Are you raising a healthy person?
For children, regular exercise is key
by Jean Milán

You prepare nutritious meals for them. You make sure they get enough sleep. You take them to the doctor when they’re sick. But are you really doing all that you can to ensure that your children reach healthy and happy adulthoods?

The obesity epidemic affects youngest Americans Almost any American who has been within earshot of a television newscast or has caught a glimpse of a major newspaper this past summer has heard that there is a growing obesity epidemic in this country. This problem was brought to the forefront in June, when U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced legislation to address the growing problem of obesity among American children. One of the cornerstones of their “Childhood Obesity Reduction Act” is to promote physical activity in school-aged children. However, this is only the latest battle in a long war against an increasingly sedentary American lifestyle.

Back in 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower tried to address the issue with the founding of what would later become the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The results of a report that indicated that American children were less fit than their European counterparts prompted him to action. The council is still around today and it has done much to promote physical fitness in this country.

Yet the fact remains that American children are heavier and less active than ever before.
Inactivity and obesity go hand in hand, and although legislation and government intervention may help alleviate these problems somewhat, healthful habits that last a lifetime need to be established in the home, and at a young age.Parents are main influence in children’s activity levels. James F. Sallis, Ph.D., a professor at San Diego State University and principal investigator for SPARK (Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids), states in his paper, Influences on Physical Activity of Children, Adolescents, and Adults, “The younger the child, the more influential parents are.” Therefore, it is crucial that parents set a good example.
Sallis goes on to add, “Parents who participate in activities with their children, organize activities, or transport children to places where they can be active are the most effective supporters (of physical activity).” But he also points out, “There is a growing literature that supports the common belief that people must enjoy physical activity if they are to continue.”

In other words, as a parent, not only is it important to provide encouragement and support to your children in order to get them physically active, you need to make exercise a fun part of their everyday lives.

Below are some suggestions that you and your children may enjoy:

• The family that plays together stays fit together. Make time for the entire family to share in outdoor group activities such as walking, rollerblading and bicycling.

• Adventure makes exercise fun. Plan family vacations around swimming, skiing or hiking.

• Support your budding athlete. Sign up your half-pint Michael Jordan or little Mia Hamm for activities such as martial arts, tennis, baseball and dance. Also, encourage your child to participate in sports at school.

“Certainly my kid doesn’t have a problem...”Now many of you reading these suggestions may be thinking, “Well, my kid gets enough exercise just being a kid.” But please keep in mind that the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports currently recommends that children under the age of 18 take part in at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least five days a week. Other reputable experts increase that recommendation to seven days a week.

By laying a foundation of regular physical activity for your children you are giving them the gift of long and healthy lives free of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. So turn off the television and start having some fun!