HEALTH & WELLNESS
breathe and can inflame the respiratory tract. Children with serious
asthma are more likely to be overweight.
Heart problems later in life can develop because being overweight
makes the heart work harder. Overweight children are more likely to be
overweight adults who develop heart problems.
Many celebrities have also been affected by weight challenges - some
that began in childhood.
Singer and Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson lost 80
pounds and published a book, “I Got This: How I Changed My Ways
and Lost What Weighed Me Down,” and served as a Weight Watchers’
spokesperson. Singer and “American Idol” winner Ruben Studdard lost
more than 100 pounds.
Actress Sara Rue lost 50 pounds and launched a TV show, “Shedding
for the Wedding,” to advise brides on how to prepare for their special
day, and how couples can start a healthy lifestyle together.
Rapper Joseph “Fat Joe” Cartagena did weigh 460 pounds and
lost at least 100. He was quoted as saying that he saw his extreme
weight as a symptom of social problems in the community where he
comes from. He volunteered to work with the Newark, New Jersey
mayor’s office to create an anti-obesity program. Oprah Winfrey has
publicly talked about and shared her weight-loss ups and downs with
audiences for decades.
All of these public personalities and more have shared their struggles
to help inspire others and to demonstrate that changes can make
a difference. And National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
provides an opportunity for learning about ways to prevent and address
this serious health concern.
The CDC suggests a number of ways parents, schools, childcare
givers and communities can help prevent obesity and support healthy
growth in children.
• Balance energy, which includes getting adequate sleep, keeping
screen time to a minimum, taking part in regular physical activity,
and eating the right amount of calories.
• Serve higher-nutrient, lower-calorie foods.
• Serve water as a no-calorie alternative to beverages sweetened
with sugar.
• Encourage children to participate in activities that are age-
appropriate and enjoyable.
Jennifer Hudson
and her son
SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY
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