Get Moving!: Fit Kids

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Get Moving!: Fit Kids

 

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Develop a strategy for steering your kids into healthy habits this summer

 

Web Posted: 05/22/2006 12:00 AM CDT

Paula Hunt

Express-News Staff Writer

 

Summer vacation used to mean long days for playing in the backyard, goofing off with your friends, riding your bike to the corner store and looking for the best swimming hole.

 

Livin' as the song goes certainly was easy.

 

For too many of today's kids, however, the livin' is too easy.

 

Summertime has turned into a stretch on the calendar reserved for watching television, playing video games, IM'ing and other sedentary activities.

 

But it could also be the perfect time for you to introduce your children to fitness, says Dr. Dianna Burns-Banks, a pediatrician and president of the Bexar County Medical Society.

 

"Exercise is a way of life that children need to learn," says Burns-Banks. "(It) needs to be a part of the way you think of your health as a whole. In the summertime, you have the freedom to encourage (kids) to be active."

 

Unfortunately, we aren't doing a very good job of it.

 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 14 percent of young people are not active, and nearly half of youths ages 12 to 21 aren't active on a regular basis.

 

The benefits of physical activity for young people are similar to those for adults: helping build strong muscles and bones, reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases, stroke and some cancers.

 

It is also an integral component of maintaining a healthy weight something else the young people of America are struggling with.

 

Government figures show the obesity rate for children ages 2 to 5 and 12 to 19 has more than doubled over the past 30 years. For those 6 to 11, it has more than tripled. Studies have shown that children who were overweight or obese at age 11 are likely to remain overweight or obese through adolescence, increasing their risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis and high cholesterol.

 

When it comes to helping your child choose a plan to beat summertime sloth, consider what activities he or she likes or has shown an interest in, his or her fitness level and things the family can do together.

 

For example, children who dislike sports shouldn't be pushed into competitive activities. An overweight child might not like swimming lessons if it means having to wear a bathing suit.

 

But even if your child already competes in sports or isn't overweight, this doesn't mean he or she is getting enough exercise.

 

"Even though these young people are competing on one team after another, season after season, they're practicing maybe once or twice a week and having a game on Saturdays," says Dr. Jorge Gomez, associate professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center. "It sounds like a lot but it probably isn't a lot when you compare it to how active kids used to be."

 

A large part of the reason why children aren't participating in activities that used to be considered a natural part of growing up like going for a walk, skateboarding, dancing is staring us (and them) right in the face.

 

"One of the most important recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics is limiting TV to two hours a day," says Gomez, who adds that, if you make children less sedentary, they tend to become more active. Experts say kids should get 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity five to seven days a week.

 

If you're seeking an organized fitness program for your child, consider your local gym; many of them offer summer camps and classes in fitness, sports-specific training and games. You don't even need to be a member to enroll your child at some of them.

 

For those kids who enjoy sports, consider athletic performance camps that focus on increasing speed, strength and agility.

 

"Most of those camps are really well-supervised and a lot of thought has been put into developing an age-appropriate program for kids," says Gomez. "It's a safe thing, it can be motivating for kids. It's generally a good idea if their parents can afford it."

 

However, Gomez adds, there is an important caveat.

 

"Parents shouldn't ever rely solely on programmed activity, whether that's a summer athletics camp or a YMCA soccer game, to fulfill their child's need for physical activity. If they're doing those things, that's great, but it's not enough."

 

Burns-Banks suggests establishing new family rituals that promote physical activity, like going for a walk together in the evening, as well as rethinking your family's relationship with food.

 

"Family activities shouldn't just be focused on the picnic; maybe include a softball game or swimming" says Burns-Banks.

 

"It's very difficult when food becomes the focus as a reward. It'd be nice to have the focus become some kind of activity as a reward. Instead of saying, 'If you're real good we'll go to McDonald's,' say 'If you're real good we'll go to the park and throw some balls or a Frisbee.'"

 

While the world is quite different than it was 20 or 30 years ago, when it comes to kids Gomez says that some things haven't changed

 

"I think a lot of adults would be surprised at what children find fun jump rope, playing tag, throwing or kicking a ball around," he says. "Being active, being outside, enjoying moving around. That's what we're striving for."

 

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phunt@express-news.net