Made to Move!

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In the age of computers, PlayStations, Nintendo Wii, and the Wii, for many children, playing hide-and-go-seek, building tree forts, and biking to the playground have given way to spending hours in front of a computer monitor or television screen. With so much time being spent indoors, however, kids are not getting as much physical activity as they used to—and it’s starting to show.

According to the results from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), an estimated 17 percent of children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 years are overweight. This represents a 45 percent increase from the overweight estimates of 11 percent obtained from NHANES III from 1988 to 1994. And, in light of the fact that excess weight in childhood and adolescence has been found to predict overweight tendencies in adults, parents of overweight children have reason to be worried.

Fitness for Kids

The good news is that it’s never too late to get your kids off the couch. Here are a few simple tips to help you give your kids a lifelong appreciation for physical activity.

• Set a good example. If you want your kids to be active, be active yourself. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk instead of drive, and talk about physical exercise as an opportunity to take care of your body rather than as a punishment or chore.
• Limit screen time. The best way to get your kids moving is to limit the time they’re allowed to watch television or play video games. To make it easier to monitor, don’t allow your kids to have televisions in their rooms and keep computers in a family area.
• Establish a family hobby. Set aside a time each day for physical activity, Family hobbies such as walking the dog, fishing, tennis, or waterskiing can be great ways to spend time together and work on becoming more fit.

Sources: cdc.gov, family.org © 2013. True North Custom Media. All Rights Reserved.