Parents and caregivers play a key role in not only making healthy choices for children but also teaching children to make healthy choices for themselves. But in today’s busy world, this isn’t always easy. Time, budget, finicky eaters all make these decisions difficult, but thankfully there are resources for those who want help in navigating healthy eating. USDA’s food icon, MyPlate, serves as a quick visual reminder to all consumers to make healthy food choices when you choose your next meal. Built off of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, MyPlate can help prioritize food choices by reminding us to make half of our plate fruits and vegetables and shows us the other important food groups for a well-balanced meal: whole grains, lean proteins, and low fat dairy. (1) MEAL PLAN: Look for ways to incorporate your child into the decisions, shopping, and even preparing meals. Search Pinterest or other websites to find family friendly meals. You can plan meals as a family, giving everyone a choice on their night, ending the week with a “treat meal”. Use the 80/20 rule allowing everyone choices to indulge in those treats we all love. SNACKING: Incorporate daily snack boxes filling your child’s box with healthy choices and allow them control over when and what they snack on. When the box is empty, they are finished with snacks for that day. Now, that’s the bad news. The good news is that by making just a few lifestyle changes, we can hopefully help our children lead healthier lives – and we already have the tools we need to do it. Physical activity is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. In combination with healthy eating, it can help prevent a range of life altering chronic diseases. Physical activity helps control weight, build lean muscle, reduce fat, promote strong bones, muscle and joint development, and decrease the risk of obesity. Both CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics have estimated that children need sixty minutes of play with moderate to vigorous activity every day to grow up to a healthy weight. While this may sound like a lot, consider that 8 to 18 year old adolescents spend an average of 7.5 hours a day using entertainment media, including TV, computers, video games, cell phones, and movies in a typical day, and only one-third of high school students get the recommended levels of physical activity. (2) While many kids will get their activity needs met through sports or club activities, there are many who don’t have that opportunity. I encourage you to think outside of the box for ways to get your family engaged and moving. 1. Pedometers (step counters) can be purchased inexpensively. Incorporate a step challenge with a healthy goal for the entire family with a special prize for the winner! 2. Playgrounds can be used for outdoor games, building obstacle courses using the equipment provided. 3. Backyard games of soccer, kickball, or wiffle ball for the entire family are always a family favorite. 4. Search your community for kids’ clinics or opportunities to get them moving. City parks often will have an entire schedule of camps and activities. (www.paducahky.gov/departments/parks- recreation/camps-and-classes) 5. Any type of family fitness challenge is always a hit: dancing, jump rope, push-up contest. A quick search on YouTube will provide many ideas. More than anything, I can’t stress enough the importance of moving with them! Try to make the focus on being healthy and strong as opposed to tying it to losing weight. Break the amount of time up, if needed, into a morning and after dinner activity time. 18 AUGUST 2024 | INTHEVUE.COM
