Daifailluh al-Bugami is a child from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. At just 3 years old, he is 61 pounds, nearly double the typical weight of a child his age. Daifailluh’s parents are now planning something that would have once seemed very odd; bariatric surgery to permanently remove part of his stomach in hopes of shrinking his appetite and prevent future health problems. Saudi Arabia is obviously very hot which limits outdoor activity but I wonder how much healthier the children (and adults) would be if they had something similar to our Farmingdale and Babylon fitness boot camp around.
Why is This Happening?
Saudi Arabia is a wealthy country. With wealth sometimes comes sedentary behavior and access to less than supportive nutrition. Health problems and excess weight in children is certainly not a problem limited to the Middle East. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 18% of school-age children in the U.S. were considered obese in 2010. For reasons like this, we opened a fitness boot camp in Babylon and Farmingdale.
It All Starts at Home
While sports and other outside programs can be a great supplement, kids most often mimic their parents. Obese parents tend to have obese children. I’m proud of the fact that my 2 year old….
- Knows what pushups and squats are
- Knows what a foam roller is used for
- Doesn’t know what McDonalds is
Life gets busy for all of us but we can’t neglect to teach our children with both words and actions what is important in life. If we fail to do this, we may pay later with unhealthy and inactive children.
Unfortunately, we will be different than most people if we do this. While most families are sitting around watching television, we may be the only ones playing at a nearby park. I say be different and be proud of it! Heck, just attending a fitness boot camp in Babylon or Farmingdale makes you different from most.
As has been said, kids spell “Love” T-I-M-E. One of the best things we can do for our kids is to give them undivided attention. What better way to do that than with playing sports or being active together.
My father gave me this gift and it is something I’m eternally grateful for. He worked his tail off but managed to be at almost every single one of my games (and there were a lot!). Don’t be a parent who goes to a game and sits in the car or talks on a cell phone the whole time ignoring your child. Be engaged. They will notice. I know from experience.
Our future would be much better if more parents took the time to support and encourage their kids. Being a parent is no easy task but like most things, stepping up to the plate is more than worth it.
We must keep in mind that kids see everything we do. If we continually lead by example of engaging in physical activity (e.g. working out at a fitness boot camp in Babylon or Farmingdale), and healthy food choices, kids undergoing a knife because of obesity will be a thing of the past.
*If you are looking to lead by example and make a positive change, check out the trial offer for our fitness boot camp in Farmingdale and Babylon.
Billy Hofacker, CEO and Owner of Total Body Boot Camp
TBBC Transformation Coach, B.S., NSCA-CPT, FMS Level 1