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Keeping kids healthy and active for a lifetime

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Developing unhealthy eating and exercise habits doesn’t happen overnight. Left to their own devices, children may cultivate a taste for carb-laden fast food and spend their leisure time playing video games, placing them at risk for serious health problems in adulthood.

According to a CDC report titled “Childhood Obesity Causes and Consequences,” the risks include obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and more.

Poor eating and activity patterns develop over years, but by the time the health consequences catch up, changing those bad habits can be harrowing. In fact, forming new, healthy lifestyle behaviors past adolescence often turns into a lifelong process that seesaws between progress and relapse.

The best way for parents to help their children grow into healthy, active adults is to start early. Introduce a variety of nutritious foods as soon as they transition from breast milk or formula to solids; serve wholesome, nutrient-rich meals, and don’t bring junk food into the house.

Parents should take to heart the adage that kids learn from example. Parents who enjoy eating healthy foods and leading their children in physical activities from an early age are providing them with the best prospects for lifelong health. Make the effort to turn physical activities into fun family time in which everyone wants to participate, such as shooting baskets on the driveway, playing badminton in the backyard, and riding bikes around the neighborhood.

Introduce activities as soon as they’re walking. Not all children are fated to become elite athletes, but those who do begin kicking a soccer ball, swinging a golf club or swimming as toddlers. The goal is not to turn out the next Serena Williams or Wayne Gretzky, but to raise active kids who are more likely to grow to be active adults.

As children grow into teens, they begin to break away from family activities and gravitate toward peer activities. Today, that means they’re spending more time staring at their cell phones and iPods or playing video games. Parents need to be hyper-vigilant when it comes to electronics use to keep their teens on a healthy, active track.

Set limits for screen time, and have your teen agree to them. Consistency and consequences are key to keeping the peace. If your teen isn’t abiding by the terms of your agreement, take away the cell phone, iPod, or video games to send the message that your family’s healthy lifestyle arrangement is non-negotiable.

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