FGF PARENTS!! This should piss you off!
Hey!
Coach K here with a BIG FEELINGS FRIDAY! I got myself all worked up yesterday morning when I read this headline and SPIRALED into deep thought. Of course I wrote it down and am here to share it with you now. First here is the headline⬇️
DISCLAIMER: Gosh I hate writing disclaimers in these emails but I don't like my words getting twisted and I realize not everyone that reads these emails TRULY knows me. I 100% understand there are some cases where these drugs could be potentially lifesaving. There are some children with a medical need for these and the approval could truly be their chance for health and happiness. This opinion piece is NOT about them or their parents. This is a piece on the LIFESTYLE PROBLEM we have in the US. Okay, there I said it.
📢 Parents: THIS SHOULD PISS YOU OFF.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on Monday recommended use of weight-loss drugs in children ages 12 years or older for treatment of obesity, which impacts about 14.4 million kids and adolescents in the United States and can lead to serious health complications.
The new guidelines - the first in over a decade - focus on treatment of obesity, as opposed to prevention.”
Quick stats:
For children and adolescents aged 2-19 years in 2017-2020:
The prevalence of obesity was 19.7% and affected about 14.7 million children and adolescents.
Obesity prevalence was 12.7% among 2- to 5-year-olds, 20.7% among 6- to 11-year-olds, and 22.2% among 12- to 19-year-olds. Childhood obesity is also more common among certain populations.
Therapies such as weight loss pill orlistat, Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) semaglutide - an injected diabetes treatment repurposed for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for long-term treatment of obesity in children age 12 and older. The appetite suppressant phentermine is approved for ages 16 and older.
There was MINIMAL talk in the articles I read about in changes in health behavior and lifestyle. Here was the only mention in this particular article:
“Intensive counseling of children and parents on health behavior and lifestyle over a period of three to 12 months is an effective treatment for child obesity, but is "challenging to deliver and not universally available. “
So right here, they’re pretty much shooting down lifestyle interventions because they may be “challenging to deliver.”
Instead of addressing the problem at the source, let’s just set our children up for a lifetime of yo-yoing and failure, NOT to mention the mental and emotional repercussions of having children on weight loss pills. Yes, a much better route to go with big pharma.
- NO discussion on nutrition.
- ZERO mention of the parents being the problem.
- NO mention of lifestyle changes.
So why is childhood obesity on the rise?
Here are my thoughts:
WE HAVE A LIFESTYLE PROBLEM!!!!!
1- Increased Screen Time: I may ruffle some feathers here but it needs to be said. We are in the era of “iPad parents.” I can’t go to target, a restaurant, the park, THE PARK!!! or family gathering without seeing kids- BABIES up to teens with their faces glued to their screens. I'm sure it seemed like a really convenient way to entertain small children so mom could get some laundry folded or dad could watch his football game. Maybe having conversation at dinner time is easier with coco melon playing at the table, but this has got to STOP!
This is killing our children's desire for movement, not to mention SQUASHING their imagination, observation, and communication skills.
I witness it with my extended family when I go back home to visit.
I witness it when I go out to eat at a restaurant.
I witness every other toddler in the shopping cart or stroller with a cell phone or iPad.
It’s lazy, it’s frustrating, I want to literally smash every screen I see a baby or young kid holding in many scenarios. I am not saying they can never have exposure to an ipad, phone, or tv. You guys know I am not a black or white person, but I don't believe they should be the FIRST choice for entertainment.
2- Lack of activity: This directly correlates with point 1. I see less and less kids playing outside, less families going for bike rides, less kids involved in activities with their parents. Every time I scroll on Facebook I read posts from parents who would rather Netflix and chill than move their bodies. "What TV series should I start next?!" As if watching every series is a new sport. Families that would prioritize going out to eat rather than go hiking or play in a park.
NOTE: If you want your children to be more active, the best place to start with yourself. I hear first hand parents wishing their kids were more participatory in sports or more active. The most frustrating thing for me to witness is adults setting their kids up for failure by not exposing them to a healthy lifestyle early on. Monkey see, monkey do.
4- Access to convenience foods. Whether it be handing a 2 year old a soda and donuts for breakfast (yes, I witnessed this in my own extended family) or stopping for fast food every night on the way home from school, the ease to grub hub or drive through is far more enticing than the thought of actually cooking a balanced meal. Unfortunately it takes way more effort to be healthy these days than unhealthy, which SUCKS but if you are a parent you have no other choice. Parenthood comes with responsibility, and a huge part of that responsibility is providing your children with the best possible outcome in life. Start with how you fuel yourself and them.
So why am I writing this? Well, I consult with about a dozen new people every week. Many of which are parents, most of which come to me lacking motivation.
I am here to remind you:
YOUR KIDS ARE ALL THE MOTIVATION YOU NEED.
There is no good reason why 1 in 5 children are being diagnosed as obese annually with the screening beginning at 6 years old.
Don’t let your children become part of this statistic because you weren’t motivated. I know this email is a bit more blunt than usual, but I have a lot of big feelings on this lifestyle stuff. I know it CAN be done and I KNOW we can change this for the generations to come.
🔥Keep showing up.
🔥Keep surrounding yourself with motivated and uplifting people.
🔥Keep your eyes on your own paper.
🔥Get out of your head and into your life.
🔥Never stop growing and challenging yourself/
As always, thanks for being here. Now go WIN the day. Happy Friday Team!
Peace, Love, and Burpees.
-Coach K
