Will teaching elementary school children about nutrition and the benefits of exercise make them healthier as adults? A study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine shows what many health educators and many parents thought all along – that the healthy lifestyle habits you impart to children truly do last a lifetime.
Teach Children Heart-Healthy Facts
When researchers from the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health study (CATCH) examined the health habits of 4,000 middle-schoolers nationwide who were exposed to a comprehensive "heart healthy" education program from third to fifth grade, they found that by the eighth grade, those same children had a significantly lower intake of fat and exercised more than did children who did not participate in the program.
The information learned from CATCH suggests that teaching healthy living practices to children should not only be an important part of school curriculum, but that healthy habits and learning should be integrated into each child's everyday environment.
Childhood Obesity at Epidemic Proportions
Obesity in children has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Over the last 20 years, the number of overweight children has increased by 50 percent, and the number of extremely obese children has nearly doubled. Physicians report that they are seeing more children than ever who watch more than five hours of television a day, rarely exercise, and eat poor diets that are low in fiber. Seventy percent of overweight children who are 10 to 13 years old will become overweight and obese as adults.
Teach Your Children Well
So what can parents do to stop this alarming trend?
- First, think in terms of healthy diet and fitness as a lifelong habit, rather than a quick fix. Exercise together as a family, and encourage your kids to center free time and family time around fun, non-competitive fitness activities.
- Make having a healthy breakfast a family priority. Breakfast eaters not only have a better overall diet, but also have less trouble concentrating and fewer behavior problems in school. Breakfast should provide 20 to 25 percent of your child's daily calorie and nutrition needs.
- Don't use food as a bribe or reward. Let food remain a source of nourishment and enjoyment. Statistics show that if young children are left to their own devices, they will intuitively select a balanced diet and eat only the calories they need. Let your children decide how much to eat, but offer a wide variety of healthy food choices as selections. Stock the fridge with single servings of low-fat food items that are appealing to hungry kids on the go.
- Encourage your children to participate in popular after-school sports, classes, or other positive learning activities. If they lack confidence in their physical abilities, offer to work with them to improve their skills.
- Decrease the use of television, videos, and computer games for your own child, and for your family as a whole. Stanford University researchers have found that the body mass index (a measurement that takes into account height and weight) could be significantly cut in children who watched between a quarter to a third less television and videos, and played fewer computer games. One possibility is to set a 30-minute limit (with a timer) for these activities. Having a television, computer, or telephone in your child's bedroom will make it harder to enforce.
- Eat more meals at home; dine out and order food-to-go less often. About 30 percent of family meals nationwide are eaten outside the home. Restaurant meals are often higher in calories and are served in bigger portions than are those prepared at home.
- Set a good example, and be educated about nutrition. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's website, ChooseMyPlate.gov, can help you and your children choose the right foods and in the right amounts.
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