Go ahead, parents and kids: Play outside

There are certain injuries that I, as a pediatrician, would like to see on more kids these days: skinned knees, poison ivy, and blisters.

These were once common by-products of childhood. But they are being replaced by something sinister: kids and families who suffer because they spend too much time inside.

The hypnotic allure of electronic media, along with America's shift in diet, has led to a sedentary, indoor lifestyle that puts our kids, families, and nation at risk.

Access to nature may prove to be a secret weapon in America's battle against childhood obesity.

Since I was in medical school in the early 1990s, I've witnessed striking changes: Parents are increasingly strapped for time and money; kids spend more time at home and school placated with computers; kids eat more fast, unhealthy food.

Nationwide, obesity rates have gone through the roof. In 1980, one in 20 American teenagers was obese. Today, it's one in five. It's an epidemic that has arisen within a single generation.

Obesity is more than excess baby fat. A "chubby" 1-year-old has a 60 percent greater chance of being an obese adult. But an obese teenager has a 1,300 percent greater chance of obesity as an adult.

Doctors have documented kids' joints and bones wearing out during childhood because they are not capable of carrying the excess weight.

Type 2 diabetes (the kind mostly caused by diet and weight issues) used to be called "adult onset" diabetes. We now see cases in kids as young as 10. Obesity also sets up our kids for a lifetime of heart and liver disease.

Individual suffering is heartbreaking, while social costs are staggering. America's national health-care costs are already exceedingly high compared with other countries', but will only grow as we grapple with the impacts of obesity.

Doctors are scrambling for answers.

Being outside, doing things such as skipping stones or hunting for bugs, have clear benefits over, say, time on a treadmill. Being outside helps kids fight depression, decrease attention disorders, maintain healthier levels of vitamin D, and develop better problem-solving skills.

We need to get outside and leave our electronic gadgets behind - or at least turned off and buried at the bottom of our day pack.

Unfortunately, the time has come when America must be intentional to make sure that our kids get enough time outdoors. That's why I was excited to see Sen. Mark Udall (D., Colo.) and Rep. Ron Kind (D., Wis.) reintroduce the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act last month.

There is plenty to be done, from Congress to our kitchens. As adults, it's our job to model healthy lifestyles. It's not enough to tell our kids to go out and play. They need to see us playing outside as well, ideally with them.

So go out and have fun. Play as if your life - and our kids' lives - depend on it.