With obesity at an all time high all over the world, researchers have come up with a novel way to help reduce child hood obesity. Using, wait for it....weighted teddy bears.

Yes you read that right, now your child can lift weights with his or her favorite teddy bear. Will this turn your local kindergarten into a "Venice Beach" type environment with all the kids pumping iron and developing big muscles?

Well, no not exactly but it was shown that by giving the kids heavier toys to play with it the researchers found that it raised the children's heart rate, breathing rate and an increase in calories used during the activity. While some people have reservations about kids using weighted toys at such a young age for fear of hurting themselves. We all know physical activity does play a big role in weight management and by using this technique it won't turn a child's life around but then again any more physical activity that a child does would be of great benefit. The fact that the activity is fun to do means that the child won't associate it as being exercise and wont get fed up doing it. If you think about it, which would you rather do? An hour on a treadmill or a good long walk in the countryside?

Unfortunately the word "exercise" to some people brings up visions of slogging it out and panting and wheezing and having to push them selves to the very limit. Exercise first and foremost should be fun, find something that your kids like to do, hire out a bouncy castle or trampoline (kids can't resist going crazy on those things, so you can imagine the calories they'll burn up). A long walk in the countryside could become a nature ramble. Use your imagination or find out what your kids like to do the more fun it seems to them the better and the chances they'll want to keep it up without you having to nag them.