(NaturalNews) The kind of food products being distributed so conveniently from boxes, fast food joints and microwavable packages today are so nutritionally void that they are not satisfying the dietary requirements that children need. This kind of food is not only depriving children of proper nutrition levels but is destroying their metabolism. These corn syrups, dyes and artificial colors are really just drugs designed to addict children to a cocktail of flavor science. These processed food "drugs" are even more addicting when kids are inundated with colorful advertisements on television.

Parents who don't set any clear nutritional guidelines or boundaries for their children are quick to give in to their kids' wants and demands. Over time, this lax behavior sets a low standard -- a weak precedent with unforeseen consequences. This lack of discipline and lax parental guidance has lowered the standard of health across the board. Over time, kids grow accustomed to a state of recurring sickness and stagnant obesity and learn to view this as normal.

But seeing a doctor routinely and filling a prescription of antibiotics is not normal behavior. Neither is children who can barely breathe when they run and play. Parents must raise the bar and lead by example, carving a new path that raises the standard for food choices and motivation. Parents who fail to teach principle are practically abusing their children. Allowing obesity to become the new normal is a sign that parents have lost the ability to teach basic responsibility.

81 percent of overweight boys thought their weight was normal

A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the CDC between the years 2005 and 2012 looked closer at this growing epidemic of obesity and the dying standard that is making American children view obesity as normal.

In the survey, 9.1 percent of the children 8 to 15 years old were classified as overweight based on body mass index. When questioned, 71 percent of the overweight girls thought that their weight was appropriate for their age. 81 percent of the overweight boys felt that their weight was normal.

Interestingly, 13 percent of children with normal weight thought that they were underweight.

The most shocking results were in the obese category. 36 percent of girls and 48 percent of boys in this group thought that their weight was normal. This goes to show that there is a deep apathetic mental conditioning consuming each new generation which is brainwashing nearly half of all hurting children to think that this pain and obesity is normal.

Focusing on the solutions, not the problem

When teaching children about achieving a healthy weight, it's most important not to belittle the child and shame them. Making children feel insecure about their weight may cause social anxiety through childhood that can lead to eating disorders.

The proper way to teach children about achieving healthy weight is to first teach them about the kind of food they eat, showing them what it's really made out of. Then children should be educated about the power of whole foods, fruits and vegetables, and the ability of these real foods to produce beneficial energy that promotes strong metabolism.

After educating, it's important to recognize the problem and set a new standard. Children must be put in an environment that challenges them to strive for a better fitness level that makes them feel truly better about themselves intrinsically.

After the goal has been set and the standard raised, parents and children should NOT focus on the problem (the weight). By focusing on the problem, it can actually grow worse. Parents and children should instead focus on the solutions, like daily disciplined exercise.

These basic principles can set a new normal of motivation and nutrition standards that teach kids to strive toward a healthier weight, better physical and cognitive performance, and overall health freedom.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.techtimes.com

http://www.itwire.com

http://www.usatoday.com