Posted Jan 4, 2010
There are approximately 12.5 million obese children in our nation due to improper nutrition, time in front of the television, and lack of physical activity, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, President Obama has identified critical areas for reforming our nation’s schools to help in the fight against this epidemic. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), poor nutrition affects the behavior of children, their school attendance and performance, as well as their overall development. They state that hungry or malnourished children don’t learn as well as children who have a healthy breakfast and proper nutrition and exercise throughout the day.
Many schools are improving their meal programs by providing healthier choices such as more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and less fat. There are free- and reduced-meal programs for low-income families. In addition, nutrition and physical fitness is valued and made a priority not only in health and physical education classes, but many schools are incorporating fundraisers and activities that place a high priority on physical fitness education.
If schools are modeling and providing proper health education opportunities, parents should get on board and do their part at home. The USDA website provides many examples of dietary guidelines which include games for children, information for parents, and lesson plans many teachers already use. CDC also has helpful information in this area. There’s just no excuse.
Health and nutrition practices in the home can have a huge influence on whether or not our nation’s youth are overweight. I believe the United States is excluded from the top five nations in educational ranking due to this lifestyle that can cause poor academic performance.
Each New Year tends to lead to diet books flying off the shelves and increased gym memberships, but are families including these best practices in the home? Parents should ask themselves the following questions:
Does my child:
–skip breakfast?
–have a steady diet of fast food?
–stay indoors most of the time, spending more than two hours a day watching TV, playing video games, on their laptop or phone?
–bring cookies and chips for a school snack or lunch?
–set their own bedtime?
–drink sodas instead of water?
As a teacher, you can imagine what I see in the classroom with children who have this lifestyle. How can a child be expected to perform their best at school when they have a poor diet, are dehydrated, and tired from lack of sleep? I’m not blaming them; it’s not their fault. Do they do the grocery shopping? Do they own the TVs and computers? Do they make the rules?
Parents need to take control of the situation and use all of their newfound nutrition and exercise knowledge to do the following with their children:
*Start each day with a healthy breakfast.
*Limit fast food to once a week.
*Set a regular bedtime, aiming for 8-10 hours of sleep each night.
*Limit TV, video games, computer and social networking time.
*Take TVs and computers out of the bedroom.
*Provide water as an alternative to soda.
*Eat at the table as a family instead of in the car or in front of the TV.
*Exercise together by taking a walk or bike ride after supper.
*Include children in meal preparation.
*Pack a healthy snack.
*Provide nutritional foods and outdoor play after school.
*Use the USDA guidelines for help. Start by choosing one or two things you can easily change in your daily routine.
Parents need to stop the school nutrition blame game and take control of their child’s physical well-being. Children need to be involved in their parents’ New Year’s resolutions to become healthier, happier people. Not only will they feel better, but I venture to guess they’ll get more out of school, have increased self-esteem, and a better family home life. Here’s to a Happy New Year!
Maria Corkern, M.Ed., is an elementary school teacher, author, reading specialist, and blogger residing in Georgia. She wrote the book Doris TheSaurus to help children learn how to use higher-level vocabulary to enhance their creative writing.
Jan 2, 2009
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