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Family Health: Why Team Sports Are Only Part of the Childhood Obesity Solution
September 19th, 2011
Photography by Chip Griffin, via Flickr (CC)
With so many studies floating around about the importance of exercise in combating childhood obesity, you may think that signing kids up for an after-school karate class or soccer team is the key to helping them get some exercise and stay fit. And you’re not wrong—any exercise is going to go a long way in keeping your kids healthy. However, a recent article on ParentCentral.ca caught our attention with its headline, “Why Playing Sports Could Be Making Your Kid Fat.”
Say what?
The article looks at a report from researchers at the University of Minnesota, which revealed that one in four kids aged 8-16 who participate in sports are overweight. In fact, researchers found no significant difference in Body Mass Index (BMI) between “sporty” kids and their peers in various studies. One culprit that researchers point to? The junk food that kids are eating before, between and after games (we’re looking at you, concession-stand nachos and fries!)
“It’s exactly the opposite of what we want to have happening,” said researcher Dr. Toben Nelson, in an interview with The Toronto Star. “The assumption has always been ‘My kids are okay because they’re in sports.’ What parents don’t realize is they don’t get as much physical activity as they think they do. And the really awful food at the concession stands is really just junk food.”
A team outing to Pizza Hut after a game may sound like a lot of fun, but it’s not necessarily the healthiest choice for your child, and it’s not doing much to complement the calories that your child has burned while playing sports. This isn’t to say that kids should never celebrate with a meal out with friends after a sporting event, but it should be a treat for special occasions. We’re all for celebratory cupcakes and cookies, but maybe not between every inning of baseball.
Do your kids participate in team sports? Is it for fitness, or just for fun, or both?
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