Seven Ways to Promote Your Child's Healthy Lifestyle

FIT FAMILIES

CHERYL MAGUIRE contributing writer

It’s important to keep your kids as healthy as possible to prevent getting sick. A child’s health encompasses physical, mental, and social well-being. My grandfather used to say, “if you have your health you have everything.” If you and your child are healthy, you will have more energy, lower medical costs, improved moods, and live longer. Here are some ways to promote healthy habits within your child:

CREATE A BEDTIME ROUTINE AND REGULAR BEDTIME Sleep helps your brain function properly, which improves learning. Studies show sleep deficiency increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Receiving the proper amount of sleep promotes appropriate growth and development, improves social interactions, and increases immunity against diseases.

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NIH) recommends school-age children and teens should sleep 9 to 10 hours per night. Bad sleep habits will affect both your physical and emotional health. One way to ensure your child is getting enough sleep is to create a scheduled bedtime based on when they need to wake up in the morning. If you maintain the same bedtime every night, it will be easier to fall asleep and create a healthy habit. Another way to help your child receive the proper amount of sleep is to have a bedtime routine a half hour before the expected sleep time. This routine will help your child relax and fall asleep easier. Some suggested bedtime routines include reading, a warm bath, drawing, listening to soothing music, or other calming activities.

ENCOURAGE HEALTHY EATING According to the Centers for Disease Controls (CDC) childhood obesity has more than tripled since 1970. Childhood obesity has both short and long-term effects on a child’s physical, social, and emotional health. For this reason,

it is important for a child to maintain a healthy weight.

Reading and understanding food labels is one way for you and your child to determine if a food is nutritious. It is also valuable to have a focus on family mealtimes. A Harvard University study found that families who eat together are twice as likely to eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables as families who don't eat together. Kids who eat family meals tend to eat a wider variety of foods and become less picky eaters. You can even take it a step further and include your children in meal planning, shopping, and cooking to help them develop skills for a lifetime of healthy habits.

EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS The CDC recommends children and teens should be physically active for 60 minutes per day. The physical activity should include aerobic, strengthening, and bone-strengthening activities. If you exercise with your child and select something you both view as fun, you will be more likely to do it. Some suggested family activities are walking, running, hiking, dancing, biking, or a workout class or video. Create a weekly scheduled routine to incorporate it into your life.

LIMIT SCREEN TIME Screen time consists of watching television, playing video games, or using electronic devices. When a child is in front of a screen, they are typically sedentary and not interacting with others. A research study at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) found when kids have too much screen time they have difficulty understanding other people’s emotions. Leonard Epstein, PhD, studied the effects of limiting screen time in obese children. The findings demonstrate when screen time was limited the children consumed 300 to 1500 fewer calories. Both of these research studies demonstrate the importance of limiting screen time to help your child socially interact with others, eat fewer calories, and be more physically active.

ENCOURAGE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS It is important to encourage your child to develop healthy relationships with peers and adults. Problem-solving, managing friendships, and understanding emotions are necessary for a child’s positive mental health. These skills will also enable a child to learn more effectively in the classroom.

DISCUSS PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL SAFETY According to the CDC, one of the leading causes of death in children is car accidents. One study found over 600,000 children did not use the proper car seat or seat belt which could prevent death during a car accident. Other accidental deaths include drowning, fire/burns, guns, poisoning, and suffocation. To prevent injuries and death it is important to discuss safety issues regarding all of these potentially dangerous situations.

Children and teenagers may be in situations when they are offered drugs or subjected to physical or sexual abuse. It is important to discuss with your child healthy and appropriate relationships.

BE A HEALTHY ROLE MODEL Children and teens model their parent’s positive and negative behaviors. Research conducted at Duke University found kids were more likely to eat well and exercise if their parents modeled those behaviors. If you model a healthy lifestyle, your child will most likely lead one as well.