How Can Swimming Help in Childhood Obesity Prevention

Childhood Obesity, an Epidemic

In America and many other first world countries, children are gaining excessive amounts of weight for their height and are suffering from obesity at an alarming rate. This is due to the increased convenience of processed, high fat, and high sugar foods that are cheap and easy to purchase and are typically advertised towards children. It is also due to the increased lack of physical activity watching television, screen time and playing video games.

Kids are becoming less active while eating more calories, leading to the increase in obesity and chronic disease such as diabetes and social issues that are related to obesity. Childhood obesity can also lead to adult related medical issues such as heart disease and cancer. Childhood obesity can be prevented by limiting processed and high fat/high sugar foods and increasing activity, which includes swimming.

How Swimming Can Help Prevent Obesity

Swimming can help prevent obesity in many different ways. The most obvious way that swimming can help to prevent obesity is by keeping kids active! Swimming is a really good exercise that uses every part of the body and works out a variety of muscle groups. It is also a sport that can be done any time and with or without other kids. It does not require a team or a special event, although kids can certainly be a part of a swim team and swim in special swim meets to compete. It also does not require a special location to participate in, only a pool! Kids can swim any time as long as they have parent or guardian supervision, and they can swim for however long they like. It can also help to prevent obesity to keep kids engaged in something fun and active outside of the home versus being distracted by screens inside the home. If other children are also swimming, kids can stay active and be engaged socially with other children. Through swim lessons, kids will learn water safety skills in the pool and will learn how to swim so that they may either be a part of a swim team, train by themselves at home, or even just play in the pool with other children to keep them engaged and active for long periods of time.

Swimming Can Help Kids with Discipline and Focus

Swimming can also help to prevent obesity by establishing a good sense of discipline and focus that can help in other areas of life such as in school and with diet. Being disciplined can help kids know when to say no to junk foods and snacks and can also help them to eat more mindfully. Eating mindfully means that kids are not distracted by television or games, rather they are focused on what they are eating and are better able to listen to hunger and fullness cues, so they only eat what their body needs and not eat more than what their body needs. Swimming is a good way to burn off extra energy to keep kids calm and focused, and this can reflect positively on their behavior and school work.

Obesity is increasing among children in America and other first world countries at an alarming rate and the cause of this increase is related to an increase in cheap and easy to find high calorie/high fat foods and a decrease in activity and exercise. A good way to help treat or prevent obesity in children is to increase their activity, and this can be done through swimming. Swimming not only helps to prevent obesity by helping kids to stay active versus sedentary, but also helps in many other facets of life. Swimming can help to provide kids with increased socialization and communication skills, as well as increased discipline and focus. This can lead to kids developing more healthy eating habits, and it can also improve issues related to excessive energy thus leading to better behavior and focus in school.

Stephanie Mitchell’s bio:

Swim Instructor in West Hollywood, CA

Hi, my name is Stephanie and I've been teaching swim lessons for 10 yrs and coaching for 2 yrs. The age range is from 1 yr- high school age. I have experience with children of all ages for 5 yrs. I also have worked as a dietician at a children's hospital. I was a competitive swimmer from age 9-20. I went to Penn State for my undergrad and University of Alabama for grad school and earned my Masters degree in Human Nutrition in 2015.