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Fit or Fat?
Tips for Raising Healthy, Active Kids
- Limit your kids' "screen time." Research shows that the time spent watching TV and on the computer is directly related to being overweight (as well as to other negative behaviors). In fact, kids who watch TV with meals have diets that may include fewer fruits and vegetables and more pizzas, snack foods and sodas. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting screen time to one or two hours a day. Give your kids "active" chores every day, such as walking the dog, running an errand on their bike, raking leaves, sweeping the porch, etc. Encourage active games with children in the neighborhood such as basketball, tag and red light/green light. Children often need direction in their free time. Left to their own devices, they will almost always gravitate toward the TV.
- Motivate your kids to eat healthy by teaching them about nutrition. Using the food pyramid as a guide, even a young child can count the number of foods he has eaten from each group. For older kids, the motivation for eating right can be having more energy for a sport, for doing better on tests, or for being able to fit in outgrown clothes. You can teach older children to begin looking at commercials for sugary foods on Saturday morning cartoons with a wary eye.
- Get the whole family involved in meal planning and preparation. Kids who help cook are more likely to eat Preschool children can make choices about what's for dinner. For example, ask, "Should we have carrots or broccoli for dinner?" School-aged children can help plan a balanced meal by looking at the food pyramid. Have children make a balanced meal out of their favorite entr裮 For example, how can macaroni and cheese be part of a balanced, healthy meal? Third graders and up can prepare most of the meal with a little help. An adult should always supervise children in the kitchen.
- Eat more green. As kids are bulging in weight, they are also showing early signs of heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Including more vegetarian foods in your family's diet can decrease saturated fat and also include a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals that can help prevent cancer and heart disease. Some ideas for meatless meals that are kid friendly include:
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