A Disservice to Our Children
On Friday 12/9/11 the Everett Herald ran an article entitled “Overweight Children Face Heart Risks.” It stated that 19% of children ages 2-18 are obese and 30% are overweight. My heart was grieved for these children, as this doesn’t give them a great start in living the life of a good steward. I have no idea what the % breakdown of overweight children is for Christian families, but regardless, it’s important for us to think of our children as gifts God has given to us, and we need to be good stewards of our gifts.
The article stated that children as young as 3 can start developing artery inflammation and cholesterol issues. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are commonly linked with negative health habits. As you would guess, exercise and good eating habits are big keys to combating these issues.
Hey, we have the occasional hotdog. I am not saying, “Never,” but we, as parents, need to watch our eating patterns and get our kids out and moving regularly each week. For our part, we get our kids out walking and riding their bikes several times a week because we want them to grow up thinking that active living is completely normal. The habits we instill in our children now will, Lord willing, last a lifetime.
Proverbs 22:6 reminds us: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
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