6 Secrets to Keeping Kids Fit

There are many simple ways parents in this busy age of hectic schedules can do their part to help their child maintain a healthy lifestyle. Many moms and dads just don’t know where to begin. The American Foundation for Children’s Health Awareness (AFCHA) shares some secrets to raising healthier kids that every parent can learn from.

Secret 1- Monitor your child’s school vending machine. Kids spend a great deal of their day at school and, as a consequence, do a lot of their daily eating and drinking there. Many school vending machines contribute to obesity by maintaining an exclusive selection of high calorie/high sugar foods like soda/pop. A UCLA study showed that students who have access to soda in vending machines at school drink 25% more soda than students who don’t. As a parent, it’s your right to see that your child’s school vending machine contains what you think it should.

Secret 2- Read nutrition labels. It’s the job of a savvy packaged food maker in this era of heightened health consciousness to make health claims. It’s your job as a parent to read the nutrition label and find out what actual ingredients are in the product.

Secret 3- Enjoy family meals. Arrange some home-cooked meals to cut down on the high calorie content you get in foods when you eat out. Include servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. Get kids to participate in the meal’s preparation. Try to eat with the television off so you are free of distraction and more able to tell when you are full.

Secret 4- Keep junk food out of the house. Out of sight, out of mind. Sodas and sugar-laced juices won’t be missed if they’re not there and healthy substitutes take their place.

Secret 5- Get simple exercise. According to the CDC, 30% of schoolchildren are overweight or obese and only 6-8% of schools provide recommended daily physical education classes. This means parents need to take the lead and find a suitable program for their child. There are groups, classes and leagues that can fit any personality and they include walking, rock climbing, martial arts, basketball, baseball, soccer, dancing, gymnastics, swimming…

Secret 6- Talk to your kids. Communication between parent and child has been credited with steering kids away from drugs and alcohol. Know that when you talk to your child about choosing the right foods and saying no to junk food, your kids are listening.

American Foundation for Children’s Health Awareness, Inc. (AFCHA) is the leading organization dedicated to combating childhood obesity through free literature to parents. For information on AFCHA-sponsored programs or to be added to our mailing list write to info@afcha.org