Let ‘em rip!

The figures are alarming. One in five of German elementary school kids is too fat and has a motor deficit. Because kids just don't take enough exercise. This can have a very adverse impact on their health. But it can be avoided – if grown-ups play along.

Almost two million German children and teenagers aged between 3 and 17 are overweight. They eat unhealthy food and don't do enough sport. Result? More and more children are suffering from high blood pressure, gout, and type 2 diabetes, a disease that used to be confined to old people. 53 percent of boys and 33 percent of girls are unable to bend forward and touch the ground with their fingertips. 86 percent are incapable of standing on one leg for one minute. Studies point to a link between TV viewing and excess weight. Computers do the rest.

Now the German government has taken the matter to heart: in June they launched a national action plan called "In Form" ("Get in Shape"). This includes some agreements with industry: the sweet industry was asked to stop all advertising targeted at the under twelves; the computer games industry was asked to develop more computer games that encourage physical activity. And this is what grownups can do:

GET ACTIVE YOURSELF. If grown-ups spend all their time lounging on the sofa, never walk a yard when they can drive, and always use moving staircases and elevators, they can hardly be surprised if their kids turn into couch potatoes. It's up to you to set an example: take the initiative, go swimming or ice-skating.

ROMP WITH THE KIDS. If there's one thing kiddies really love it's a romp with dad and mom. Hop, skip, and jump – and the grown-ups are kids once again. Get outside whenever possible: play ball (or football), go on the climbing frame, jump rope, have a race …

SHOPPING. There are masses of toys and play apparatus that help you get active: racing bikes, Bobby-Cars, tricycles, roller skates, hopper balls, balance trainers, juggling balls, badminton …

SPORT FOR EVER. Join a sports club – it's well worth the effort. It doesn't cost much per month, and there will be lots of different sports under one roof. Little girls love learning to dance – to the latest chart music.

WISE WORDS. If you get too tough – "Just you finish what's on your plate!" – this may actually lead to children becoming overweight, because they lose their natural feeling of "fullness".

GOOD NIGHT. American researchers have found that lack of sleep can encourage body fat. In up to 92 percent of the children they examined, lack of sleep led to obesity. They recommend: 11 hours for children under 5, up to 10 hours for children aged 10 or under.

GOING TO SCHOOL. If kids have become less active, it's partly the fault of the school system, because there's less sport on the timetable than there used to be. Tests have shown that on average, kids are really active for only 3-7 minutes of a sports lesson. There are many ways to change this, as several German parent initiatives have shown: take a look at
www.bewegteschule.de,
www.kinder-bewegen.de, or
www.schuleninbewegung.de

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN. Many parents have no idea (or only realize when illness strikes) that their child is fat. One study showed that 80% of overweight mothers considered that their fat children were "normal". It's best to ask your pediatrician.

DISH UP THE VEG. A healthy, balanced diet is a decisive factor, as you might expect. Kids can learn that, too. The fresher and more colorful the food you give them, the better. And it's best for the family to eat together, at set times and in a calm setting.

MAMMA MIA. Whenever possible, it's best for moms to breast-feed their babies. Because breast feeding in the first 4-6 months reduces the risk of future obesity – becoming unhealthily fat – by 20 percent, according to the Stiftung Kindergesundheit (German Child Health Foundation).