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Dear World’s Fittest Man,

I'm really psyched because I'm starting at a local college this fall and I've already lined up a part time job babysitting a 9 year-old and an 11 year-old every afternoon and on Saturdays while their mom works. Here's the thing, and I don't want to sound mean, but they are two really porky kids. When I was over there talking about the job, I saw the junk their mom put out for them to snack on, plus it looks like all they do is watch TV and play video games. Can you suggest some fun activities I could do with them to work off some of those pounds? What about some snacks I can give them that taste good but don't have all those calories?

Mother's little helper

Dear Mother’s little helper,

Your question really addresses one of the largest growing problems in this country and one that’s very important to me: childhood obesity. You see, I was once a chubby kid too. Since I was a kid, however, the problem has gotten much worse. According to recent statistics from the Center for Disease Control, 10% of children 2 to 5-years-old and 15% of children 6 to 19 years-old are considered overweight or obese. When I first saw these statistics I was shocked.

The problem has gotten so bad that Kraft, the makers of Oreo Cookies and Oscar Mayer Wieiners, recently announced they are going to start cutting the amount of fat in their food and stop marketing junk food snacks to kids in school. Kraft is also going to be promoting a fitness program specially designed for kids. Go Kraft! It’s great to see the largest food manufacturer in the world leading the way for change.

Now back to those “porky kids.” Before you start giving these kids a workout, you should express your concern to their mother. I’m sure she knows already and will probably welcome your concern. Be sure not to tell her she’s a bad mother, but be positive and share some ideas for fitness and food. Here are some things for you to try. First fitness:

  • Soccer: This is a great active sport that teaches strength, agility, and speed. If there’s no kids soccer team in your area, just kick a soccer ball around in their back yard or local park
  • Hide-and-Seek: Kids of all ages love this game and it’s fun without kids thinking they’re doing physical activity.
  • Ball Tossing: Get a few Nerf balls and toss them back and forth. Turn on some music and try to coordinate with the rhythm.
  • Jump Rope: This takes a little skill, but once kids learn the basics it’s great fun and the ultimate cardio workout. It’s even great for parents too. Plus, there’s all kinds of ways to mix this up with rhyming and word games.

Here are some healthy snacks you can try with the kids:

  • low-fat cheese and crackers
  • canned fruit (without syrup)
  • pretzels
  • apple, orange, banana or other fresh fruit
  • celery with one tablespoon of peanut butter
  • low-fat yogurt with a tablespoon of granola

For more information on kids and fitness, check out www.fitness.gov

© Joe Decker 2003

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