Helping your kids develop healthy lifestyle habits

Childhood obesity remains a challenge, due to its serious impact on the physical and social well-being of today’s children. 

The notion that plump children are cute and healthy is fading fast.  

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), obesity promotes insulin resistance, which in turn, is related to a number of lifestyle-related diseases including type-2 diabetes mellitus. 

Addressing obesity through lifestyle changes is an important step towards achieving healthy habits. 

Helping children achieve or maintain healthy weight requires accurate identification by health care professionals and promotion of lifestyle modifications.

It also requires significant societal change to create a healthier environment for children. 

Here are ten practical tips to keep your children healthy, balanced and energetic throughout the day:

1. Practice what you preach. If you are practicing healthy habits, it’s a lot easier to convince children to do the same.

2. Persuade the whole family to be active. Plan times for everyone to get moving together. Take walks, ride bikes, fix the 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 to not less than two hours a day.  More than two hours of viewing may lead to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive snacking while in front of the TV or computer which may increase the risks for obesity.

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 so that they will stick with it longer if they love it.

5. Give praise whenever necessary with regard to small successes in healthy lifestyle practices.  Children like to be praised for a job well done. Celebrate successes and help children 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. The chance for success increases as goals become detailed and specific.

7. Don’t reward children with food. Candy and snacks as a reward encourage bad habits. Find other ways to reward 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 the preparation of family meals. 

9. Encourage the value 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. Remain involved. Be an advocate for healthier children. Insist on healthy lifestyle habits including good food choices at school and in the community.

For more information on food and nutrition, contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Telephone/Fax Nos.: 837-2934 or 837-3164; Direct Line: 839-1839; DOST Trunk Line: 837-2071 to 82 local 2296 or 2284; e-mail: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or at mar_v_c@yahoo.com; FNRI-DOST website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. (FNRI-DOST S & T Media Service: Press Release - DIVORAH V. AGUILA)