can do the same. You can also track what you eat and drink each day so that you get a real idea of how many calories you eat daily.

You don’t need to splash out on a fancy device to know how your body’s doing. Free apps will help you to be stricter with your diet and to know what foods you should be cutting out.

healthy on a budget

Do You Really Need Health Products?

There are a lot of fancy products on the market right now that boast many benefits for your health. Some of them do a good job, and some barely work at all, yet still aren’t cheap.

PeaCURE mentions that they use only natural sources for their tablets. This is what you should be looking for if you’re going to use anything. You don’t want to be putting any unwanted chemicals into your body as it won’t make you healthier in the long run.

Get on the Health Band Wagon

So there you have our tips to stay healthy on a budget. As you can see, it’s not as difficult as you might have thought and you don’t need to spend a lot to be healthy. In fact, you’ll likely save a lot of money each month and have more fun with family or friends. You can do it!