As parents we all want our children to be happy and healthy. Overall health can be seen as physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual, but for this article, we are going to focus on children’s physical health. This is a very important topic as studies are showing an alarming rate in the increase of obesity and lack of activity in children.
Lack of Activity
According to the CDC, “Less than one-quarter (24%) of children 6 to 17 years of age participate in 60 minutes of physical activity every day.” This is a concerning statistic as it is recommended that children over the age of 6 should receive at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day and currently only 1 in 4 children are getting this amount.
Increase in Obesity
Harvard School of Public Health describes obesity rates of children, “Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates have tripled in the U.S., and today, the country has some of the highest obesity rates in the world: one out of six children is obese, and one out of three children is overweight or obese.” Not only is child obesity increasing, but the CDC states, “73.6% of adults aged 20 are over overweight or obese (2017-2018).”
Obese Children Have Higher Likelihood of Being Obese Adults
These studies should raise concern as children who are obese are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults. According to, “Do obese children become obese adults? A review of the literature”, the authors found, “About a third (26 to 41%) of obese preschool children were obese as adults, and about half (42 to 63%) of obese school-age children were obese as adults.” This means that parents should be focusing on instilling good behaviors in regards to physical health at an early age to create healthy adults.
While these statistics may seem daunting, it brings attention to the fact that adult obesity could be curbed by creating healthy habits at a young age.
Keeping Kids Healthy - Teaching Life-Long Behaviors
In general, things that you do to keep yourself healthy are very similar to how you should help your children be physically healthy. Here are some simple tips to creating healthier kids:
Nutrition
What your kids put into their bodies matters. They are growing and need to be properly nourished. This means feeding your children a balanced diet mainly composed of whole natural foods. Think the outer edges of the grocery store and skip anything prepackaged and processed.
For those children who are picky eaters and only eat chicken nuggets, mac n’cheese and chocolate milk, it is sometimes helpful to get children involved in meal planning and cooking. This helps them to understand what the food looks like prior to being cooked and why it is good for you.
Keep it simple, think out about every meal including the basics; vegetables, fruit, lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and dairy. An example of what this might look like for dinner: Grilled chicken breast (lean protein), steamed broccoli with a drizzle of olive oil (vegetables and healthy fats), a baked potato topped with Greek yogurt (complex carbohydrates and dairy), and a bowl of mixed berries for dessert (fruit).
Activity
Get them moving! Limit screen time to less than two hours per day (not including school work) or make it active by playing games that get them moving. Track your children’s activity, make sure they are getting at least 60 minutes of movement every day.
You may think initially 60 minutes of exercise may seem excessive, but this includes recess at school, going for a walk or to the park. If this is done as a family to make a point to stay active together, children are more likely to maintain those habits.
Regular Checkups
Be sure you are bringing your kids in for their regular checkups as your doctor can help answer any questions, make recommendations, or catch issues before they are a problem.
Creating a Healthy Family
One of the best things you can do for your children is lead by example. Do your part to live a physically healthy life. Be a role model for your children to eat well and move often.