IT'S easy to convince yourself that obesity doesn't affect you, that a few extra pounds is just extra padding, and to tell yourself that you'll take care of it later.
If you need to, you'll get a gym membership - after the house is paid off - cook healthier dinners - when you have more time - or join a baseball team - when the kids are too old for a sitter.
In Canada, we have 5.5 million obese adults, a number that has grown dramatically over the past 20 years. But it's not just adults who are affected, it's a problem affecting entire Canadian families. The number of obese children in Canada has nearly tripled over the last 25 years, and we now have 500,000 obese children.
So what does this all mean? How might obesity affect your family? Well, obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
It's possible that you could be classified as obese and not even know it. You don't have to be in the 200 to 300 pound range as obesity is based on your body mass index (BMI).
If you have a BMI greater
than 30, you're defined as obese. Your BMI can be calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared. To find out if you're obese, you can use this calculation, or have a body fat test done.
So what can you do? The best way for your family to battle obesity is to increase activity levels. It's easy to find ways to keep fit and stay active that your whole family will enjoy. The hardest part is making a commitment and sticking to it. Decide as a family to engage in physical activity three times a week. Then, come up with a list of activities all of you will enjoy. You can take turns choosing, or draw from a hat, just make sure you stick to your thrice-weekly schedule!
There are endless opportunities for active indoor and outdoor fun.
Here are some activities to get you started:
- Play Twister or other indoor active games.
- Build an obstacle course in the basement or garage on a rainy day.
- Head out to the backyard or a local park and toss a Frisbee or a football around.
- Go for an afternoon hike.
- Pack a cooler full of water and healthy snacks and go to the beach. Go for a walk or play a friendly game of beach volleyball.
- If you can't drag your teenager away from the TV, try Wii Fit.
- Make a weekend of it and go camping when the weather suits.
- Go kayaking, or ask another family to join you in a game of soccer or softball.
Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer. For further information call 604-420-7800 or go to www.karpfitness.com.
