By Rachel Engstrom

In America today 31% of children between the ages of 6 to 19 are overweight, 16% are seriously overweight, and the numbers are rising. Wow. As a mother of three small children, the current statistics of obesity in children are startling to me. As a teacher of middle school students, I see it every day, so I shouldn’t be so surprised. But there’s more: studies show obese children and children with cancer have the same poor quality of life. Researchers in the United Kingdom state that this generation of children will be the first generation to die before their parents because of health issues stemming from obesity. A study done at University of California San Diego reports that lack of exercise is more of a contributing factor to obesity in children than over-eating. These alarming statistics are a call to arms (well, actually more legs than arms).

The solution starts at home. With more parents working, it is difficult to find the time to exercise with your children. The American Heart Association’s recommendation of 30 minutes per day of moderate activity (three to four of those days should be vigorous) can be daunting. But there are some easy ways to get your kids moving, and YOU get to reap the rewards as well. Not only are you exercising with your kids, but you are also spending some quality time with them.

One of the easiest activities you can do is to take a walk. Walking in the Northwest in the fall is still possible, although the days are getting shorter. Have a race between mailboxes; vary your gait each block (skip, run, take giant steps, take baby mice steps, walk backwards, etc.). Don’t worry about looking silly; you’re with your kids! It is amazing how fast 30 minutes goes by.

Walk to a nearby park or school and play an old fashioned game of tag. (For great ideas for tag games and ball games check out Great Big Book of Children’s Games by Debra Wise.)

If you live on a street full of kids, why not organize a neighborhood game of Kick the Can? You can even enlist older kids to run the game. Too cold to walk outside? Or it is raining? Go to the mall. Power walk between Sears and JC Penney.

The zoo is another place to get in some exercise. Have a walking race between animals. Hiking trails and nature paths are also wonderful places to get in a workout and enjoy Mother Nature at the same time. Look for events that support your local forests. Friends of Forest Park has put together an All Trails Challenge. The 50 miles of trails are divided up into easy 1/2-mile to 3-mile segments. Take a trail a week and challenge your family to do all trails in a year.
Train for a fun run together. Many cities offer kid runs along with the adult events. Check Walk About’s Event page for a walker friendly event in your area.

Whatever activities you decide to do with your kids, make sure they have the proper footwear, plenty of water, and sunscreen. And above all else have fun. Kids need to see that exercise is fun and not a chore. With more parents taking an active role in their kids’ physical well being maybe these worrisome statistics can be a thing of the past.

Rachel Engstrom teaches sports conditioning as an after-school activity for middle schoolers in Oregon City in addition to her regular job teaching history. She is also a mother of three very active kids (four if you include the husband) and an assistant coach with Portland Fit.