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Jump
on the Band Wagon
This season’s little black dress is childhood obesity. Everyone is getting on the band wagon about how to prevent it, how to tell if your child is overweight and what to do about it. These issues will definitely play a big part in the future of our country’s health care costs. Studies have shown that children’s height has been increasing, but at a lower rate than weight. That is a problem. The same two principles that cause adult obesity apply to childhood obesity; too much food and too little exercise.
Anyone who has been around small children can attest to the fact that they are little balls of energy. They love to move and explore everything. To fuel all that energy, they eat small, frequent meals (notice the word ‘small’). Children grow so quickly that between the ages of two and three, they have grown to half their adult height! During this time, children eat every two to three hours, but the small portions are used quickly for growing and moving. As children grow older, they still have a tendency to want to move. However, the formal learning of day cares and schools have replaced that free-roaming, energy-burning time with sit down, learn and listen time. Education is extremely important, but so is the mental and physical health of children.
To combat childhood obesity, families can make physical activity a fun part of the normal day. Have small baggies with healthy snacks ready to grab when the kids get home to tide them over until dinner; then go outside and play! Homework will be easier to do once the kids move around and get away from the books for awhile. If you don’t believe it, try working through your lunch break for a week. Not only does the afternoon drag by slowly, but the work output is less than if you took your lunch break. Children should have at least one hour of free play with friends to unwind.
Fast foods are convenient, but five nights a week of drive-thru service isn’t healthy. If you know you will be in a hurry, toss something in the crock pot in the morning, and it will be ready when you get home. The added bonus is that you will have time to play with the kids. Another faster than fast food idea is to stop at the deli and pick up a roasted chicken and make a salad while the kids play; quick, easy and healthier than fast food.
Become politically active in your community. In order to raise test scores, some elementary schools have cancelled recess to make more time for math and reading instruction. Oops! It backfired. Not only did the scores go down, the schools also had more disciplinary problems. Don’t allow this to happen in your community.
Children should be allowed to move around and burn all of that excess energy in safe, healthy and fun ways. If we teach healthy habits to children when they are young, chances are they will be healthier adults.
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