Childhood obesity is a current medical epidemic that affects many of our children today. Help us prevent this disease with the following tips:
Remember 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...
5 - Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day
4 - Eat at least 4 or more meals together as a family every week
3 - Eat 3 meals a day - no skipping!
2 - Limit screen time to less than 2 hours per day (TV, computer, video games, phone)
1 - Get at least 1 hour of physical activity every day (at least 30 min continuous)
0 - Drink 0 sugary beverages each day
Tips to help you follow these recommendations:
- Eat a piece of fruit or a vegetable at every meal
- Clear the table, turn off the TV and have FUN with your family at mealtime
- Unsure if you are hungry? Try water or a sugar-free drink first
- Put TV and computer in family room only
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Turn up the music and dance!
- Do light exercise such as jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups or lift hand weights during TV commercials
- Choose water with lemon or lime, sugar-free flavored water, Crystal Light, unflavored tea, diet soda or skim milk when you are thirsty
As always, remember that change does not occur overnight and change is never easy. If you or a family member are struggling with weight, start by making a small switch in your diet or lifestyle. As you feel more comfortable and motivated, you can make more changes! Also keep in mind that parents enable bad eating behaviors for their children, so be careful what you buy and put in your cabinets.
Visit Brenner Fit for more information regarding Brenner Children's Hospital's pediatric weight management program. If your child is significantly overweight or has other conditions including high blood pressure and high cholesterol, talk with your physician to see if your child qualifies for this program.
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