After decades of advances in modern medicine, why are death rates increasing in 2016? Sadly, today’s parents can expect to live more lives than their children – a sad comment on today’s lifestyle. Simply put … the obesity epidemic among America’s children is shortening their life expectancy, causing death rates to go in the wrong direction.

The first lady of the United States has been championing the cause against obesity in America’s schools. Of course, public school officials should eliminate access to sugary, high-calorie beverages from our nation’s cafeterias. However, our children spend less than 20 percent of their time in classrooms. What good is it that a child can’t have high-calorie drinks at school when the refrigerator at home is full of sugary drinks?

I recently heard someone ask “What is the most important thing we can teach our children?” The answer was to teach our children how to be when they leave us. In other words, prepare them for life when they are alone. Looking back on my early years as a mother, I knew that my daughters were learning about life “through my eyes.” I was always aware of the responsibility I felt as a role model. And that’s what I hope is at the top of every parent’s job description list, as a caring teacher to our children.

For today, since this is an article on obesity and death rates, this is my request to parents of young children. The national approach to healthier diets in public schools has highlighted America’s obesity crisis. In fact, inaction in this regard will have surprising results, including a life expectancy for members of our newer generation that is two to five years shorter than that of the previous generation, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Think about this for a moment, with all the medical advances that our society has produced; The children of this generation will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. The obvious culprit is in my mind, fast food (I’ve never seen a child turn down a potato chip), video games, and other on-screen activities that discourage physical activity.

And, whenever we learn of the high incidence of obesity, we remember the current diabetes epidemic. In the United States, diabetes affects tens of millions of Americans, costs about $ 174 billion a year, and ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. And studies indicate that the biggest risk factor for type 2 diabetes is being overweight, a characteristic shared by 85 percent of diabetics. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, nine out of ten cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented through exercise, healthier diets, quitting smoking, and other healthy behaviors. Even modest weight loss has been found to help people with diabetes achieve and maintain blood glucose control and live healthier, longer, and more active lives.

The complications of diabetes, as reported by the Defeat Diabetes Foundation, are myriad. Most concerning, in my opinion, is that people with diabetes are 65 percent more likely than their peers to develop Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, a high proportion of people with diabetes suffer damage to their nervous system, including carpal tunnel syndrome and altered sensation in the feet or hands. And people with diabetes are two to four times more likely than others to develop heart disease and six times more likely to have a stroke. Not surprisingly, people with diabetes live an average of six years less than their non-diabetic peers. All this from a condition that most of the time can be prevented by reducing the consumption of sugar, carbohydrates and processed foods so frequent in the American diet.

The point is, parents of young children in the US must fully recognize and understand the health risks their children face today and for years to come. They are facing the challenge of being overweight and the greatest chances of becoming diabetic children. Today’s young diabetic will face a 65% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in their later years. Also, a diabetic lives six years less than non-diabetics. Diabetic children have a much greater health disparity than people without disabilities.

The message is very strong and clear. But it must be listened to, understood, accepted and put into practice! The key to good parenting begins with loving our children, but we must go one step further. We need to start by accepting that we control how long our children will live. We keep their mortality in the palm of our hands. When we appease them with fries and sugary drinks, WE ARE GUARANTEE to help them shorten their shelf life. They will die too soon and long after we leave. Is this the legacy you want to leave to your children? I hope not.

Copyright 2016

Allan Checkoway, RHU