A study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine suggests that simple lifestyle modifications in terms of exercise and diet could help children and parents live a disease-free life. Considering that childhood obesity rates are currently high, the scientists explored cost-effective ways of combating obesity in this trial.
For the current study, nearly 13 mother-child pairs were examined for a span of 10 weeks. The subjects met 2 times in a week and were exposed to exercises as well as fitness education. Their general health was inspected as well. According to what was observed, adults appeared to experience a range of benefits with respect to blood levels of glucose, cholesterol and systolic blood pressure.
“Childhood obesity is a health issue plaguing young people across the nation, and is particularly a problem in Hispanic households. This study demonstrates that implementing a simple program of group exercise and educational support can have a positive effect on fitness and cardiovascular disease risk factors,†commented lead author Susan Shore, P.T., Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Azusa Pacific University.
In case of children, there seemed to be no apparent changes in blood composition, though systolic blood pressure dropped by almost 6.63 mm Hg on an average. The findings showed that simple lifestyle habits could be the key to weight loss. Exercise regime, diet plans and health education could be some steps to achieve a healthy life.
Recently, a fat tax was proposed for ceasing the obesity epidemic.