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Stopping Childhood Obesity
in Its Tracks
Meals on-the-go, less physical activity in schools and more
time spent instant-messaging and playing video games add up
to a generation at risk. About 16-percent of all children
and teens in the United States are overweight, putting them
at risk for cardiovascular disease, our nation’s leading
cause of death.
But there is good news! Families have the power to help
their children make positive changes and can adopt
family-wide healthy lifestyles. Last year, the American
Heart Association partnered with the William J. Clinton
Foundation to address the issue of childhood obesity,
creating the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. The joint
goal of the Alliance initiative is to stop the increasing
prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States by 2010
and reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity by 10% by
2015.
Some of the strategies for reaching this goal include
encouraging families to spend time together engaging in
physical activity, advocating for healthier food options in
school cafeterias and helping schools and community groups
to create after-school physical activity programs that
appeal to all kids, not just athletes. Children need to be
empowered to be active and place importance on their health.
National Youth Health Awareness Day on October 22. Here are
easy steps that parents can take to help encourage their
children to adapt healthy lifestyles at a young age:
1. Be a positive role model. If you’re practicing healthy
habits, it’s a lot easier to convince children to do the
same.
2. Get the whole family active. Plan times for everyone to
get moving together. Take walks, ride bikes, go swimming,
garden or just play hide-and-seek outside. Everyone will
benefit from the exercise and the time together.
3. Limit TV, video game and computer time. These habits lead
to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive snacking, which
increase risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease.
4. Encourage physical activities that children really enjoy.
Every child is unique. Let children experiment with
different activities until each finds something that he or
she really loves doing. They’ll stick with it longer if they
love it.
5. Be supportive. Focus on the positive instead of the
negative. Everyone likes to be praised for a job well done.
Celebrate successes and help children and teens develop a
good self-image.
6. Set specific goals and limits, such as one hour of
physical activity a day or two desserts per week other than
fruit. When goals are too abstract or limits too
restrictive, the chance for success decreases.
7. Don’t reward children with food. Using candy and snacks
as rewards encourages bad habits. Find other ways to
celebrate good behavior.
8. Make dinnertime a family time. When everyone sits down
together to eat, there’s less chance of children eating the
wrong foods or snacking too much. Get the kids involved in
cooking and planning meals. Everyone develops good eating
habits together and the quality time with the family will be
an added bonus.
9. Make a game of reading food labels. The whole family will
learn what’s good for their health and be more conscious of
what they eat. It’s a habit that helps change behavior for a
lifetime.
10. Stay involved. Be an advocate for healthier children.
Insist on good food choices at school. Make sure your
children’s healthcare providers are monitoring
cardiovascular indicators like BMI, blood pressure and
cholesterol. Contact public officials on matters of the
heart. Make your voice heard.
And finally, register for the Greater Washington Region
Heart Walk, presented locally by Washington Hospital Center,
on Saturday November 4th 2006 on the National Mall. To
register visit:
www.heartwalk.kintera.org/dc or call 703-527-2659.
For more information on Alliance for a Healthier Generation,
visit:
www.healthiergeneration.org
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