Nearly 12.5 million children and youth ages 2--19 are obese in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. What can parents do to teach kids to adopt healthy lifestyles throughout their lifetime?
Parents set the tone for healthy lifestyles as their children's most important role model. "Children who see parents enjoying healthy foods and being physically active are more likely to do the same," say officials of the Office of the Surgeon General in the publication, Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future.
Obesity-related deaths totaled 300,000 per year in the United States, revealed the 2010 Virginia Childhood Obesity Survey of the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth. The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth directly reaches more than 141,000 children through classroom-based prevention programs in hundreds of public schools, after-school programs, community centers, daycares and prevention programs statewide.
"The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth wants to help communities take a more active role in stemming the tide of the childhood obesity epidemic," says VFHY Executive Director Marty Kilgore.
Helping Obese Kids Lead Healthy Lifestyles
The Office of the Surgeon General recommends the following tips for parents to help obese kids:
- Help kids stay active. Put an hour of physical activity into your child's day. Limit TV and other screen time to less than two hours per day.
- Encourage healthy eating habits. Shop, cook, and plan for healthy meals. Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast every day. Sit at the table and eat together as a family. Know how much food to serve your child.
- Promote healthy choices. Make sure your child gets enough sleep each night. Help your child understand why you are making these changes.
Healthy lifestye resources to help children and parents reduce obesity are abundant. The CDC provides healthy tips for parents at the following websites:
- http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/calories/index.html
- http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/
- http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/resources/diseases/obesity/index.htm
Raising kids in homes where parents nurture them in faith, hope, and love can make a lifetime impact upon their physical, mental, and spiritual well being.
"Just like eating and sleeping, physical activity should be a regular part of a child's day," Office of Surgeon General officials say. "Add physical activity to your own daily habits and invite your child to join you."
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Sharon Wilkerson-Gilpin - Sharon Wilkerson-Gilpin is an author and journalist with more than 20 years of professional writing experience. A native of Richmond, VA, ...
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