HEALTHY HOLIDAYS

Check out the American Cancer Society's Newsletter:

HEALTHY LIVING

For information on navigating holiday parties, heathy gift ideas, and eating together as a family.

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

September is the 2nd annual National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.

Preventing Childhood Obesity: Tips for Parents

Childhood Obesity is on the Rise
The number of overweight children in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years. Approximately 10 percent of 4 and 5 year old children are overweight, double that of 20 years ago. Overweight is more prevalent in girls than boys and in older preschoolers (ages 4-5) than younger (ages 2-3).

Obesity increases even more as children get older. For ages 6 to 11, at least one child in five is overweight. Over the last two decades, this number has increased by more than 50 percent and the number of obese children has nearly doubled.

For most children, overweight is the result of unhealthy eating patterns (too many calories) and too little physical activity. Since these habits are established in early childhood, efforts to prevent obesity should begin early.

Determining if a Child is Overweight
Parents should not make changes to a child's diet based solely on perceptions of overweight. All preschoolers exhibit their own individual body structure and growth pattern. Assessing obesity in children is difficult because children grow in unpredictable spurts. It should only be done by a health care professional, using the child's height and weight relative to his previous growth history.

Helping Overweight Children
Weight loss is not a good approach for most young children, since their bodies are growing and developing. Overweight children should not be put on a diet unless a physician supervises one for medical reasons. A restrictive diet may not supply the energy and nutrients needed for normal growth and development.

For most very young children, the focus should be to maintain current weight, while the child grows normally in height.

The most important strategies for preventing obesity are healthy eating behaviors, regular physical activity, and reduced sedentary activity (such as watching television and videotapes, and playing computer games). These preventative strategies are part of a healthy lifestyle that should be developed during early childhood. They can be accomplished by following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Dietary Guidelines provide general diet and lifestyle recommendations for healthy Americans ages 2 years and over (not for younger children and infants).

Promote a Healthy Lifestyle
Parents and caregivers can help prevent childhood obesity by providing healthy meals and snacks, daily physical activity, and nutrition education. Healthy meals and snacks provide nutrition for growing bodies while modeling healthy eating behavior and attitudes. Increased physical activity reduces health risks and helps weight management. Nutrition education helps young children develop an awareness of good nutrition and healthy eating habits for a lifetime.


reprinted from New York State Department of Health

National Eat Your Veggies Day!

Goodbye MyPyramid! Hello MyPlate!

In accordance with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move Initiative and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,  MyPlate replaces the MyPyramid image as the government's primary food group symbol.  It is designed to remind Americans to eat healthfully using a familiar mealtime visual, a place setting.


"When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we're already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew.  So it's tough to be a nutritionist, too.  But we do have time to take a look at our kid's plates.  As long as they're half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we're golden.  That's how easy it is." - Michelle Obama

GET UP!!

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

Food Allergy Awareness

Contest!

CLIF KiD is inviting kids ages 6-12 to make up a backyard game and submit it for a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship, a new bike and a trip to New York where their game will be presented, played and judged at the CLIF Kid Backyard Game of the Year Play-Off in August. For official contest rules and more information,
go to:
CLIF KiD Backyard Games Contest

Navigating the Supermarket

American Heart Month

February is Amerian Heart Month sponsored by the American Heart Association.  Throughout the month I will be posting heart healthy tips, ideas and information for your family.

Tips for Raising Heart-Healthy, Active Children

Help your children develop good physical activity habits at an early age by setting a good example yourself.

Practice these heart-healthy habits with your kids:

• Limit screen time (television, movies, videos and computer games) to less than 2 hours a day.  Substitute the rest of leisure time with physical activity.
• Plan family outings and vacations that involve vigorous activities such as hiking, bicycling, skiing, swimming, etc.
• Give your children some household chores that require physical exertion, keeping in mind their levels of strength, coordination and maturity.  Mowing lawns, raking leaves, scrubbing floors and taking out the garbage not only teach responsibility but can be good exercise.
• Observe sports and activities your children like, then find out about lessons and clubs. Some children thrive on team sports; others prefer individual activities.  Some activities, like tennis and swimming, can be enjoyed for a lifetime and are much easier to learn during childhood.
• If it's safe to walk or bike rather than drive, do so.  Use stairs instead of elevators and escalators. Increase the distances you and your children walk.
• Stay involved in your child's physical education classes at school.  At daycare, make sure the kids exercise at least 20 minutes a day.  Ask about frequency of classes and activity, class size, curriculum (instruction in lifetime fitness activities as well as team sports should be emphasized), physical fitness assessments, qualifications of the teacher (should hold appropriate certification in physical education and be an appropriate role model for students).  Physical fitness should be measured at the beginning and end of each year, and goals should be established for each child.  Encourage your school board to emphasize skills students can use for the rest of their lives.
• Discourage homework immediately after school to let children find some diversion from the structure of the school day.  Kids should be active after school and before dinner.
• Choose fitness-oriented gifts -- a jump rope, mini-trampoline, tennis racket, baseball bat, a youth membership at the local YMCA or YWCA.  Select the gift with your child's skills and interests in mind.
• Take advantage of your local recreation opportunities -- from soccer leagues to fun runs.  Check out the various camps or organizations like the Sierra Club that sponsor outdoor activities such as camping, hiking trips and bird watching.
• Free your infant from mechanical restraints as much as possible. Strollers and playpens are high on convenience but low on activity potential. Try to unleash your diapered dynamo whenever and wherever he or she can safely move around.
• When your children are bored, suggest something that gets them moving, like playing catch or building a snowman in the yard.

(reprinted from the American Heart Association)