By Alysha Peterson, “mailto:alyshap@cfra.org”>alyshap@cfra.org,

Center for Rural Affairs

Ever wonder why it’s so easy for kids to gain weight instead of lose it? I have and for that reason, I’ve come up with a list of three reasons why kids gain weight.

As a teen, it’s hard tojuggle various activities and still lose the pounds. Hectic schedules contribute to poor food choices.

Second, is modern transportation. According to an article I read, 40 years ago half of all school kids walked or bicycled to school. Today, fewer than 15% do because of traffic safety concerns.

Also, the food we eat. It’s easy to eat at fast food chains instead of making something nutritious. Many teens have limited access to healthy food. Some rural towns don’t have a grocery store and residents rely on convenience stores for their food, which offer few if any healthy choices.

For rural teens, finding ways to overcome the challenge of obesity can be tricky. In small communities, numerous things such as gyms and health food stores aren’t available. As a solution, teens and their parents could raise a garden with fresh produce, or shop at their local Farmer’s Market. Adolescents could try running in their town, using the gym at their school, or perhaps take the “Walking School Bus,” which is like a carpool that gives parents the responsibility to walk the “bus” riders to school. These are a few solutions that we could choose to stay healthy and avoid obesity. See full report at http://www.cfra.org/09/01/healthreport.